Pre-placement preparation is crucial to support Non-native English-speaking nursing students’ clinical learning

Non-native English-speaking nursing students are overly reliant on translation apps instead of improving their language skills

Ambiguity in students’ scope of practice and assessment criteria can cause confusion for Non-native English-speaking students

Clinical experiences are a part of a university nursing program plan of study in which nursing students may apply the skills they have learned in their classes to a clinical environment. In addition to trying to adapt to a new social, working and educational culture, first-year non-native English-speaking international nursing students must also work around language barriers, familiarising themselves with new vocabulary as well as medical terminology. In the clinical setting, educators work closely with students to provide guidance and support, assess and evaluate students' learning and practices.

This study aims to explore the experiences of non-native English-speaking international nursing students' and clinical educators during their first clinical placement in Victoria, Australia.

A qualitative descriptive approach was used, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 non-native English-speaking international nursing students and 11 clinical educators in Australia.

Four main themes emerged from the experiences of non-native English-speaking international nursing students and clinical educators. For students, the themes were Challenges and Concerns, and Reflections. For clinical educators, the themes centered on Perceptions of Students' Challenges, and Suggestions for Improvement.

These themes highlight ongoing issues and challenges for non-native English-speaking nursing students and clinical educators during clinical placements. The findings emphasise the need for clear clinical assessment requirements to support international student learning and performance. To enhance their placement experiences, students should improve their English proficiency and communication skills beforehand, which can positively impact their clinical learning outcomes.

First clinical placement

International students

Clinical educators

Non-native English-speaking

Nursing students

Qualitative research

© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.