Student perceptions of knowledge development and consolidation in a clinical community of practice.

The undergraduate nursing degree in the UK comprises both theoretical and practical elements with
the practical component being a large and important aspect. Within the clinical environment
students learn to become a nurse by gaining membership of a community of practice and learning
the technicalities of nursing.As the future of health and social care looks set to see unprecedented
changes, contemporary nursing practice will demand that nurse graduates are equipped with
advanced knowledge and skills. By doing so, graduate nurses will go on to provide high quality
care within this changing context.The aim of the research was to explore student nurse perceptions
of knowledge development and consolidation in a clinical practice environment by utilising a
community of practice theoretical framework to question whether the clinical community of
practice prepares student nurses for contemporary nursing practice.Four themes emerged from the
research: establishing a place in the community, shaping identity, initiating learning opportunities,
preparation for future practice. The findings suggest that the clinical community of practice
provides an opportunity for students to both learn the technicalities of nursing and develop their
professional identity. However, whilst the learning environment may be functional in maintaining
current practice, it may not facilitate the learning required for contemporary nursing practice.