Job Description for Clinical Instructors Working in ...medicaljournalofcairouniversity.net/home2/images/pdf/2009/june/128.pdf · for the clinical instructors working in different

Med J Cairo Univ Vol 77 No 4 June 171-183 2009

wwwmedicaljournalofcairouniversitycom

Job Description for Clinical Instructors Working in Different

Academic Departments in Faculty of Nursing at Mansoura University

ABEER MOHAMAD ZAKARIA DNSc NERVANA ABD EL-RHMAN GHEITH DNSc and

SAHAR HAMDY EL-SAYED DNSc

The Departments of Nursing Administration Faculties of Nursing Mansoura and Zagazig Universities

Abstract The Clinical Instructor plays a vital role in the practicum

experience to each students professional development The

responsibility for guiding and training an inexperienced student

to become a competent professional is great Those clinical

instructors who are willing to provide the amount of time effort and energy required of this endeavor are to be com-mended they perform an invaluable service to the students they train faculty and their profession So job description

is important for the clinical instructor to define responsibility

relationships minimize conflicts and improve communication thus this study aims to develop and validate job description

for the clinical instructors working in different academic

departments in the faculty of nursing at Mansoura University The sample consists of three groups the first group was all clinical instructors working in different nursing faculty de-partments and available at study time were included in the

study (n=63) the second group included all academic members

in nursing faculty (n=21) at Mansoura University A Jury group was the third group which includes 30 academic staff working in different nursing departments at Alexandria Uni-versity Ain Shams University and Cairo University Three tools were used for data collection namely an observation

sheet job description questionnaire and opinionnaire sheet This study reveals that the proposed job description is valid to be used in all academic departments in the faculty of nursing

at Mansoura University It is recommended to apply revise and update job description of the clinical instructors in different academic departments in faculty of nursing at Mansoura University periodically for accuracy prior to the annual

performance review cycle

Key Words Job description ndash Clinical instructors

Introduction

HEALTHCARE has undergone a dramatic change in the past decade New roles and structures com-bined with the demands of advancing clinical prac-tice have asked great things of all healthcare pro-fessionals [1] These changes however exciting and challenging must be embraced by systems of work-ing which offer safety and opportunity for contin-uous professional development [2] A job description is the basis for determining the nature of develop-ment desired for the position A written job descrip-tion provides information including the tasks of job

as well as the job relation with other jobs It helps

to clarify delegated functions and authority [3]

A job description can be defined as a written

statement of what the jobholder does how it is

done under what conditions it is done and why it

is done It should accurately portray job content

environment and conditions of employment [4] In addition it is a contract that includes the job

functions and obligations and specify the person to whom the employee is responsible Also it is

defined as a written report outlining duties respon-sibilities and conditions of the work assignment It is a description of a job and not of a person who

happens to hold that job [56]

Job description results from a job analysis

which is the process of determining through ob-servation and study the pertinent information

regarding a specific job [7] There are several steps involved in completing a job description These

steps include completing a job analysis by observ-ing an individual who is actually doing a job observing co-workers and interviewing the worker

Additional data collection might be achieved using

task-centered questionnaires checklists and journal

entries A job analysis essentially involves deter-mining the jobs purpose and the structure of the job setting including specifications about the work-site workstation and activities Once completed

a job analysis will help to determine what accom-modations can assist a person with a disability in performing a job recording the basic purpose and functions of the job through clearly define the essential functions of every job before advertising

the job or interviewing applicants clear concise

non-technical language and avoid unnecessary

words focus on words that have a single meaning

with detailed explanations for words that may be interpreted differently each sentence should begin

with an active verb and use the present tense And detailing necessary qualifications when detailing

171

172 Job Description for Clinical Instructors

qualifications on job descriptions employers typ-ically require certain knowledge skills aptitude training and previous experience Employers

should remember that these qualifications might be gained in a number of ways For example

knowledge may be gained through education train-ing or experience [89]

Clinical instructor is a registered nurse whose main role is to educate students on nursing skills

in the skills laboratory or clinical site and who may participate in classroom teaching under the

direction of the academic staff members [10] Ac-cording to Shelley [11] a clinical instructor is defined as a person who provides direct supervision and

instruction to students in the clinical aspect of training education The primary function of the

clinical instructor is to facilitate nurse student

learning by providing an optimal environment for learning to occur facilitating the bridge and appli-cation of knowledge learned in the lecture to the

clinical setting encouraging critical thinking

assisting with the selection of patient learning

experiences and providing other learning opportu-nities as they become available assisting with the organization and coordination of patient care ac-tivities coordinating and scheduling group expe-riences such as post-conferences and presentations

serving as a resource regarding course content and

patient related information and evaluating student

progress and final achievement [12]

The clinical instructor is an integral part of the

education of allied health students The relationship between the clinical instructor and the student is that the clinical instructors will assist the student in developing good patient care skills In addition clinical instructors need to display behaviors that

model professionalism and provide a nurturing

atmosphere for the students [3]

