Does an Online Clinical Educator Preparation and Support Program Change Practice?

Authors

  • Laura Morrison Allied Health Professions' Office of Queensland, Department of Health
  • Liza-Jane McBride Allied Health Professions' Office of Queensland, Department of Health
  • Lindy McAllister The University of Sydney

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18552/ijpblhsc.v4i2.355

Keywords:

clinical educators, clinical placements, placement supervisors, preparation and support programs, student placements

Abstract

Preparation of clinicians to act as student placement supervisors is important to ensure quality student placements for the development of the skills needed for competent performance in the workplace. Clinical educator preparation programs are offered in many formats, but these programs are rarely evaluated for impact on practice. In this article, we describe the results of the evaluation of an online clinical educator preparation and support (CEPS) program. Thirty allied health professionals, across a range of professions, responded to a survey regarding their experience of the program, usage patterns and their application of learning to practice. As a result of participation in the program, there was a significant increase in confidence levels in a number of topic areas covered in the program, and a quarter of respondents had changed their student supervision practices as a result of participation. Due to a low response rate at the three month follow-up survey, planned interviews to explore the impact of change in practice on the student placement experience could not be completed. While the study was not able to measure the impact of the CEPS program on placement quality, it did show that the CEPS program is able to significantly increase supervisor confidence in a number of areas, and is able to effect change in practice.

Author Biographies

Laura Morrison, Allied Health Professions' Office of Queensland, Department of Health

Senior Workforce Officer

Liza-Jane McBride, Allied Health Professions' Office of Queensland, Department of Health

Team Leader Allied Health

Lindy McAllister, The University of Sydney

Professor and Associate Dean of Work Integrated Learning, Faculty of Health Sciences

References

Breckwoldt, J., Svensson, J., Lingemann, C., and Gruber, H. (2014) ‘Does clinical teacher training always improve teaching effectiveness as opposed to no teacher training? A randomized controlled study’. BMC Medical Education, 14 (6) http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-14-6

Dalton, L., Bull, R., Taylor, S., Galbraith, K., Marriott, J., and Howarth, H. (2007) ‘Evaluation of the national pharmacy preceptor education program’. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 15, 159–165 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1584.2007.00878.x

Dettlaff, A. (2008) ‘Enhancing field instruction in child welfare: Evaluation of a training program to promote quality field instruction’. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 2 (3), 317–338 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15548730802463553

Hall, M., McFarlane, L., and Mulholland, S. (2012) ‘Positive clinical placements: perspectives of students and clinical educators in rehabilitation medicine’. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 19 (10), 549–556 http://dx.doi.org/10.12968/ijtr.2012.19.10.549

Hall, M., Poth, C., Manns, P., and Beaupre, L. (2015) ‘To supervise or not to supervise a physical therapy student: A national survey of Canadian physical therapists’. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 29 (3), 58–67

Health Education and Training Institute (2015) Clinical supervision training series: Evaluation report. [online] available from http://www.heti.nsw.gov.au/PageFiles/26152/Evaluation%20Report%20CSTS_Website_with%20Appendices.pdf [14 June 2016]

Health Workforce Australia. (2011) Clinical Supervision Support Program - Directions Paper, April 2011. [online] available from http://www.qrtn.com.au/images/pdf/Resources/Clinical%20Supervision%20Support%20Program%20Directions%20Paper-201104.pdf [16 September 2016]

Higgs, J. and McAllister, L. (2007) ‘Educating clinical educators: Using a model of the experience of being a clinical educator’. Medical Teacher, 29 (2-3), e51–e57 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01421590601046088

Jippes, E., Steinert, Y., Pols, J., Achterkamp, M., van Engelen, J., and Brand, P. (2013) ‘How do social networks and faculty development courses affect clinical supervisors' adoption of a medical education innovation? An exploratory study’. Academic Medicine, 88 (3), 398–404 http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e318280d9db

Kanno, H. and Koeske, G.F. (2010) ‘MSW students’ satisfaction with their field placements: The role of preparedness and supervision quality’. Journal of Social Work Education, 46 (1), 23–38 http://dx.doi.org/10.5175/JSWE.2010.200800066

MacEachron, A.E., Gustavsson, N., Lavitt, M., and Bartle, E. (2009) ‘Supervisor preferences for the design and delivery of training’. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 3 (2), 173–189 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15548730902855088

McBride, L., Fitzgerald, C., Morrison, L., and Hulcombe, J. (2015) ‘Pre-entry student clinical placement demand: Can it be met?’ Australian Health Review,39 (5), 577–81 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AH14156

Nisbet, G. and McAllister, L. (2015) ‘A critical review of outcomes of peer group mentoring and elements influencing its success and application to student placement supervisors’. International Journal of Practice-based Learning in Health and Social Care, 3 (2), 61–76 http://dx.doi.org/10.18552/ijpblhsc.v3i2.195

O'Brien, M., Phillips, B., and Hubbard, W. (2010) ‘Enhancing the quality of undergraduate allied health clinical education: A multidisciplinary approach in a regional/rural health service’. Focus on Health Professional Education: A Multi-disciplinary Journal, 12 (1), 11–22

Recker-Hughes, C., Wetherbee, E., Buccieri, K., FitzpatrickTimmerberg, J., and Stolfi, A. (2014) ‘Essential characteristics of quality clinical education experiences: Standards to facilitate student learning’. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 28 (Supplement 1), 48–55

Rodger, S., Webb. G., Devitt. L., Gilbert, J., Wrightson, P., and McMeeken, J. (2008) ‘Clinical education and practice placements in the allied health professions: An international perspective’. Journal of Allied Health, 37 (1), 53–62.

Tai, J., Bearman, M., Edouard, V., Kent, F., Nestel, D., and Molloy, E. (2015) ‘Clinical supervision training across contexts’. The Clinical Teacher, 13, 262–266 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/tct.12432

Young, G., O’Callaghan, K., Hollands, K., and Healy, R. (2011) Summary report: Output evaluation of the Clinical Education Workload Management Initiative. Brisbane: Clinical Education and Training Queensland. [online] available from https://www.health.qld.gov.au/ahwac/html/publications.asp [14 June 2016]

Downloads

Published

2016-12-15

How to Cite

Morrison, L., McBride, L.-J., & McAllister, L. (2016). Does an Online Clinical Educator Preparation and Support Program Change Practice?. International Journal of Practice-Based Learning in Health and Social Care, 4(2), 63–72. https://doi.org/10.18552/ijpblhsc.v4i2.355

Most read articles by the same author(s)

<< < 1 2