Nursing students' experiences of different learning spaces: A comparative mixed methods study

Clinical skills are traditionally taught face-to-face in nursing education. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a surge in online learning, prompting the creation of an innovative method of teaching clinical skills online. This study aimed to explore students’ experiences of learning clinical skills in on-campus and off-campus learning spaces and determine which learning space students preferred. Undergraduate nursing students (n=135) undertook a mixed-method survey. Quantitative data analysis revealed that on-campus students reported higher satisfaction with the realism of the clinical skill learning activity (p=0.015). Off-campus students practiced the clinical skill more frequently (p=0.024). Thematic analysis of qualitative data identified themes of feedback, logistics, opportunities to practice, realism, and feeling comfort. Responses provided insight into students’ preferred experiential learning styles, preferences for learning spaces, and how they engaged in deliberate practice. Preferred experiential learning styles may influence how students undertake deliberate practice and their preference for face-to-face or online learning. This study indicates that off-campus learning can complement on-campus training to cater to diverse learning styles and foster deliberate practice.