Abstract
BackgroundClinical education is widely considered to be the cornerstone of health care professionals’ education. Clinical educators (CEs) fulfil many roles and act as both mentors and assessors in the learning process of students’ undergraduate health care professions education. However, changing from being a mentor to being an assessor may present particular challenges for both the CE and the students.ObjectiveTo explore students’ perceptions of how the dual role of a CE as mentor and assessor influenced the teaching–learning (T-L) relationship.MethodA qualitative descriptive study, involving seven individual semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions, was conducted with students in the Division of Physiotherapy, Stellenbosch University. A contextualised interpretive content analysis was used to analyse the data. By following an iterative process, themes were identified and categories were reviewed and refined.ResultsChallenges were experienced when CEs had to act and change as both mentors and assessors to the needs of the students. This influenced the T-L relationship and consequently impacted the learning of students. The expectations of students and CEs were often not fulfilled. Contradictions were disclosed regarding the dual role of CEs.ConclusionThe findings of the study, grounded in the perceptions and experiences of students on the dual role of the CE, are highlighted. It is important to consider the challenges that the students face in order to minimise any negative effects these challenges could have on students’ learning processes.
Highlights
Clinical education is widely considered to be the cornerstone of health care professionals’ education and is described as the key component that prepares health professionals for practical experiences (Kilminster et al 2007; Laitinen-Väänänen 2008)
The findings indicated that the dual role of the clinical educators (CEs) had a strong influence on the teaching– learning (T-L) relationship and that this relationship was affected by a range of challenges, expectations and preferences
It became apparent that the dual role of the CE influenced the T-L relationship
Summary
Clinical education is widely considered to be the cornerstone of health care professionals’ education and is described as the key component that prepares health professionals for practical experiences (Kilminster et al 2007; Laitinen-Väänänen 2008). Problems arising from the dual role of the CE as both mentor and assessor to students and the influence that the students’ perceptions of these roles have had on the T-L relationship were identified. CEs at SU act as both mentors and assessors in the learning process of students’ undergraduate health care professional education. Clinical education is widely considered to be the cornerstone of health care professionals’ education. Clinical educators (CEs) fulfil many roles and act as both mentors and assessors in the learning process of students’ undergraduate health care professions education. Changing from being a mentor to being an assessor may present particular challenges for both the CE and the students
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