The impact of familiarity with clinical placement settings on leadership development among student nurses

Background/Aims Healthcare education typically involves rotation through a number of clinical placements, so that students gain exposure to different settings. This requires them to adapt quickly to new environments, while developing their skills. This study explored the impact of familiarity with clinical placement settings on final-year undergraduate student nurses' experiences of learning management and leadership skills. Methods As part of a wider study on leadership and management development, 43 final-year undergraduate nursing students attending one university in Brunei shared their perspectives through written responses to eight questions. For this study, responses to the three questions on familiarity were analysed using thematic analysis, conducted by three authors independently, then discussed to reach consensus on key themes. Results A substantial number of participants noted the positive effects of familiarity, including increased confidence, reduced stress, better time management and strong professional relationships with both staff and patients. However, overfamiliarity with a setting was found to cause role confusion, with students being allocated routine tasks rather than focusing on learning opportunities. Some participants also felt that healthcare teams showed favouritism to students who were more familiar with the setting. Conclusions Familiarity can have both positive and negative effects on student nurses' experiences of clinical placements and their development of management and leadership skills. It is important to strike a balance between the need for familiarity and the requirement for student nurses to gain experience in a variety of clinical settings. Implications for practice Universities and healthcare organisations should work together to ensure that student nurses are given sufficient learning opportunities while on placement. A strategic approach to orientation should be taken, with clear explanation of students' and healthcare professionals' roles, so that students can familiarise themselves with new environments quickly and maximise their learning opportunities.