Nursing Students’ Perceptions of the Educational Learning Environment in Pediatric and Maternity Courses using DREEM Questionnaire

Abstract

Background: Educational surroundings is one of the most vital factors in figuring out the fulfillment of an powerful curriculum and gaining of knowledge . Aim: To compare students’ perceptions of the academic learning environment in Pediatric and Maternity courses using DREEM Questionnaire. Design: This is a comparative study. Subjects: Five hundred and eleven of the third year nursing students studying maternity and pediatric courses by traditional policy participated in the study during the academic year 2014-2015. Setting: Pediatric and maternity nursing departments at Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt. Tool: An interviewing Questionnaire of two parts: First includes general characteristics such as:  age, sex and courses involved. Part two: Includes the DREEM questionnaire. Results: The total mean score for pediatric and maternity nursing students’ perception of their learning environment were 115.0±.23.02 and 110.3±17.4; respectively. Students’  belief in their gaining knowledge of environment in both specialties were “more positive than negative” with a significant difference between both groups (t=2.6, p=0.01).All students agreed to a more positive approach regarding their learning “moving in the right direction” for their teachers, feeling “ more on the positive side” for their academic self perception, feeling “ more on the positive side” for their learning atmosphere “ a more positive attitude” they also reported that their social self perceptions were “ not too bad. The results showed that 10% of both pediatrics and maternity students have mean score ≤2 consider (problem areas).More than one third of pediatrics and maternity students have mean score 2.1 - 3 (which needing improvement). About half of pediatrics and maternity students have mean score 3.1 - 3.5 (positive aspect) while none of our students scored >3.5(excellent items). Conclusion: The perceptions of nursing students of their mastering learning environment were “more positive than negative” with a significant difference between pediatric and maternity students. Although the overall questionnaire score was showed to be “more positive than negative” there were five objects out of the 50 that determined mean scores of less than 2.00 that have to be tested greater carefully .

Keywords: Perceptions, Learning Environment, DREEM Questionnaire