Improving quality in clinical placement studies in nursing homes (QUALinCLINstud): the study protocol of a participatory mixed-methods multiple case study design

INTRODUCTION: Improved quality in clinical supervision and assessment of student nurses in nursing home clinical placements is vitally important to effective recruitment and preparation for this healthcare sector. Knowledge regarding supervision and assessment practices within these settings is limited. Also, knowledge of evolving e-learning tools on the quality and effectiveness of these educational practices seems to be absent. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The aim of the “Improving quality in clinical placement studies in nursing homes” (QUALinCLINstud) study is to develop and evaluate how a web-based programme can optimise supervision, assessment and learning during nursing home placements. The study applies a participatory, mixed-methods case study design, organised in four work packages (WPs). WP1 will explore how the nurse education institution address the quality of student nurses’ clinical placements in nursing homes. In WP2, clinical supervision and assessment practices will be explored, and described from multiple stakeholder perspectives. In WP3, based on the findings from WP1 and WP2, a web-based pedagogical supervision and assessment programme will be developed through a developmental co-productive process between nurse education institutions, practice settings and student nurses. In WP4, the web-based programme will be pilot-tested and evaluated through a mixed-methods approach. A range of data collection procedures will be used throughout the project, for example, questionnaires, interviews, observations and workshops. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The ethical conduct of the study is approved by the Norwegian Centre for Research Data (2018/61309 and 489776). The results will be disseminated through scientific articles, three PhD theses, presentations at national and international conferences, and through publicly accessible trade journals and newspapers. The results will generate knowledge to inform supervision and assessment practices in nursing home placements. Moreover, the study will generate knowledge concerning the developmental process of a web-based supervision and assessment programme, and the value of e-learning tools applied in clinical nursing education.