Nursing students' experience of clinical supervision and contributing factors in Jordan

Background: Although clinical supervision is a vital component of nursing education, data on students' experiences of clinical supervision and contributing factors remain limited. Aim: The study explores nursing students' experience of clinical supervision and contributing factors in Jordan. Design/methods: An explorative design with a qualitative approach using focus group discussions (n = 6) was used. A convenient sample consisting of 48 participants was recruited from second, third and fourth year nursing students. Data were thematically analysed using N VIVO 12. Results: The analysis revealed two overlapping experiences. First, the empowering supervision experience comprising: “being willing and patient” and “working hand-in-hand” with students. Second, the disempowering supervision experience, including: abuse of power and grade obsession, incompetent supervision and lack of time detected for students. While the former has positivity which enhanced students' clinical learning, the latter reduced their motivation for gaining knowledge and skills and negatively impacted their self-confidence. Conclusion: Students' experience of clinical supervision is multifaceted. Thus, there is a pressing need for establishing a preparation programme for newly employed supervisors focusing on annual training updates, identifying their competency level and understanding the way their supervisory role is operationalised.