Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of the Role of the Nurse Educator during Clinical Placements in Malawi

In this article we reported selected findings of a hermeneutic phenomenological study which explored the clinical learning experience of undergraduate nursing students in Malawi. The setting for the study was a university nursing college and the sample was selected purposively, consisting of thirty participants. Conversational interviews were conducted and a framework developed by modifying Colaizzi’s procedural steps guided the phenomenological analysis. The study findings reflect students’ perspectives on what the ideal role of a nurse educator in Malawi should entail. Contrary to most of the literature from western countries, the findings strongly indicate the need for nurse educators to teach students during clinical placements by engaging in hands-on-care. Additionally, the study also indicates the need for educators to view their role holistically by focusing on both academic and personal aspects of the students’ life. The study illustrates the need for connected educator-student relationships.