Physiotherapists Prefer Clinical Supervision to Focus on Professional Skill Development: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Professions
• Allied Health
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Clinical supervision is crucial for professional development in physiotherapy.
• Understanding physiotherapists' perceptions of supervision effectiveness is essential for optimizing practice.
• Existing literature may not fully capture the nuances of effective clinical supervision from the physiotherapist's perspective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore physiotherapists' perceptions of clinical supervision.
• To identify factors influencing the effectiveness of clinical supervision.
• To understand preferred models and content of clinical supervision.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing individual semi-structured interviews with 21 physiotherapists.
• Purposive sampling from a public hospital setting.
• Interpretive description approach for qualitative analysis, supplemented by the Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale (MCSS-26) for triangulation.

Main Results:

• The primary theme indicated that clinical supervision content should prioritize professional skill development (clinical and non-clinical).
• Four key subthemes influenced supervision effectiveness: supervision model, processes, supervisor factors, and supervisee factors.
• These subthemes could act as barriers or facilitators to perceived effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Clinical supervision is most effective when centered on professional skill enhancement.
• Physiotherapists favor direct supervision models and value informal guidance from supportive supervisors.
• Supervision should be learner-driven, aligning with individual needs rather than solely organizational processes.