Developing supervision skills through peer learning partnership

Oslo University College, Faculty of Nursing places undergraduate students in peer learning partnerships: 3rd year students as tutors, and 1st year students as tutees during practical skill learning. A study was designed to investigate this peer learning project. One of the research questions in particular on the role of the tutors: How do 3rd year nursing students carry out their role as supervisors for 1st year students in the skills laboratory? The study had an exploratory design. Qualitative data was gathered by three members of a research team, using video recordings of the supervised sessions and focus group interviews with both 1st and 3rd year students. Data collection was repeated in 2006-2007-2008 in different groups of students. Four identified themes illustrate how the 3rd year students supervise during the performance of the procedures in the skills laboratory: Observe and guide, supportive attitude, identify with the patient, focus on theoretical knowledge. The results of this study indicate that apart from enhancing practical skill learning in 1st year students, the assignment in the skill laboratory also provided an arena for developing competence in supervision in third year students.