Barriers and Facilitators Experienced by Undergraduate Nursing Faculty Teaching Clinical Judgment: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background Clinical judgment is declining in new graduate nurses, which affects patient safety and is therefore tested on the Next Generation NCLEX. There is limited research describing barriers and facilitators impacting nursing faculty's experiences teaching clinical judgment. Aims The purpose of this study was to explore barriers and facilitators affecting undergraduate nursing faculty's clinical judgment teaching methods. Methods Sixteen qualitative interviews were conducted with full-time nursing faculty at seven universities in the Northeast and Southeast regions of the United States. Results The findings revealed program, student, and faculty factors affecting clinical judgment teaching methods. Subthemes included time, class size, students’ class preparation, critical thinking, task orientation, professional development, and faculty resistance. Conclusion Minimizing barriers and strengthening facilitators based on participants’ practices and previous research can support more effective clinical judgment pedagogy, which has the potential to achieve Next Generation NCLEX success and potentially increase patient safety.