Exploring Nursing Students’ Lived Experiences of Clinical Supervisors’ Communication During Clinical Rotations: A Phenomenological Study

BackgroundClinical supervision plays a central role in shaping nursing students’ clinical learning experiences. Communication between clinical supervisors and students shapes not only skill acquisition but also students’ confidence, clinical reasoning, and perceptions of practice quality. Despite its importance, limited research has explored how supervisory communication is experienced by nursing students within real clinical environments.AimThis study explored nursing students’ lived experiences of clinical supervisors’ communication during clinical rotations and examined how these interactions shape students’ learning experiences and perceived practice quality.MethodsA qualitative phenomenological design was employed to capture students’ experiences of supervisory communication in clinical settings. Data were collected through individual semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of 42 nursing students and six focus group discussions involving 36 students (20 of whom also participated in individual interviews) from a nursing program in Saudi Arabia. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step phenomenological approach.ResultsAnalysis generated eight themes, conceptually organized into three interrelated domains: supervisory communication practices, contextual and environmental factors, and student adaptive responses. Students described considerable variability in supervisory communication across clinical units, with supervision often characterized by observation-dominant teaching, informal procedure-based feedback, and limited facilitation of clinical reasoning. Supportive communication enhanced confidence and engagement, whereas inconsistent supervision hindered skill development. Communication practices were also linked to patient safety awareness. Students compensated for supervision gaps through self-directed and peer-supported strategies, which were confirmed across focus groups as system-wide.ConclusionClinical supervisors’ communication substantially shapes nursing students’ learning experiences and perceived practice quality during clinical training. Strengthening supervisory communication and addressing organizational barriers may improve clinical learning environments and the overall quality of nursing education.ImplicationsFindings highlight the need to shift toward structured, communication-centered supervision that promotes active engagement, reflective feedback, and clinical reasoning to enhance student competence, patient safety, and quality of care.