Interprofessional Supervision Research Articles

Simulation as a method in a supervision course, experiences of midwives and specialist nurses: A qualitative study

AimTo explore supervisors’ experience of simulation in a student supervision course BackgroundThe relationship between student and supervisor is crucial for the students’ learning and quality of education. The supervisors have an important role in facilitating a good start and the best learning opportunities for students in clinical placement. Supervision can be demanding and there is a need to strengthen supervisors in their role. An interprofessional supervision course was designed, using simulation as a method. Simulation is frequently used for acute situations to improve patient safety but is less common in student supervision. In our supervision course, simulation was introduced in the digital component and practiced in the physical component. The 4–6 members of the interprofessional simulation groups were assigned roles as either participants or active observers. They were guided by a facilitator, who constructed student-supervisor scenarios, allocated roles and facilitated reflection. DesignA qualitative, explorative design involving focus groups and written reflections. MethodsTwo focus groups (n=9) were conducted following a pilot course in addition to written reflections (n= 80) after four courses. After revising the course and the interview guide, two additional focus groups (n =10) were held and a further 43 written reflections received. The empirical data were analyzed using thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. ResultsThe three themes.1. Interprofessional simulation provides a wider perspective on the student- supervisor relationship.The participants experienced being active in different roles, followed by subsequent joint reflection. They expressed increased relational understanding as well as the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication in supervision through learning from other interprofessional supervisors.2. Simulation provides realism by entering into the situation. Simulation fostered activation of the senses that improved the supervisor’s ability to be attentive to the student’s needs.3.Challenging to simulate the role of supervisor. Most participants were willing to force themselves out of their comfort zone to learn. However, quite a few felt uncomfortable participating in simulation on communication and preferred observing others. ConclusionThe participants experienced simulation as valuable for strengthening their awareness of their ability to influence students’ learning and relational understanding. The results showed the value of reflective observation in addition to participating in simulation. Simulation might contribute to improved supervision, although different experiences that inhibit learning outcomes must be acknowledged.

Students in interprofessional clinical placements: How supervision facilitates patient-centeredness in collaborative learning

ABSTRACT The patient’s role in interprofessional education is fundamental; however, it has received insufficient attention. This study explores how supervision facilitates and supports undergraduate students’ learning of patient-centeredness in interprofessional clinical placements. Data were generated in three clinical contexts based on a focused ethnography approach. We found that supervisors are engaged in student teams’ interprofessional learning, but often in their preparations or debriefings and seldom during patient encounters. The patient perspective is also less frequently scrutinized in planned interprofessional supervision sessions. Nevertheless, clinical settings provide numerous opportunities that may be exploited further.

Supervisors’ Perspectives on Online Interprofessional Supervision: Results from a Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Cross-Sectional Study

Collaboration in interprofessional collaboration (IPC) teams is a part of working in welfare services. Unlike uniprofessional supervision, interprofessional supervision involves supervisors and students with different educational backgrounds. This study explores 105 supervisors’ responses after synchronous supervision of 15,700 students from teaching, health, and social work education programs who participated in an annual preservice interprofessional learning (IPL) course from 2018 to 2022. The purpose was to explore supervisors’ experience of the online IPL supervisor role and of the student’s learning outcomes through a longitudinal mixed-methods repeated design. Response rates: 61%, 45%, 82% and 40%, respectively. The students worked in IPL groups with limited interaction with supervisors, using a case-based learning approach. The supervisors were supportive of IPL but suggested changes to increase relevance. The imbalance in the knowledge base on child-related topics and IPL preparedness among the student groups was challenging. Some questioned the need for supervision, whereas others were concerned about the limited time allocated for supervision. We conclude that online supervision is forward-looking because candidates must prepare for helping users, such as children and their next-of-kin, online. We deduce that online supervision is relevant for the future and less complicated than IPL supervision

Professional Counselors' Experiences on Interprofessional Teams in Hospital Settings

This qualitative study explored the experiences of 11 professional counselors who work on interprofessional teams in hospital settings. We conducted semistructured interviews and identified four themes using interpretative phenomenological analysis: (a) support patient care and positive team interactions, (b) interprofessional supervision, (c) scope of practice, and (d) ethical considerations. Implications for interprofessional supervision and professional counselors’ contribution to interprofessional engagement in hospital settings are discussed.

