Assessing Nursing Student Perceptions of the Clinical Learning Environment: Refinement and Testing of the SECEE Inventory

Abstract

The Student Evaluation of Clinical Education Environment (SECEE) instrument was developed to provide information about the quality of the student clinical learning environment to assist clinical agencies, nursing faculty, and administers in selecting clinical sites that best promote student learning. The SECEE Version 3 was used in all clinical courses at a large mid-Atlantic university from 2001 to 2005. Data from more than 2,700 inventories were analyzed to assess instrument reliability and validity. Internal consistency reliability based on coefficient alpha was .94, with subscale alphas ranging from .82 to .94. Comparisons by analysis of variance revealed significant differences in student evaluations based on both clinical sites and clinical faculty. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the predetermined three factors (subscales) and subscale item content, except for two items. The SECEE Version 3 demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability and the ability to discriminate between student evaluations of distinct clinical sites and faculty and provided practically useful information to both faculty and agency staff.