Nursing students’ perceptions on clinical learning environment and mental health: a multicenter study

OBJECTIVE: this study aimed at evaluating the perceptions of Nursing students from public universities in three European Union countries on mental health and clinical learning environments, a topic that has been rarely investigated in the literature. METHOD: data collection took place using a demographic data form, the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Scale, and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form. A total of 571 participants from Turkey, Lithuania and Portugal were included in the study. RESULTS: there was a significant difference among the three groups regarding clinical learning environment and mental health status (p<.001). Supervision was the most valued element. The Portuguese students presented the highest mean in the Mental Health Continuum Short Form and Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Scale scores (p<.001). Age, gender and mental health were effective in the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Scale scores. CONCLUSION: the results indicated that the Mental Health Continuum Short Form and Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Scale scores obtained by the Portuguese Nursing students were higher. It was also revealed that the students’ perceptions on the clinical learning environment were affected by age and gender, and that their perceptions on mental health were influenced by the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale scores.