Mapping effective interprofessional supervision practice

ABSTRACT Interprofessional supervision, when the supervisor and supervisee belong to different professions, is a break from traditional supervision practice. A qualitative study of the interprofessional supervision practice of 29 experienced supervisors and supervisees identified five components of interprofessional supervision: ideal prerequisites, qualities, relationship, the supervision session, and other professional relationships. Reports of interprofessional supervision practice were considered alongside recordings of actual supervision sessions. From this data, and in collaboration with the participants, a map was developed to guide effective interprofessional supervision practice. When chosen by the supervisee, interprofessional supervision strengthened professional identity and provided a catalyst for new ways of working.

Rural disability workforce perspective on effective inter-disciplinary training-A qualitative pilot study.

Inter-professional education is a growing area of importance that enables training of health care professionals and students to develop skills in collaborative clinical practice, a critical aspect of disability care. However, research is limited on appropriate on-site inter-professional training for the rural and remote disability workforce. This paper aims to explore the features of an effective inter-professional training approach for rural disability workforce. Riverland, South Australia. Clinical educators, allied health professionals, health and service providers and students. A qualitative-explorative research design, involving focus group discussion and a thematic analysis method were employed in this study. Participants of the focus group discussion completed a capacity building training program centred on inter-professional education, cultural-safety and the National Disability Insurance Scheme. National Disability Services Social Impact Measurement Tool was used to evaluate and explore the features of effective inter-professional training program for existing and emerging disability workforce in rural regions. Four themes emerged from data analysis: inter-professional education focus; structured inter-professional training; building collaborative learning environment; and culturally appropriate care practice. Inter-professional supervision was identified as a key enabler for capacity building in an area with limited health workforce. Inter-agency collaboration and professional network were identified as important elements to support disability health workforce retention and the transition from novice to practitioner. Prior knowledge about the needs of persons with disability and empathetic relationships influenced the quality of practice. In situ training programs, which provide real-life rural practice context and harness inter-agency collaboration, improve effectiveness of rural disability workforce readiness for practice.

Safe Place

Interprofessional collaborative practice (ICP) is an essential skill in today’s healthcare environment that can be cultivated through interprofessional education (IPE) in higher education, as students are in the process of developing their professional identities. Undergraduate social work field students and nursing students in clinical rotation explored their experiences together in clinical supervision groups co-led by instructors from both fields. Researchers used a mixed methods approach to measure changes in feelings and skills related to ICP among students who participated in clinical supervision groups. Eighteen nursing and social work students participated; those involved in the interprofessional clinical supervision groups performed better on the Inter-professional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS) than the comparison group. Qualitative themes indicated that students enhanced their interprofessional knowledge; improved their interprofessional communication skills; and increased their comfort levels on an interprofessional team. Implications and suggestions for implementation are discussed.

Possibilities for interprofessional learning at a Swedish acute healthcare ward not dedicated to interprofessional education: an ethnographic study

ObjectivesAlmost all healthcare today is team-based in collaboration over professional borders, and numerous students have work-based learning in such contexts. However, interprofessional learning (IPL) in clinical settings has mostly been...

Critical exploration of the new NMC standards of proficiency for registered nurses.

Following its consultation with key stakeholder groups the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has launched Future nurse: standards of proficiency for registered nurses ( NMC, 2018a ). These compulsory new standards will be available for use in curricula by approved education institutions (AEIs) from the end of January 2019. In this article, the authors provide their personal perspectives on the potential impact of the new standards, particularly focusing on those relating to supporting and assessing students from within the practice environment. The new roles of practice supervisor, practice assessor and academic assessor are explored, making comparisons to the current mentorship role. There is a clear need for effective partnerships between AEIs and healthcare organisations as they lead on the implementation of the standards. They must think creatively about practice placements and provide opportunities for interprofessional supervision, so that students can learn about the roles of other disciplines and how to collaborate in a multidisciplinary team.