Numerous authors have examined the desirable

attributes of effective clinical instructors [1314] Effective instructors give specific and constructive

advice about performance They are knowledgeable

about what students need to know and the criteria for acceptable performance Furthermore they are

aware of areas where students may experience difficulty and where students may frequently com-mit errors Their observations are objective and consistent over time and from student to student

Clinical instructors are encouraging when students are having difficulty in achieving a certain perfor-mance level because they remember their own

struggles in achieving competence Effective in-structors direct students to other professionals

books and instructional materials as additional sources of information [15] The impact of the instructor in promoting student learning is well

documented The effective instructor in nursing

must possess effective interpersonal and commu-nication skills to induce professional nursing com-petence an understanding of adult learning [16]

So job description of the clinical instructor is

important for a number of reasons it clarifies the

responsibility of the clinical instructor within the organization it also helps to define relationships

between individuals between departments etc The advantage of the clinical instructor job descrip-tion is that it can help to settle grievances minimize

conflicts and improve communications Job de-scription helps the clinical instructor to understand

the responsibilities of the position This not only enables the clinical instructor to assess the relative

importance of everything he or she is accountable

for but also provides a sense of where the job fits

into the organization as a whole it provides infor-mation about the knowledge training education

and skills needed for the clinical instructor job It also prevents misunderstandings by telling the

clinical instructors what they need to know about their jobs Best of all it provide the information in a completely objective and impersonal way

Clinical instructor job description helps manage-ment in analyzing and improving the organizations

structure it reveals whether all organizational

responsibilities are adequately covered and whether these responsibilities are reallocated to achieve a better balance accurate job descriptions provide a basis for job evaluation wage and salary surveys

and an equitable wage and salary structure [17]

A common format for a clinical instructor job description includes the job title the duties to be

performed the distinguishing characteristics of

the job environmental conditions and the authority and responsibilities of the clinical instructor [48] According to Dillon [18] in creating a job descrip-tion there are six key elements that each job

description should contain These elements address

both important practical aspects and employment law issues These elements are position summary

job responsibilities qualifications physical require-ments performance expectations and employee

signature and it is also contains the title of the

job the date it was written the person to whom the person holding the job reports if the job is of exempt or non-exempt status job location and may include the salary range

Clinical instructors have need to have clear

definitions of the qualities and responsibilities required to be an effective clinical instructor Clin-ical education is an important aspect of many allied

health programs however the experience can be

negative for everyone involved if the program does

not have qualified clinical instructors [11]

Abeer M Zakaria et al 173

The present study was designed to develop job description for the clinical instructors working in

different academic departments at Mansoura Uni-versity Faculty of Nursing It is hoped that it will

promote better employment procedure provide a

source for evaluating clinical instructors perfor-mance and provide quality clinical instruction to

help students acquire skills attitudes and knowl-edge by participating in the work setting in addition

teach attitudes by role modeling as well as to help

the students to relate classroom teaching to clinical

practice

Therefore the present study aims to develop and validate job description for the clinical instruc-tors working in different academic departments at

Mansoura University Faculty of Nursing

Subjects and Methods

Research design A cross-sectional analytic design was used in

carrying out this study

Setting The study was carried out in different academic

departments at Mansoura University Faculty of Nurs-ing The average students number of each department

and by each year ranged from 321 to 411

Subjects All clinical instructors working in different

nursing faculty departments who were available at

study time were included in the study (n=63) and all academic members in nursing faculty (n= 21)

Jury group 30 academic staff working in different nursing

departments at Mansoura University Alexandria University Ain Shams University and Cairo Uni-versity were included in the study to confirm the

developed job description components of the clinical

instructors working in different academic depart-ments at Mansoura University Faculty of Nursing

Tools Three tools were used for data collection name-

ly an observation sheet job description question-naire and opinionnaire sheet

An observation sheet (activity analysis) It is used to record and analyze nursing activities

performed by each of 63 clinical instructors guided with work sampling technique adopted from the

record developed by Darbyshire [19] It includes a brief description of the different activities including areas of activities The areas of activities were

students faculty professional development com-munity and idle centered activities

Job description questionnaire

It was developed by the researchers based on

the literature [2021] to assess clinical instructors and staff members perceptions about job descrip-tion The questionnaire consisted of three parts

The first part Demographic data included age

educational qualification occupation years of

academic experience and marital status of the

clinical instructors and staff members

The second part Job description questionnaire which includes 42 items Job title (1) Job summary (1 item) accountability (4 items) duties and respon-sibilities (36 items) The thirty six items of duties

and responsibilities of the clinical instructor were

divided into student centered (18 items) faculty centered (13 items) professional development cen-tered (2 items) and community centered (3 items)

The third part Consists of qualifications needed

to be a clinical instructor in nursing faculty It

consisted of 21 items divided into six parts edu-cational requirement (2 items) years of experience

