AIM: To explore what situations students focus on during group supervision sessions, and what this supervision meant to nursing students during their clinical placements. BACKGROUND: Knowledge about clinical supervision of nursing students in groups is scarce concerning what situations the students bring to the sessions. METHOD: Open-ended questionnaires were filled out by students after each session. Qualitative content analysis was performed. RESULTS: The content evolved as: being a nursing student, encountering demanding situations and becoming a nurse. The meaning of group supervision was captured in the categories: 'satisfaction of being together in the supervision group', 'new understanding and insights' and 'hesitation and discomfort'. A change of pattern was found over time showing a development among the students from a self-centred focus to a profession-centred focus. CONCLUSION: The value of group supervision as a tool to support nursing students' personal and professional development was emphasized. The students' great need for and lack of support in 'bed-side nursing' was obvious. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Our findings would be valuable for nurse managers when striving for a good learning environment in clinical placements, as well as for nursing teachers, in their supportive role to both students and preceptors.
AIM: To explore what situations students focus on during group supervision sessions, and what this supervision meant to nursing students during their clinical placements. BACKGROUND: Knowledge about clinical supervision of nursing students in groups is scarce concerning what situations the students bring to the sessions. METHOD: Open-ended questionnaires were filled out by students after each session. Qualitative content analysis was performed. RESULTS: The content evolved as: being a nursing student, encountering demanding situations and becoming a nurse. The meaning of group supervision was captured in the categories: 'satisfaction of being together in the supervision group', 'new understanding and insights' and 'hesitation and discomfort'. A change of pattern was found over time showing a development among the students from a self-centred focus to a profession-centred focus. CONCLUSION: The value of group supervision as a tool to support nursing students' personal and professional development was emphasized. The students' great need for and lack of support in 'bed-side nursing' was obvious. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Our findings would be valuable for nurse managers when striving for a good learning environment in clinical placements, as well as for nursing teachers, in their supportive role to both students and preceptors.