Commentary on Christiansen A & Bell A (2010) Peer learning partnerships: Exploring the experience of pre-registration nursing students. Journal of Clinical Nursing 19, 803-810

The excessive demand for quality clinical learning opportunities for nursing students means that the exploration of peer learning partnerships is a very worthwhile activity. Learning in the clinical context is a substantial component of the preparation of nurses in readiness for the challenges of professional practice on graduation.

Establishing supportive clinical learning environments that can assist the development of students to attain the requisite attitudes, skills and abilities is fraught with difficulties. There are several factors that can inhibit workplaces becoming areas of learning practice such as hierarchies and contestations. The degree to which workplace cliques and affiliations are played out influences the development of a learning environment and shapes how students are permitted and elect to participate in clinical activities and interaction (Newton et al. 2009b, Billett & Newton 2010). Thus, the invitational quality of the learning environment is a critical factor in how students assimilate knowledge, explore possibilities and reflect on their experience. Students use their clinical experiences to assist in the translation of learnt theoretical concepts with the situated knowledge of practice (Henderson et al. 2007, Newton et al. 2009a). It is the creation of conditions that facilitate this process of knowledge translation that can remain elusive.