(2 items) knowledge (4 items) abilities and skills (8 items) language skills (2 items) and problem solving skills (3 items) The responses for state-ments were yes or no

Opinionnaire sheet It was developed by the researchers based on

the literature [2223] who asserted that the face

validity is intuitive type of validity in which jury group are asked to read the developed format and

agree on its content in terms of whether it appears

to reflect the concept the researcher intended or

not It consisted of 18 items as follows 9 items to

assess the general content of the proposed job

description 4 items to assess the content of the

duties and responsibilities of the proposed job description and 5 items to assess the qualification of the proposed job description The responses for statements were to agree or disagree and a space

was proposed to write any suggestions

Statistical analysis Data were presented using descriptive statistics

in the form of numbers and percentages Qualitative

variables were compared using chi-square test Crombach alpha coefficient was calculated to assess

the reliability of the developed tools through their internal consistency

Results

Table (1) shows demographic characteristics

of the clinical instructors and nursing faculty staff members As observed in this table the highest

percent of clinical instructors age (635) ranged

from 20 years to less than 30 years old 984 of

Clinical instructors

(n=63)

Staff members

(n=21)

Test of significance

63 ndash ndash 100 100 21

174 Job Description for Clinical Instructors

them have bachelor degree in nursing science all

number of clinical instructors (n=63) working as

clinical instructors in nursing faculty nearly half

of them (n=31) have less than 10 years of experi-ence and forty one clinical instructors were married

While the highest percent of nursing faculty staff

members age (9048) ranged from 40 years old

and less than 45 years old 952 of nursing faculty

staff members have doctorate degree in nursing

and are working as lecturers The most of the staff

members (n=21) have 10 to less than 20 years of

experience and seventeen of them were married

Table (2) shows the observation of the different

activities performed by the clinical instructor in

nursing faculty and clinical settings This table

revealed that the student centered activities had the highest percentage (6479) of time for all

activities followed by the time spent in faculty centered activities (1487) While the community centered activities had the lowest percentage

(272) of time spent by the clinical instructors among all the activities

Table (1) Demographic characteristics of the clinical instruc- tors and nursing faculty staff members

Characteristics

Clinical instructors

(n=63)

Staff members

(n=21)

No No

Age 20gt30 40 635 0 0 30gt40 18 286 0 0 40gt45 5 79 19 9048 45+ 0 0 2 952

Educational qualification Bachelor 62 984 0 0 Master degree 1 16 0 0 Doctorate degree 0 0 20 952 Associate degree after

doctorate degree 0 0 1 48

Occupation Clinical instructor 63 100 0 0 Lecturer 0 0 20 952 Assistant professor 0 0 1 48

Years of experience

gt10 31 492 0 0 10gt20 27 429 20 952 20+ 5 79 1 48

Marital status Married 41 651 17 81 Single 22 349 4 19

Table (2) Observed time spent in different areas of activities

performed by the clinical instructors in nursing faculty and clinical settings

Areas of activities Observation No

Student-centered activities 12245 6479 Faculty-centered activities 281 1487 Professional development-centered activities 114 603 Community-centered activities 515 272 Idle-centered activities 219 1159

Total 1890 100

The opinions of clinical instructors amp nursing

faculty staff members about proposed job title are

presented in Table (3) It is evident that all clinical

instructors amp nursing faculty staff members (100)

chose the title of clinical instructor

Table (3) Proposed job title as reported by clinical instructors

amp nursing faculty staff members

Proposed job title No

No X2 p

Clinical educator Clinical nursing

coordinator Clinical

instructor

Table (4) shows the job summary for the clinical

instructors job as reported by clinical instructors

and staff members in the nursing faculty It is

evident that the opinion of the highest percentages

of the clinical instructors (968) amp of the staff

members (952) was that this position is respon-sible for serving as a clinical instructor in a bachelor

degree-nursing program and provides support to student enrolled in this program train direct

supervise and control nursing students in acute care and long term care facilities responsible for

developing her professional skills and shares in solving community problems The table also shows

that there was no significant difference between

the clinical instructors and the staff members per-ceptions (p=0734)

The results of supervision received and given for clinical instructors job as reported by clinical instructors and staff members in nursing faculty

presented in Table (5) It shows that all clinical

instructors and staff members (100 equally) stated that the clinical instructors in nursing faculty were

responsible for nursing students in clinical amp skilled lab settings Based on the supervision recieved the

table shows the highest percentage (889) of clin-ical instructors stated that the clinical instructors in

nursing faculty were responsible to the head of their

department While the highest percentage (857)

of the staff members stated that clinical instructors

in faculty of nursing were responsible to faculty

members in their departments As well as the lowest percentage (556 667 respectively) of clinical instructors and staff members stated that the clinical

instructors in nursing faculty were responsible to

vice dean for education and students affairs

Table (6) illustrates number and percentage of

the clinical instructors duties and responsibilities according to the area of the activities as reported

