Perceptions of the nurse teacher: an empirical study

Abstract

TO assess the contribution of the nurse teacher to general nurse training prior to the introduction of Project 2000, information was gathered from stu dents and staff in three Welsh nurse education centres. The ability to communicate and friendliness were among the qualities valued in a teacher. Stu dents particularly felt that teaching should also re late effectively to the realities of ward life, but there was relatively little contact with teachers in the clinical area. Students were sometimes subjected to incompatible expectations and there were differing 'school' and 'ward' ways of performing skills. Within a more unified system of professional socialisation, teachers may need to possess greater clinical credibility.