Organisational Climate In Nursing

Several publications have appeared in recent years documenting organisational climate within the clinical learning environment, hence the aim of this chapter is to review the literature on Organisational Climate (OC) within the clinical learning environment.
There is overwhelming evidence confirming the critical role that clinical learning plays in the entire nursing profession. Hence, Reilly and Oermann (1992:133) notes that the importance of student nurses to undergo clinical learning practice to acquire skills and knowledge needed for the nursing profession. According to Carlson, Kotze and Rooyen (2003:32) clinical learning provides a learning platform where practical nursing skills are learned, practised and enhanced to ensure that student

In many instances there are negative organisational climate dimensions that affect the learning progress and skills transfer. These negative dimensions are characterised by lack of support, lack of teamwork and feeling of being unaccepted and or unwelcomed that the student nurses experiences during the clinical learning. These negative dimensions directly affect the clinical learning hence organisational climate continues to emerge as one of the major concerns that faces clinical learning environment and among the growing subjects for research. It is thus that this review will focus on the three organisational climate namely, support, teamwork and sense of belonging.

The remainder of this chapter is organised to cover the background for the problem that this literature is written for, a rationale for studying organisational climate, organisational climate conceptual framework and definition of organisational climate. Literature on support, teamwork and sense of belonging is reviewed for the better understanding of the problem. Lastly, the chapter review the methodology used particular in South Africa to also assist better understand the problem, findings and conclusions drawn from studies conducted are

While literature has not confirmed that a number of mistakes and occupational injuries happen because of the level of stress and anxiety student experience during the clinical learning, however the level of stress compromises the quality of care that they need to provide to patients. It also affects the students’ levels of comprehending the nursing theory to practical nursing. Literature has shown that due to the problem student nurses feel not belonging to the environment and to the nursing