Nursing students' perceptions of difficult or challenging clinical situations.

This study examined students' perceptions of difficult or challenging clinical situations and how facilitators assisted students in relation to these specific situations. Responses to open-ended questions from first-year nursing students before and after a series of hospital and community nursing practice placements were analysed. The findings suggest that students do find certain clinical situations difficult or challenging and that facilitators can greatly assist students to effectively deal with these through specific teaching strategies.