Clinical supervisor training: using critical incidents to identify learning outcomes

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Professional Training

Background:

• Traditional student supervision training evaluation relies on subjective satisfaction and confidence surveys.
• This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a 2-day interprofessional student supervision training workshop.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a 2-day interprofessional student supervision training workshop.
• To measure changes in participants' confidence and learning outcomes using a clinical supervision scenario.

Main Methods:

• A pre- and post-training questionnaire assessed confidence ratings in 112 participants.
• A critical clinical supervision scenario was used to evaluate learning outcomes.
• Critical incident theory guided the study design and data analysis.

Main Results:

• Participant confidence in supervision knowledge and skills significantly improved post-workshop.
• While key scenario features remained consistent, post-workshop actions shifted towards collaborative exploration with students.
• Participants demonstrated a deeper understanding and application of learned concepts after the training.

Conclusions:

• Evaluating student supervision training with a critical incident scenario alongside confidence ratings provides a robust assessment method.
• The workshop fostered an integrated understanding of student learning in clinical placements.
• Findings offer a framework for enhancing future student supervision training programs.