Abeer M Zakaria et al 175

by the clinical instructors and staff members in the faculty of nursing As for student activities all

clinical instructors in nursing faculty stated that

clinical instructor in nursing faculty has the respon-sibility for meeting students needs training stu-dents in clinical areas and taking all precautions to protect students equipements materials and

facilities While all staff members stated that clin-ical instructor has the responsibility for training

students in clinical areas conduct pre clinical amp

post clinical student conferences acts as liaison

between clinical facility staff amp students completes

weekly evaluation on each student in clinical set-ting supervise students in clinical setting search

amp identify appropriate textbooks and other instruc-tional materials conduct assigned classes in pro-fessional manner support the learning objectives

for students interact with students in a fair and

equitable manner verify and maintain records of

student attendance and performance taking all

precautions to protect students equipements ma-terials and facilities amp evaluate student progress on a continuing basis It was observed that there

was no significant difference between the opinions

of clinical instructors and staff members about the

duties and responsibilities of the clinical instructors

for student activities

It was stated that all clinical instructors and

staff members agree that the responsibilities of the

clinical instructors for faculty activities include Maintaining an environment conducive to effective

learning and is guided by the college and nursing department mission statement and philosophy of nursing education There were significant difference

between the opinions of clinical instructors and

staff members about clinical instructors responsi-bility for some faculty activities which include attend amp participate in department meetings co-operate with other members of the staff in planning

instructional goals objectives and methods and

participate in planning implementing and evaluating the assessed need for new educational programs

and the revision of current programs

As for professional development activities 984

of the clinical instructors and 100 of staff mem-bers agree that the clinical instructor in nursing

faculty has the responsibility for Maintaining yearly a portfolio of clinical and professional

activities that demonstrates professional growth

It was observed that there was no significant dif-ference between the opinions of the clinical instruc-tors and staff members about the duties and respon-sibilities of the clinical instructors for professional

developmental activities

Regarding the community activities there were

a significant difference between opinions of the

clinical instructors and staff members in the item

related to the clinical instructor in nursing faculty

responsible for establishment amp cultivate effective

public relations with various community agencies

services providers

Table (4) Proposed job summary of the clinical instructors as reported by the study sample

Job summary

Clinical instructors

(n=63)

Staff members

(n=21)

Test of significance

No No x2 p

This position is responsible for serving as a clinical instructor in

a Bachelor degree-nursing program and provides support to

student enrolled in this program Train direct supervise and control nursing students in acute care and long term care facilities

Responsible for developing her professional skills and shares

in solving community problems

61 968 20 952 0115 0734

Table (5) Proposed supervision received and given by the clinical instructors as reported by the study

sample

Clinical instructors

(n=63)

Staff members

(n=21)

Test of significance

No No x2 p

Supervision given Nursing students in clinical amp skills lab settings 63 100 21 100 ndash ndash

Supervision received Faculty members of her department 50 794 18 857 0412 0521 The head of her department 56 889 15 714 3671 0055 Vice dean for education and students affairs 35 556 14 667 0800 0371

176 Job Description for Clinical Instructors

Table (6) Opinions of clinical instructors and nursing faculty staff members as regards proposed job duties and responsibilities

of the clinical instructor

Proposed duties and responsibilities

Clinical instructors

(n=63)

Staff members (n=21)

Test of significance

No No x2 p

Student centered Participate in meeting the needs of students 63 100 20 952 3036 0081 Train students in clinical areas for 14 weeks per semester 63 100 21 100 Participate in the new student interview 61 968 20 952 0115 0734 Select appropriate student assignments in clinical settings 59 937 20 952 0071 0790 Conduct pre clinical amp post clinical student conferences 59 937 21 100 1400 0237 Acts as liaison between clinical facility staff amp students 57 905 21 100 2154 0142 Completes weekly evaluation on each student in clinical setting 61 968 21 100 0683 0409 Supervise students in clinical setting of 10 to 15 students 61 968 21 100 0683 0409 Search amp identify appropriate textbooks amp others instructional materials 60 952 21 100 1037 0309 Conduct assigned classes in professional manner 61 968 21 100 0683 0409 Support the learning objectives identified for each course through the given

information skills and attitudes for students 61 968 21 100 0683 0409

Employ a variety of instructional techniques and instructional media consistent with

student needscapabilities 61 968 19 905 1400 0237

Interact with students in a fair and equitable manner 61 968 21 100 0683 0409 Verify and maintain records of student attendance and performance 61 968 21 100 0683 0409 Conduct assessment of student performance and maintain accurate records as requested 62 984 20 952 0683 0409 Regularly inform students of their performance in the course 62 984 14 667 1842 lt0001 Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students equipment

materials and facilities 63 100 21 100 ndash ndash

Evaluate student progress on a continuing basis reporting in writing at designated

times 62 984 21 100 0337 0561

Faculty centered Assisting head of the department and Vice dean of nursing faculty for education and

students affairs in developing and implementing new programs as assigned 55 873 18 857 0035 0852