Students’ Experiences and Perceptions of Interprofessional Supervision on Placement

This study aimed to explore perceptions and experiences of Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Therapy students regarding interprofessional supervision during an interprofessional rural schools placement. Eight participants were recruited to participate in three semi-structured, one-to-one interviews conducted by phone before, during, and after the placement. The interviews were transcribed verbatim for subsequent thematic analysis. Our findings indicate that whilst participants valued the interprofessional peer supervision afforded by interprofessional placements, they entered interprofessional placements with misguided assumptions and expectations regarding interprofessional supervision from supervisors. This appeared to contribute to their largely negative perceptions of interprofessional supervision resulting in the devaluing of interprofessional supervision now and possibly in the future. This exploratory study presents a unique insight into the limitations of interprofessional supervision, and the critical need for interprofessional supervisor training and student preparation before placements. Follow-up research is required to expand on these findings so the limitations are addressed. This may enable interprofessional supervisors to provide better learning experiences, increasing students’ acceptance and appreciation of interprofessional supervision.

Interprofessional supervision: a matter of difference

INTRODUCTION: With its origins grounded in the apprenticeship tradition it is perhaps notsurprising that social work adheres to a model of supervision where both supervisor and supervisee are social workers and where it is common for social workers to be supervised by their line manager. Interprofessional supervision, where the participants do not share the same profession, and which is frequently external to the social worker’s organisation, therefore presents a challenge to traditional social work supervision practice.METHODS: Expert stakeholders were interviewed to explore their experiences ofinterprofessional supervision. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and topdown analysis employed to identify themes. The views of nine supervisees and nine supervisors are reported.FINDINGS: The participants represented a range of professions but the data collected revealed common themes. Participants highlighted the importance of being able to choose a supervision partner and to establish a contract where lines of accountability were explicit. Knowledge about supervision was considered vital and supervision competence was expected of the supervisor.The key benefits were a greater understanding of one’s own profession and an appreciation and respect for difference. Lack of clinical accountability was considered a limitation but not an obstacle.CONCLUSION: The reports of these participants indicate a shift from supervision as an in-house process to one which is chosen, negotiated and collaborative. Through their awareness of the need for professional development and accountability, the participants demonstrated a depth of professional responsibility and an ability to stand alongside their profession in the presence of ‘other’.

‘You kind of pull back the layers’: The experience of inter-professional supervision with educational psychologists

Aim:The aim of this study was to add depth and enhance our insight of the lived experience of the less-explored area of inter-professional supervision with Educational Psychologists (EPs). It was the intention to enrich our understanding of these ‘human-to-human’ experiences and consider the process of supervision in more depth, thereby exploring the value of EPs offering supervision services.Method:Seven Family Support Key Workers (FSKWs) who had engaged in supervision with EPs over a period of 10–15 years took part in the study. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to ask about their experiences, and the transcriptions were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).Findings:Five overarching themes were identified. Supervisees experienced a safe relationship with the EPs and took the opportunity for the deeper exploration of the self. They also experienced supervision as a learning space and had the choice of whether to engage in supervision. The findings also describe movements and changes in these experiences over time.Limitations:The potential of positive bias, the selection process used to recruit participants and the medium of language as the main tool for accessing the supervisees’ experience, all limit the transferability of the findings of this study.Conclusions:Each of the themes is considered in light of existing literature. The importance of establishing a foundational relationship to create space for the deeper exploration of the self to support learning and development is emphasised. The value of EPs offering supervision is elucidated.

