Aim:

To explore the informants' experience of a new alternative model for clinical studies and its impact on learning outcomes.

Background:

Changes in the patient population and future lack of nurses have led to amended requirements for nursing student guidance. These conditions have triggered a need for alternative guidance models for nursing students in clinical studies. Therefore a project was conducted with the intention to increase the number of students in the practice arena and simultaneously frame tools that would improve the quality of clinical studies.

Method:

A Q-methodological study was conducted including 21 nursing students and tutors from the supervisor teams and head preceptor.

Findings:

Two opinion clusters, called factors, were prominent. Factor 1 experienced learning in pairs and guidance of a well-functioning supervisor team as positive for learning outcomes. Factor 2 experienced inadequate supervision of the supervisor team and preferred one-to-one tutoring. Head preceptor's role was important but not essential for students' learning, as was the teachers' role in practice. Of the various “tools” log, reflection meetings, fixed shift plan and progression plan, only shift plan was sorted as an important tool for continuity.

Conclusion:

A future solution could be to offer different supervision models where both supervision of students in teams and one-to-one tutoring is possible to address the students' individual needs. The project model is a good option for many if the supervisor team is well functioning.