Attend amp participate in department meetings 63 100 19 905 6146 0013 Maintain working hours 59 937 21 100 1400 0237 Participates in nursing development faculty project 61 968 16 762 8779 0003 Maintain an environment conducive to effective learning 63 100 21 100 Employ a variety of instructional techniques and instructional media consistent with

the physical resources of the college and clinical site 61 968 19 905 1400 0237

Prepare for classes and clinical sites assigned and show written evidence of preparation

upon request of immediate supervisor 63 100 20 952 3036 0081

Establish and maintain collegial relationships with college staff clinical site staff

administration and peer faculty 61 968 21 100 0683 0409

Is guided by the college and nursing department mission statement and philosophy

of nursing education 63 100 21 100

Cooperate with other members of the staff in planning instructional goals objectives and methods

62 984 18 857 5600 0018

Follow the established policies and procedures of the College that facilitate instruction

administration and student well-being 62 984 21 100 0337 0561

Participate in planning implementing and evaluating the assessed need for new

educational programs and the revision of current programs

61 968 17 81 5983 0014

Participate in meeting the needs of faculty 63 100 20 952 3036 0081

Professional development centered Participate in professional development activities such as workshop and conference 59 937 20 952 0071 0790 Maintain yearly a portfolio of clinical and professional activities that demonstrates

professional growth 62 984 21 100 0337 0561

Community centered Establish amp cultivate effective public relations with various community

agenciesservices providers 63 100 18 857 9333 0002

Identify the community health problem 62 984 20 952 0037 0098 Apply results of research to solve community problems 57 905 14 667 0219 0027

Abeer M Zakaria et al 177

Table (7) shows the qualifications requirements

for the clinical instructors job as reported by the

clinical instructors and staff members in the nursing

faculty The table indicates that the highest percent-age of the clinical instructors (905) stated that

the clinical instructor working in the nursing faculty

should have a bachelor degree in nursing science

while the highest percentage (619) of staff mem-bers stated that the clinical instructor working in

the nursing faculty should have a master degree in nursing As for the years of experience the table

indicates that the highest percentage (937) of the

clinical instructors and all staff members (100)

stated that the clinical instructor working in nursing

faculty should have two years work experiences in clinical nursing As regard this table explores that

all clinical instructors and staff members agree that

the clinical instructor in nursing faculty should have

knowledge of curriculum in assigned instructional areas while the lowest percentage (873 857

respectively) of the clinical instructors and staff

members stated that clinical instructor in nursing

faculty should have the knowledge of the principles of adult education In relation to the abilities and skills of the clinical instructors in the nursing faculty

the table shows that all clinical instructors and staff

members stated that the clinical instructor working

in nursing faculty should have the abilities and

skills of communication effectively Work effectively with clinical site staff strong commitment to student success and some computer skills include using

Personal computer and calculator and general office

equipements Also this table revealed that all clinical

instructors and staff members stated that the clinical instructor in nursing faculty should have language skills which include ability to effectively present

information to top management and public group and ability to read write speaks and hear in English

In relation to the problem solving skills all clinical instructors and staff members agree that clinical

instructor in nursing faculty should have the skills of collecting data about problems

Table (7) Qualifications requirements of the clinical instructors of the proposed job description as reported by the study sample

in nursing faculty

Clinical instructors

(n=63)

Staff members (n=21)

Test of significance

No No x2 p Education requirement

Bachelor degree in nursing 57 905 8 381 24690 lt0001 Master degree in nursing 6 95 13 619 24690 lt0001

Years of experience One year of work experiences in clinical nursing 4 63 0 0 1400 0237 Two years work experiences in clinical nursing 59 937 21 100 1400 0237

Knowledge Curriculum in assigned instructional areas 63 100 21 100 Elements of effective teaching and learning 58 921 21 100 1772 0183 The principles of adult education 55 873 18 857 0035 0852 Current clinical knowledge and maintenance of clinical skills 60 952 19 905 0638 0424

Abilities and skills Communicate effectively 63 100 21 100 Work cooperatively with staff faculty and students 60 952 21 100 1037 0309 Work independently and supervise others 56 889 19 905 0041 0839 Work effectively with clinical site staff 63 100 21 100 ndash Willing to work on a flexible schedule including some evening and

weekends 0 0 3 136 8905 0003

Strong commitment to student success 63 100 21 100 Strong commitment to innovation collaboration and quality 53 841 20 952 1709 0191

Computer and equipment skills through the ability to use bull Personal computer 63 100 21 100 bull Copy machine 51 81 16 762 0221 0638 bull Printers 60 952 20 952 00 10 bull Scanning devises 49 778 18 857 0615 0433 bull Calculator and general office equipment 63 100 21 100 bull Microsoft windows 98 or higher 58 921 20 952 0239 0625

Language skills Ability to effectively present information to top management and

public group 63 100 21 100

Ability to read write speaks and hear in English 63 100 21 100 Problem solving skills

