Clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher (CLES+T) scale: Translation and validation of the Arabic version

Aim: This study aimed to translate the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher (CLES + T) scale into Arabic and to evaluate its psychometric properties in the context of Morocco. Background: The CLES + T scale is internationally valid and reliable instrument used to evaluate the quality of the clinical learning environment for students in the health professions. Design: Transcultural validation study Methods: The present study was carried out between March and May 2019 at two public nursing education institutions in Morocco. The sample included 1550 undergraduate students enrolled in the first, second and third year of nursing, midwifery and health-techniques degree program and who have just completed a course of clinical practicum in hospital ward or primary healthcare settings. The CLES + T scale was translated into Arabic and back-translated. Internal consistency reliability and construct validity using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted. Results: The CLES+T scale showed alpha coefficients ranging from 0.71 to 0.92 and the five factors identified explained 55% of the variance, with “Role of nurse teacher” and “Supervisory relationship” as the two main factors explaining 41% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis approved the factor structure of the Arabic version of the instrument. Conclusion: The Arabic version of CLES+T displayed suitable psychometric properties for using it in evaluating the quality of clinical learning environment of nursing students in Morocco and likely in other Arabic speaking countries.