AbstractAim: This study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of a clinical instructor infacilitating and evaluating the performance of students in a professional practice course at one of Ontario'sUniversities.Background: In professional practice courses for nursing students, clinical instructors serve as vitalguides, helping students apply theoretical knowledge to real-world clinical settings. The experiences ofclinical instructors in these courses can significantly impact nursing students' learning outcomes. Theclinical instructors are generally employed part-time by a university and are assigned to teach professionalpractice courses, typically for a semester. Many clinical instructors are often hired without prior teachingexperience, and the lack of clinical teaching orientation deems them unprepared for the job. Thesechallenges may hinder their effectiveness as clinical instructors, impacting the quality of clinical teachingand student learning experiences. Therefore, it is crucial to study this group of clinical instructors toidentify their unique needs, challenges, and experiences.Design: This qualitative study, conducted in 2022 and 2023, utilized an interpretive description researchapproach for data collection and analysis. Purposive sampling was employed, and all eligible clinicalinstructors in the nursing program were invited to participate. Twelve participants provided consent andwere interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire.Results: A content analysis of the data provided an insight into their experiences. The participants voicedconcerns about the inconsistency and uncertainty surrounding course expectations, expressing a desirefor more explicit guidelines. Many instructors admitted the challenge of addressing student failure inclinical settings due to the complexity of evaluation tools, which often include numerous parameters.Many participants expressed frustration over the lack of performance evaluation and feedback, whichleft them needing clarification about the effectiveness of their role. The additional strain of coping withincreased workload during the pandemic further compounded their challenges, underscoring the needfor adequate support and resources.Conclusions: Overall, the experiences shared by the participants emphasize the multifaceted natureof their role and the importance of providing the necessary tools, support, and resources to effectivelyfacilitate and assess students' clinical experiences. This highlights the need for policy changes and resourceallocation to enhance the quality of clinical teaching.
