Dignity during work-integrated learning: Piloting an online learning resource for placement students and supervisors

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Workplace Learning
• Professional Ethics

Background:

• Medical student abuse during work-integrated learning (WIL) negatively impacts wellbeing and learning.
• Workplace dignity, defined as respecting individuals, positively influences student and supervisor experiences.
• Stakeholders often lack clear understanding and strategies to address indignities in WIL settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an online learning resource aimed at improving understanding and application of workplace dignity in WIL.
• To enhance the safety, dignity, and educational productivity of WIL placements for medical students and supervisors.

Main Methods:

• Development of a research-informed online learning resource with three core topics on workplace dignity.
• Pilot qualitative evaluation using 13 semi-structured interviews with WIL students and supervisors.
• Analysis of findings categorized into perceived benefits, potential applications, and suggested improvements.

Main Results:

• Participants reported benefits including motivation, valuable content, and effective online pedagogies.
• Learnings included reinforcing knowledge, developing new insights, promoting reflection, and potential for practice change.
• Suggested improvements focused on enhancing social interactivity, addressing barriers, refining content, and optimizing implementation timing.

Conclusions:

• The online resource shows promise in promoting workplace dignity within WIL settings.
• Further development should prioritize social interactivity and embedding the resource within broader educational frameworks.
• Longitudinal evaluation is recommended to assess long-term impact and refine implementation strategies.