Balancing Academia And Clinical Proficiency in The Training of Nurses at University Degree Level in Ghana

ABSTRACT

Background: Countries all over the world including African countries and Ghana are encouraging the transition of nursing education from hospital based training in colleges to a University based degree level. At the University degree level, the preparation of student nurses involves acquisition of theoretical knowledge and also clinical practice, which if well done can serve as a double edged tool for blending theory and practice. Objectives: The study investigated the ability of university nursing lecturers in Ghana to balance theory and practice in training student nurses at the university level. The objective of the study was to explore the role and experiences of nurse academics in balancing theory and practice in training nurses at the university degree level. Significance: This study seeks to contribute to the discourse on empirical knowledge that will inform policy on the development of strategies and models that could bridge the theory and practice gap in training nurses at the university, enhance the acquisition of innovative clinical skills to address the theory and practice gaps in the training of nurses and finally, address the complex challenges facing the nursing profession in the contemporary health care system in Ghana. Methodology: Using an exploratory research approach with a Methodical triangulation design, data was collected from university nursing lecturers and university student nurses using individual interviews and focused Group Discussions. Results: Clinical practice was seen as an important measure for enhancing theoretical preparation of nursing students to make them wholly qualified and proficient in the delivery of nursing care. While this is so, the study also discovered that majority of nursing lecturers in the university had a short duration of clinical exposure of two (2) to three (3) years before joining academia. Although the nursing lectureres themselves recognize the importance of clinical practice proficiency in training nurses at the university degree level, the university academic calendar does not favour the inclusion of clinical practice in their academic programmes, thus making balancing academic work with clinical practice difficult. Some of the findings of this research were congruent with other studies whilst dissimilarities were also established among the Ghanaian nurse educators on the part of their unwillingness to endevour to blend theory with practice. Conclusion: The study concluded that although both lecturers and students accept that nurse educators in academia are obliged to blend theory and practice in training nurses. A number of difficulties do not favour this situation. Recommendations: The theses provided recommendations for nursing education, policy makes and areas of future research identified. For nurse education, university curricula should be designed to place priority on clinical practice. Universities must give autonomy to the schools of nursing in designing the academic calendar. Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana should put monitoring mechanisms in place to ensure that university nursing lecturers acquire adequate clinical practice competencies.