Aim: The study compared the perceptions of nurses who participated in the clinical education of students using traditional and dedicated education unit (DEU) models.
Background: In the traditional model, faculty are the primary clinical instructors for students. In a DEU, nurses provide clinical instruction with faculty support.
Method: This mixed-methods study used surveys and interviews.
Results: Compared to nurses on traditional units, DEU nurses were more likely to agree that their unit welcomed students, had a strong commitment to teaching, and received professional development from clinical faculty. The nurses rated the learning gains of students as greater on DEUs than traditional units and viewed the leadership of the nurse manager and the quality of patient care as similar.
Conclusion: The study provides evidence that, from the nurses' perspective, the DEU faculty-nurse partnership provides students with superior clinical education experiences and may improve nurse work satisfaction.