Oral PresentationsImproving pupil motivationBuilding resilience in secondary school pupils with vulnerabilities: A little bit of positivity does you good or does it?An archaeology of rights: Discourse, strategies and social regulations of children’s rights in educational psychologyThey won’t let me back: A comparison of student perceptions across primary and secondary Pupil Referral UnitsParent, teacher and adolescent’s views on adolescent girls’ friendships

Oral PresentationsImproving pupil motivationBuilding resilience in secondary school pupils with vulnerabilities: A little bit of positivity does you good or does it?An archaeology of rights: Discourse, strategies and social regulations of children’s rights in educational psychologyThey won’t let me back: A comparison of student perceptions across primary and secondary Pupil Referral UnitsParent, teacher and adolescent’s views on adolescent girls’ friendships

Interprofessional supervision in social work and psychology in Aotearoa New Zealand

The requirement of professional supervision within the health, justice and social service sector in New Zealand has increased greatly since the advent of the Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act (HCPA 2003). As supervision is seen as a key vehicle for continuing development of professional skills, the demand for trained and competent supervisors has increased, with the resultant gap between demand and provision. One solution to this is for practitioners to seek supervision from a suitably matched professional outside the discipline. The limited literature on the practice of interprofessional supervision (IPS), suggests both advantages and limitations. This article presents the results of a survey (N=243) of social workers and psychologists practising IPS in Aotearoa New Zealand. The survey examined the rationale for seeking IPS, attention to function, and the perceived advantages and limitations for the supervisor and supervisee alike. Respondents receiving IPS reported a variety of reasons for seeking it including, but not most importantly, the lack of availability of same-profession supervisor. Respondents believed the advantages included the usefulness of different approaches/perspectives and an increase in knowledge and creative thinking. Disadvantages included that aspects of the supervisee role were not able to be adequately addressed and a lack of shared theories orlanguage.The practice more adequately provided for the formative and restorative functions than normative despite some having IPS as their only form of supervision. Recommendations therefore include ensuring the purpose of IPS is well clarified at the outset; that it is not a standalone practice forless experienced practitioners; that professional guidelines are appropriately flexible to provide for the varied and justifiable rationales and that programmes for appropriate preparation for IPS be developed. Further research is needed, however, to further clarify the specific agenda forseeking IPS including those for whom it is not a preferred or satisfactory approach.

Health Professions as Distinct Cultures in Interprofessional, Intercultural Clinical Placements: A Pilot Study Exploring Implications for Interprofessional Supervision

This paper reports on a pilot study that incorporated discipline specific clinical skill development with intercultural and interprofessional education (IPE) experiences for eight health professions students on clinical placement in a Disability Program in Vietnam. The aim of this study was to examine students’ experiences of interprofessional work while in an intercultural learning environment. A mixed methods design explored student perceptions of their experiences and learning in an interprofessional and intercultural context using semi-structured interviews, the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI) pre- and post-placement. The quantitative measures were used as a means of individual feedback to student and to assist in the interpretation of the qualitative data. Interviews indicated that students agree on the importance of working interprofessionally but perceived adjustment to interprofessional supervision was more challenging than adjustment to the Vietnamese clinical culture. Students scored lowest on Professional Identity (RIPLS) and Personal Autonomy (CCAI). This study provides an adjunct approach to gaining insight into final year students’ perception of interprofessional work while in an intercultural learning environment. Our small sample size cannot imply student’s definitive attitudes toward IP and IP supervision. However it may suggest that more research combining interprofessional and intercultural learning may contribute to a better understanding of the notion of professions as distinct cultures and students’ perceptions of IPE ‘interculturally’. This may further develop best practice in interprofessional supervision that empowers student learning and reinforces their professional identity.

