Norm-Critical Teaching in Practice? An Observational Study of a Campus-Based Clinical Learning Environment in Nursing Education

Nursing education plays a pivotal role in shaping future nurse professionals who contribute to social justice and health equity. To achieve this goal, nursing teachers must employ effective learning strategies. One such strategy is norm-criticism, which promotes a critical reflection of the normative preconceptions that impact health equity. This study aimed to identify how nursing teachers approach norm-criticism during learning activities in a campus-based clinical learning environment with a norm-critical profile. Employing an ethnographic approach, we analyzed participant observational data using reflective thematic analysis. Our results revealed three overarching themes: “Teaching nursing disengaged from norm-criticism,” “Teaching norms and deflecting norm-criticism,” and “A hesitant norm-critical teaching.” This study concludes that the teachers did not have the tools or lacked knowledge in norm-critical teaching strategies, likely as consequence of inadequate faculty support and guidance. Ultimately, teachers should have access to norm-critical education and opportunities to learn how to carry out norm-critical teaching.