are best learned within the clinical setting.
The scope and objectives of the clinical experience differ from the classroom setting. Within the classroom setting, students are evaluated by written tests while clinical performance is evaluated through observation of the students' nursing process. A student within the clinical setting is required to master the art of patient care, critical judgement, psychomotor skills, therapeutic communication, professionalism, health teaching, and problem solving techniques.
Research related to teaching in the clinical setting has been comprehensively reviewed by Oermann (19 ) who states that instruction delivered by preceptors in the clinical setting has been associated with easing the strain associated with the shift from the role of student to the role of nurse. Moreover, Oermann reports that being taught by a preceptor in a clinical setting has been associated with gains in nurses' self-confidence and performance. However, she points out that:
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