Define problem 62 984 20 952 0683 0408 Collect data 63 100 21 100 Formulate solution 62 984 17 81 8577 0003

178 Job Description for Clinical Instructors

Table (8) shows the agreement of academic staff as jury group regarding the job description form for the clinical instructor in nursing faculty

The results in this table revealed that all jury group had some components of general content that in-clude proposal submitted looks like a job descrip-tion date of revised job description is important claryfying job title of clinical instructors and su-pervision given is suitable All jury group agree that the main duties and responsibilities of clinical

instructor is in relation to the student activities

The jury group agreed that the main job require-ments and qualifications clairfy with the years of experience knowledge and language skills while

only 90 of them agree that clinical instructor

problem solving skills were job requirements

Table (8) Agreement of jury group about developing job

description for clinical instructors by the academic

staff in different nursing faculties

Jury group (n=30)

Number

General content Proposal submitted looks like a job

description 30 100

Proposal job description has complete elements

28 9333

Proposal submitted represents a job description of clinical instructor in faculty of nursing

29 9666

Date of revised job description is important

30 100

Clarify job title 30 100 Job summary gives a clear picture of the

role of the clinical instructor 27 90

Job relationships is suitable 29 9666 Supervision received is suitable 28 9333 Supervision given is suitable 30 100

Duties and responsibilities of clinical instructors

Student centered 30 100 Faculty centered 27 90 Personal centered 26 8666 Community centered 26 8666

Job requirements and qualifications clarify Educational Requirements 29 9666 Years of experience 30 100 Knowledge 30 100 Abilities and skills 29 9666 Language skills 30 100 Problem solving skills 27 90

Discussion

Clinical education is a critical component of professional allied health education It provides students with experiences in real-life situations

involving actual patients and it offers students the

opportunity to apply theory to practice while fos-tering problem solving decision making and crit-ical thinking The main component of nurse- student

training education are the development training and evaluation of quality clinical instructor so that

a clear written job description for clinical instructors

must be provided which give clear account about

their duties tasks and responsibilities [24]

So the aim of the study was to develop and validate job description for the clinical instructors

working in different academic departments in

faculty of nursing at Mansoura University

Regarding the observed time spent in different

areas of activities performed by the clinical instruc-tor in nursing faculty and clinical settings Student

centered activities had the highest percentage of

time for all activities followed by the time spent

in faculty centered activities These results agrees

with the opinion of the jury in the study who

clarified that the student activity is the first priority of the expected job of the clinical instructor in all

academic departments in the faculty of nursing

This may be related to the fact that almost clinical instructors are knowledgeable about what students

need to know and the criteria for a good acceptable performance This is supported by Mid Michigan Community College [25] who determined the main role of clinical instructor that the clinical instructor

responsible for plans and conducts student confer-ences demonstrates nursing skills and procedures

provides clinical instruction and demonstration

observes return demonstration from students co-ordinates work with facility nurses and education

department in the clinical setting plans and reviews

assignments and observes students skills and procedures

In the same line these results confirmed by

Dawn et al [26] who pointed out that clinical instructor skills are critical components of the

teachinglearning process as education is enhanced

when there is a supportive relationship between

the learner and the teacher They added that nursing

and medical schools must prepare clinical instruc-tors with teaching skills that are effective and

efficient in todays time-pressured clinical environ-ments and implement real reward structures that

recognize the value of time spent in clinical teach-ing

The current study findings have indicated that

the lowest time of the clinical instructors was spent in community centered activity such as establish

amp cultivate effective public relations with various

community agenciesservices providers identify

Abeer M Zakaria et al 179

the community health problem and apply results of research to solve community problems This

result opposed Bellevue Community College [27] who have stressed that the clinical instructor must

be participate in community organizations events

or in related projects and promote collaborative

relationships with high schools and four year col-legesuniversities

The present study has sought the opinions of

the clinical instructors and staff members in nursing

faculty about clinical instructors duties and respon-sibilities As for student activities all clinical instructors in nursing faculty stated that clinical

instructor in nursing faculty has the responsibility for meeting students needs training students in

clinical areas and taking all precautions to protect

students equipments materials and facilities

While all staff members stated that clinical instruc-tor has the responsibility for training students in

clinical areas conduct pre clinical and post clinical student conferences acts as liaison between clinical

facility staff and students completes weekly eval-uation on each student in clinical setting supervise

students in clinical setting search and identify

appropriate textbooks and others instructional

materials conduct assigned classes in professional

manner support the learning objectives identified for each course through giving information skills and attitudes for students interact with students in a fair and equitable manner verify and maintain

records of student attendance and performance

taking all precautions to protect students equip-ments materials and facilities and evaluate student

progress The results indicated that there are no statistically significant differences between the

opinions of the clinical instructors and staff mem-bers

This finding agrees with Iowa Lakes Commu-nity College [28] who found that 100 of the clinical instructors believed that they are respon-sible for supervision demonstrate and teach student