English

The literature on interprofessional supervision suggests that it is possible to supervise some skills but not discipline specific ones. As a result, students’ scopes of practice are often limited when supervisors do not have the necessary expertise to supervise them, and such interprofessional placements may be regarded as less than optimal learning environments. The aim of this study was to evaluate students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of an interprofessional placement for developing their practice capabilities. This paper presents a case study of an interprofessional placement in Australia where complementary medicine students were supervised by nurses and allied health practitioners in mainstream health facilities. Twenty-one students recorded their experiences of this placement in reflective journals. These journals were thematically analysed using an iterative process of constant comparison. Key themes that emerged from students’ reflections on their interprofessional placement suggested that students were developing four core practice capabilities: person-centered care, effective communication, multidisciplinary care, and professionalism. Rather than being a poor substitute for a placement where students are supervised by practitioners from their own profession, this placement was valuable in its own right through its capacity to demonstrate the many practice capabilities that professions have in common. lnterprofessional placements could influence shaping students’ identity, either as a member of a multidisciplinary team or as an outsider.

Emotional Literacy Support Assistants’ views on supervision provided by educational psychologists: what EPs can learn from group supervision

The Educational Psychology Service in this study has responsibility for providing group supervision to Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) working in schools. To date, little research has examined this type of inter-professional supervision arrangement. The current study used a questionnaire to examine ELSAs’ views on the supervision provided to them. Key areas of interest were the extent to which supervision was perceived to be meeting ELSAs’ needs, their relationship with their supervisor and other group members, the advantages and disadvantages of receiving supervision as a group, and the impact of supervision on practice. Questionnaires were returned by 270 ELSAs. The responses indicated that the majority felt that their supervision needs were being met and that they had a good relationship with their supervisor and other group members. Supervision was generally considered to be a useful mechanism for discussing cases, sharing ideas and problem-solving. Consequently, the majority felt better able to support pupils as a result of this support. The results are discussed in light of the dual role that educational psychologists (EPs) who provide this type of supervision have, and the implications of this for educational psychology practice.

An investigation of factors involved when educational psychologists supervise other professionals

Inter-professional supervision combines the social processes of supervision and multi-agency working: both complex and often poorly understood processes. This paper discusses the first author’s research of inter-professional supervision, involving an educational psychologist (EP) supervising another professional and complements the recently published guidelines on professional supervision produced by the Division of Educational and Child Psychology (DECP). The research involved 10 semi-structured interviews with six EPs (supervisors) and four other professionals (supervisees) recruited through purposive sampling. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. Research findings suggested that inter-professional supervision was viewed positively. However, participants had a patchy experience of the contracting aspects of supervision and some talked of conflicting conceptualisations of supervision placing a strain on the supervisory relationship. Conclusions reflect the need to view supervision as a process enacted within multiple contexts which impact upon supervision in important ways.

Interprofessional supervision in an intercultural context: A qualitative study

Our understanding of the qualities and value of clinical supervision is based on uniprofessional clinical education models. There is little research regarding the role and qualities needed in the supervisor role for supporting interprofessional placements. This paper reports the views and perceptions of medical and allied heath students and supervisors on the characteristics of clinical supervision in an interprofessional, international context. A qualitative case study was used involving semi-structured interviews of eight health professional students and four clinical supervisors before and after an interprofessional, international clinical placement. Our findings suggest that supervision from educators whose profession differs from that of the students can be a beneficial and rewarding experience leading to the use of alternative learning strategies. Although all participants valued interprofessional supervision, there was agreement that profession-specific supervision was required throughout the placement. Further research is required to understand this view as interprofessional education aims to prepare graduates for collaborative practice where they may work in teams supervised by staff whose profession may differ from their own.

Interprofessional Supervision in Social Work and Psychology: Mandates and (Inter) Professional Relationships

Supervision of practicing professionals has grown as a major vehicle for the assurance of clinical competence of health and social services professionals in New Zealand with a consequential increase in the demand for competent supervisors. Interprofessional supervision (IPS) has increased as a means of addressing the gap. The literature suggests there is potential for IPS to improve functioning in multidisciplinary teams and enhance clinical work, but it is relatively under-researched. This article reports on a study of psychologists and social workers (N = 243) practicing IPS. The study explored the rationale for seeking IPS and the perceived advantages and limitations for the supervisor and supervisee alike. Professional mandates may limit IPS but its development as a practice suggests that guidance is needed to ensure it meets the aspirations of its practitioners.