BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The credit of the practice nurses in developing countries, due to a gap between theory and practice in nursing education and healthcare delivery, has been questioned by nursing professionals. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate the effectiveness of the application of the clinical teaching associate (CTA) model in nursing students' clinical skills and to assess the participants' (faculty members, staff nurses, and nursing students) level of satisfaction with the CTA model and with achieving the educational goals in Iran, as a developing country. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In this experimental study, random sampling was used to assess 104 nursing students' clinical skills, and assess six faculty members and six staff nurses. After obtaining informed consent, the level of satisfaction was evaluated by a questionnaire and clinical skills were evaluated by standard checklists. Data were assessed and analyzed with SPSS version 15. RESULTS: The results showed that the mean scores of all clinical skills of the students were significantly higher after intervention (P < 0.01). Moreover, the mean scores of instructors' satisfaction with applying the CTA model was significantly higher (P = 0.004), but their satisfaction with achieving clinical education outcomes did not show a significant difference (P = 0.109). Similarly, students' satisfaction with achieving educational outcomes did not show any significant differences between the two groups (P = 0.058). CONCLUSION: According to this study, the CTA model is an effective method for developing clinical skills in nursing students in Iran as a developing country. Therefore, application of the method is recommended in clinical nursing education systems of such countries.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The credit of the practice nurses in developing countries, due to a gap between theory and practice in nursing education and healthcare delivery, has been questioned by nursing professionals. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate the effectiveness of the application of the clinical teaching associate (CTA) model in nursing students' clinical skills and to assess the participants' (faculty members, staff nurses, and nursing students) level of satisfaction with the CTA model and with achieving the educational goals in Iran, as a developing country. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In this experimental study, random sampling was used to assess 104 nursing students' clinical skills, and assess six faculty members and six staff nurses. After obtaining informed consent, the level of satisfaction was evaluated by a questionnaire and clinical skills were evaluated by standard checklists. Data were assessed and analyzed with SPSS version 15. RESULTS: The results showed that the mean scores of all clinical skills of the students were significantly higher after intervention (P < 0.01). Moreover, the mean scores of instructors' satisfaction with applying the CTA model was significantly higher (P = 0.004), but their satisfaction with achieving clinical education outcomes did not show a significant difference (P = 0.109). Similarly, students' satisfaction with achieving educational outcomes did not show any significant differences between the two groups (P = 0.058). CONCLUSION: According to this study, the CTA model is an effective method for developing clinical skills in nursing students in Iran as a developing country. Therefore, application of the method is recommended in clinical nursing education systems of such countries.