Involvement of Registered Nurses in Clinical Teaching of Nursing Students in Central Hospitals of Malawi

Clinical teaching is an active process that occurs in a variety of socio-cultural
contexts and is one of the most important components in the training of nursing
students. Registered Nurses play an important role in teaching and learning of
student nurses. In Malawi, one of the roles of Registered Nurses is to teach student
nurses in the clinical area.
The purpose of the study was to determine the involvement of Registered Nurses in
clinical teaching of nursing students in Central Hospitals of Malawi. Using a cross
sectional study design, data were collected using a self administered questionnaire
from a convenient sample of 105 Registered Nurses aged 22-56 years in the Central
Hospitals of Malawi. These included Queen Elizabeth, Zomba, Kamuzu and Mzuzu
Central Hospitals. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences software version 20.0. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, Chi-Square
and Fisher’s Exact were used to test associations among variables.
The study revealed that 69.5% of respondents were involved in clinical teaching of
student nurses while 30.5% were not involved. It was also found that 97.1% of the
respondents had knowledge of clinical teaching and 97.1% had a low to moderate
attitudes towards clinical teaching of student nurses. Majority (61.9%) of the
respondents indicated that they had a high workload which affected their
involvement in clinical teaching while 38.1% had a low workload. There was a
significant positive correlation between involvement in clinical teaching and
knowledge of the respondents (rs =.381, p<0.01). However, there was no significant
relationship between involvement and attitude, workload and incentives.
Recommendations were made to the Ministry of Health to deploy more Registered
Nurses in Central Hospitals of Malawi to ease the workload and allow them to
participate in clinical teaching. The Government and Nursing Training Institutions should train more Registered Nurses and Clinical Instructors in pedagogical concepts
of clinical teaching and also strengthen skills and simulations, Laboratory
methodology to enhance acquisition of clinical skills. Registered Nurses should also be encouraged to participate in clinical teaching.