Question

You are assigned as a clinical instructor to a group of eight undergraduate nursing students in a clinical course of your choice. Describe how you would conduct both pre-conference and post-conference, OR, if you have alternate strategies for group learning experiences, describe them.

Answer 1

Conducting pre-clinical conference and post-conference helps to analyze the student's ability to identify clinical problems, critical thinking skills, and decision making power. Students learn to share the information, collaborate with one another, establishes teamwork, and improve nursing skills. Before conducting, the students should be explained well about the objectives, purpose, and benefits of the pre and post-conference.

In pre-conference, the Clinical instructor observes the student's ability to apply theory into practice. The student has been given a particular topic or assigned a patient. The students have given with maximum time of 15 minutes to assess and evaluate the patient. For example, a student is assigned a diabetic patient, then the student able to communicate his morning sugar and the need for insulin before breakfast. Then validate the student whether she has met standard care. Various strategies may be used in pre-conference levels such as discussion, critical techniques, case studies, etc.

In post-conference, the student's assignments are given as case studies and validate the debriefing, strengthening skills, and vent feelings. For example, analyze student's ability to follow the stages of grieving. The students are evaluated both formal and informal.

The clinical instructor has to guide the students, support them, and encourage the student for active participation and learning. The clinical instructor should actively listen to the students while evaluating. Students should be given enough time before validating.