There is a nursing shortage in New Zealand and throughout the world (Thies & Ayers, 2004). The challenge of recruiting and retaining innovative educators and nurses to facilitate teaching and learning, in a dynamic curriculum, is at risk. Thies and Ayers (2004) suggest nursing faculty shortages demand innovation from nurse educators and nursing leaders, to prepare nursing students for the environment in which they will work. Clinical agencies and sites in which students undertake clinical practicum are limited, making the conventional model of practice education complex to sustain (Kelley, 2002). Nevertheless, the classroom environment and indeed, any situation where relational skills are used, is a learning environment within nursing education.
It is clear that educators and clinical nurses influence the values of nursing within students, both in classroom and clinical teaching. The evaluation of students is important not only for the student’s growth and development, but has a direct impact on the current and future of clients within the health system. Diekelmann (2002) suggests critical feedback within the educator group is useful for raising consciousness of values and leads to a greater understanding of practices that the group undertakes. Communication, which is honest and addresses the strengths and limitations of individuals and groups within nursing, necessitates progress beyond the historical and current oppressed group
behaviour evident within the nursing profession. Emotionally competent dialogue among nurses working in educational and clinical settings can facilitate critical reflection and competent nursing practice with nursing students. As individuals and groups of nurses take up this challenge of practicing with emotional competence, they model to and nurture the competence within student learning.
Being authentic, realistic and hopeful are key elements for outcomes in the relationships we participate in with others (Horsfall, 1997). These critical factors facilitate communication and trust between the educator and student. This trusting relationship takes time and effort to establish with the educator taking a leading role initially to facilitate the students growing awareness of their capabilities as they work toward independence in their nursing relationships. In order for students to work in a purposeful caring way with clients, the educators are required to facilitate purposeful feedback, to enable the student to understand what their professional judgement is; and how they have come to view situations and use problem solving skills within their learning.
Emotional competence, which is closely aligned with emotional intelligence and emotional literacy in the literature, suggests the ongoing need for feedback to develop awareness and management of this ability. Orbach’s (1999) suggestion of emotional literacy implies that nurses develop caring responses to situations they encounter; acknowledging those responses personally is required, so that understanding and nursing action is directed in a recognised way. Given that the nature of emotional competence is one that develops with influence of societal, familial and cultural factors (Goleman, 1995; Orbach, 1999), potential
emotional incompetence or emotional immaturity may be a challenge that the student learns about themself in the feedback process. Therefore, the ongoing development of trust, within familiar and reliable relationships with educators, is more likely to facilitate development of emotional competence within the student.
For the educators, being open to the expectation that they can learn from the students and being active about demonstrating this in their interaction, may assist students to value and promote motivation to discover their own learning needs. Tanner (2005) suggests educators can benefit from trying to learn something new themselves and consider how their learning is influenced positively or not, by other teachers. Little research has been done on the factors of what makes a real difference in student learning (Trifonas, 2003). However, what is clear from the research to date is that the relationship between the student and the educator and the quality of their interaction, is extremely important in the learning outcomes.
The personal competencies of self-awareness and self-management (Goleman, 1998; Salovey & Mayer, 1990) support the need for nursing students to gain a level of nursing maturity through self regulation, understanding of their belief and values systems and ‘tuning in’ to the needs of the community with whom they are learning and working.
Gaining competence of self-awareness and self-management enables educators and students to become flexible and take risks to achieve reciprocity in communication.
The key aspects of relationship-awareness highlight the need for students to authentically communicate and move beyond their own difficulties (Heron, 1990), through self-regard. In order for students to demonstrate compassion and cultural safety within their nursing practice, they must position themselves in a non-judgemental way. This positioning, along with becoming accountable to the nursing profession, the public, each other and the clients with whom they work alongside, is developed through critical feedback and a trusting relationship with the educator. Furthermore, the development and ability of social competence within the student enables them to make informed choices and facilitate health education with clients and families.
Facilitation of social competence within education creates the potential for students to understand and overcome the historical oppressed group behaviour and perceived powerlessness, in both the education and health care systems. The transformative effect of recognising personal and social competence, within emotional competence, has the potential to change and improve the way in which nurses practice quality care. The practice of quality nursing care fosters credibility for the profession and confidence within the professional nursing voice.