nurses in a clinical setting and evaluate report and record student performance and progress according

to college and nursing program guidelines While 66 of them believed that they are responsible for

orientation of students to clinical sites and conduct

pre and post clinical student conferences

In other studies many authors mentioned that the clinical instructor plays an important role in

advising assisting students in the attainment of

their educational goals maintain student and class-room records (attendance census and grades)

choose classroom teaching methodologies appro-priate to student level and course content material

evaluate students in a hospital andor college lab demonstrates nursing skills amp procedures perform clinical instructions maintains a current library of

nursing periodicals and books reports students problems to the appropriate instructional adminis-trators assist with student registration assigns students to patients and observes performance in actual nursing situations conducts formal students training regular accurate and timely feedback to students of their performance create a learning

environment in which all students are treated equal-ly and with respect instruct students in the safe

and proper use of equipment and supplies and in

procedures for proper storage of materials [29-33]

Sharif amp Masoumi [34] stated that the clinical instructor can play an important role in student

nurses self-confidence promote role socialization

and encourage independence which leads to clinical

competency They found that the instructors have

a more evaluative role than a teaching role

Furthermore the present study results have

indicated that all the clinical instructors and staff

members agree that the responsibilities of the

clinical instructor for faculty activities includes

maintaining an environment conducive to effective

learning and is guided by the college and nursing department mission statement and philosophy of nursing education There were significant difference

between the opinions of clinical instructors and

staff members regarding the role of the clinical

instructor in attend and participate in department

meetings cooperate with other members of the staff in planning instructional goals objectives

and methods and participate in planning imple-menting and evaluating the assessed need for new

educational programs and the revision of current

programs This is congruent with South Plains

College [35] amp Fletcher Teaching Community Col-lege [33]

They suggested that the clinical instructor co-ordinates work with nurses and education depart-ment when using hospital or other clinical settings

prepares clinicallab equipment for demonstrations

and lectures serves as a member of a school of

nursing curriculum subcommittee or other group which develops recommendations for the continu-ing improvement of course objectives content

methodology and evaluation participates in facul-tys and professional organizations projects and in-service programs participates in faculty activ-ities uses and obey the policies of the college and

nursing program attend and participate in depart-mental meetings and serve on various college

committees maintain effective communication

180 Job Description for Clinical Instructors

with a diverse faculty and staff and represent the

college in manner appearance behavior that pro-mote a positive image of the college within the community

As far as professional development activities

the present study findings have revealed that the highest percentage of the clinical instructors and

all staff members agree that the clinical instructor in nursing faculty has the responsibility for main-taining a yearly portfolio of clinical and profes-sional activities that demonstrates professional

growth It was observed that there was no signifi-cant difference between the opinions of the clinical

instructors and staff members These findings are

in accordance with those reported by Duke Uni-versity health system [31] they mentioned that clinical instructor should be participate in profes-sional development activities in order to maintain professional qualifications and clinical competency in nursing education through attends professional

workshops conferences and other educational

meetings to promote growth

The study indicated that all the academic mem-bers in nursing faculty and all clinical instructors

choose clinical instructor as the job title of the

jobholders who are responsible for training nurse

students in clinical and skills lab settings This result agree with Glendale community college [29] Sisseton Wahpeton college [36] amp Coastal Bend College [37] Choose clinical instructor as the job

title of the jobholders who responsible for training

nurse students in clinical setting and lab clinical

instructor must have current licensures to practice

as a registered nurse possess evidence of teaching

abilities

Regarding job summary the results indicated that the majority of the clinical instructors and

academic members in nursing faculty have agreed that this position is responsible for serving as a clinical instructor in a bachelor degree nursing program and provides support to student enrolled in nursing program Train direct supervise and

control nursing students in acute care and long

term care facilities Responsible for developing her professional skills and shares in solving com-munity problems In this respect Iowa Lakes Com-munity College [28] have similarly suggested that the Clinical Nurse Instructor is responsible for

supervise instruct and evaluate students in a con-trolled hospital andor laboratory supervision to students in a college setting

Concerning job supervisees of the jobholder there was an agreement among all academic mem-bers in nursing faculty and clinical instructors in

the present study that the clinical instructor in

nursing faculty should supervise the nursing stu-dents in clinical and skills lab settings This result supports what Maricopa Community College [38] have mentioned that the clinical instructors were

responsible for supervise the nurse students in clinical and skills lab setting

In relation to job accountability of the jobholder

the findings of the present study have indicated

that the majority of the clinical instructors stated

that clinical instructors in nursing faculty were

responsible to the head of their department but

the highest percentage of the academic members

in nursing faculty stated that clinical instructors

in faculty of nursing were responsible to faculty

members in their department This is disagree with the proposed job description prepared by Maricopa

