Developing the SVN CLEI: A Novel Psychometric Instrument for Evaluating the Clinical Learning Environment of Student Veterinary Nurses in the UK.

This article focuses on the development and validation of the Student Veterinary Nurses Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (SVN CLEI) to systematically evaluate the clinical learning environment (CLE) experienced by student veterinary nurses (SVNs) in the United Kingdom. Using principal component analysis on survey data from 271 UK-based SVNs, the final SVN CLEI comprises 25 items across three factors: clinical supervisor support of learning, pedagogical atmosphere in the practice, and opportunities for engagement, explaining 61% of the variance with strong reliability (overall Cronbach's alpha = .953). The inventory addresses sociocultural aspects of the CLE, complementing existing Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) training practice assessments and fulfilling requirements for student feedback in the RCVS Standards Framework for Veterinary Nurse Education and Training. The SVN CLEI is recommended for use within UK training practices to enhance understanding and improvement of SVNs' clinical training experiences.