Clinical learning: The perspective of nursing students with learning disabilities.

BACKGROUND: A scarcity of research exists exploring the lived experiences of prelicensure nursing students with learning disabilities in the clinical learning environment. Exploration of this perspective is necessary to promote student success within nursing education.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the student experience to answer the research question: What is the lived experience of the prelicensure baccalaureate nursing student with a learning disability in the clinical learning environment?

METHOD: As outlined by Husserl (1970), descriptive phenomenology served as this study's philosophical framework. Colaizzi's (1978) analytical framework guided data analysis.

RESULTS: Interviews with 11 prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students with learning disabilities revealed three themes. The emergent themes include Challenges, Student Recommendations, and Supportive Practices.

CONCLUSION: Interviews conducted with prelicensure nursing students described their lived experiences with learning disabilities in the clinical learning environment. Although current literature exists confirming discrimination as described in student interviews, additional research is necessary to explore methods to decrease the stigmatization of learning disabilities in nursing. Lastly, guidelines for clinical accommodations must be established to increase successful outcomes for nursing students with learning disabilities.