Community College [38] who have reported that the director of nursing may be responsible for the

direct supervision of the clinical instructor Addi-tionally shehe is responsible for giving general

direction regarding routine and standard matters

specific instructions regarding non-routine matters

However National American University Position

Description School of Nursing Denver Campus

[30] who have mentioned that the clinical instructor

must be report to the lead instructor While Trocaire

College [39] who have reported that the clinical

instructor must be report to the director register

nursing program

The majority of the clinical instructors in the

present study had the opinion that the jobholder

should have a bachelor degree in nursing science while the majority of staff members stated that

clinical instructor working in the nursing faculty

should have a master degree in nursing This finding goes on the same line as those of William Jewell College Department of Nursing [40] This college has suggested that the clinical instructor should be

a registered professional nurse and preferred to

have a master of science in nursing and doctoral preparation

Furthermore concerning years of experience

the present study has revealed that the highest

percentage of the clinical instructors and all staff

members preferred that the clinical instructor work-ing in nursing faculty should have a past experience

of at least two years in clinical nursing The finding is in agreement with the viewpoint of Grossmont

Cuyamaca Community College District [41] These have claimed that clinical instructor working in the nursing faculty should have a minimum of two

years experience in nursing sciences and clinical

practice

Abeer M Zakaria et al 181

The result of the current study reaveled that

almost all clinical instructors and staff members

agree that the clinical instructor in nursing faculty

should have knowledge of curriculum in assigned instructional areas elements of effective teaching and learning and current clinical knowledge and maintenance of clinical skills According to Duke University health system [31] has suggested that the clinical instructor must have thorough knowl-edge of instructional educational methods and

techniques knowledge of principles and methods

for curriculum and training design Furthermore Bellevue Community College [37] reported that the clinical instructor must have maintaining current knowledge in area of assignment and knowledge of nursing skills and techniques lab and audiovisual equipment

As far as jobholder personal qualifications the present study findings have revealed that all clinical

instructors and staff members agree with the idea that the clinical instructor in nursing faculty should have the ability of communicate effectively Work

effectively with clinical site staff strong commit-ment to student success and some computer skills include using Personal computer and calculator

and general office equipements Also this finding

revealed that all clinical instructors and staff mem-bers stated that the clinical instructor in nursing

faculty should have language skills include ability

to effectively present information to top manage-ment and public group and ability to read write speaks and hear in English In relation to problem

solving skills all clinical instructors and staff members agree that clinical instructor in nursing

faculty should have the skills of collecting data

about problems This finding goes on the same

line as those of College of Eastern Utah [42]

Has have mentioned that the clinical instructor

should have the ability to work effectively with

students faculty administrators support staff and

diverse community groups ability to communicate

effectively orally and in writing ability to establish

cooperative working relationships with persons contacted in the course of performing assigned

duties ability to demonstrating a strong commit-ment to student success ability to commitment to personal and professional development and dem-onstrated computer literacy Also Kan amp Haas [43] they added that an effective clinical instructor must

uses these strategies such as questioning role playing and interactive discussion to improve students thinking and problem solving skills

Concerning the validity of the format of job

description content validity was indicated by total

agreement about all items among jury group As for face validity the jury group experts have agreed

upon all items

Based on the findings of this study job descrip-tion is needed for identifying the duties essential functions and requirements of the position A good

job description can assess work flow and eliminate duplication of effort and also help assist in the

evaluation of the employees job performance

Their input is also important in improving employ-eeemployer communication They are a job refer-ence for determining how an employee spends herhis time at work Job descriptions are an integral

part of the performance management and evaluation

system [44]

Conclusion

The present study revealed that students faculty

professional development and community activities were considered the essential responsibility of the

clinical instructors working in different academic

departments in faculty of nursing at Mansoura

University with agreement of academic staff and

jury group regarding job description form for the clinical instructor in faculty of nursing

Recommendations In the light of the present study findings the

following recommendations are suggested

1- Clearly identified amp written job descriptions which give clear account about duties tasks and responsibilities for each clinical nurse

instructor must be available

2- Job descriptions must be derived from job analysis amp contain specifications that can be

used for clinical nurse instructor orientation

3- When developing a job description be as clear concise and complete as possible

4- Apply job description of the clinical instructor in all academic departments in the faculty of nursing at Mansoura University to avoid over-lapping of duties

5- Job description for the clinical nurse instructor

must be available amp acknowledged by all academic staff members in faculty of nursing

to avoid conflicts and ambiguities

6- A job description should be revised whenever substantial changes occur in the duties and responsibilities assigned to an existing position

7- A job description should be reviewed for ac-curacy prior to each recruitment with special

182 Job Description for Clinical Instructors

attention paid to the required knowledge and skills

8- Orientation programs for new clinical nurse instructor should include orientation about

their job description of their duties and respon-sibilities to help improving quality of clinical teaching

9- In- service education amp training is essential for the clinical nurse instructor to ensure ac-complishment of the duties and responsibilities

of the j ob

10- Performance evaluation of the clinical nurse instructor should be based on available job description

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