| Background: Clinical teaching is at the core of the nursing profession. However, clinical teaching may not empower students to gain clinical
competency and skills. In this context, the performance of instructors is one of the main determinants of effective clinical teaching. Therefore, the
present study aimed to determine the relationship between nursing instructors’ clinical teaching behaviors and students’ learning. Methods: This
descriptive, correlational study was conducted with 267 nursing students selected through convenience sampling. The data were collected using
the Nursing Clinical Teacher Effectiveness Inventory, developed by Knox and Morgan. The questionnaire included two parts: the extent to which
nursing instructors used teaching behaviors and the effectiveness of these behaviors on students’ learning. The data were entered into the SPSS
statistical software, version 19, and were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and the Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: The
results showed a significant positive relationship between the extent to which nursing instructors used teaching behaviors and the effectiveness
of these behaviors on students’ learning (P = 0.001). In terms of the utilization of teaching behaviors, the highest average rates were related to the
dimensions of interpersonal relations and teaching abilities, while the lowest average rates were found for the evaluation dimension. With regard
to the effectiveness of these teaching behaviors on learning, the dimensions of teaching ability and evaluation gained the highest and lowest
average rates, respectively. Discussion: Instructors’ capabilities have to be improved regarding the effective utilization of some behaviors related to
evaluation, personal characteristics, and nursing competency. In this respect, the use of comprehensive teaching programs can be quite beneficial. |