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Understanding the Experience of Clinical Supervision in Community Child Health: A Mixed-Methods Cross Sectional Study
Chee Sean Tan1,2, Gehan Roberts1,3,4, William Garvey1,3,4
1Centre for Community Child Health, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Aim:
Clinical supervision plays an important role in the success of Competency Based Medical Education. This study aims to explore the Victorian Training Programme Community Child Health (VTPCCH) supervisory practices from the perspectives of trainees and supervisors.
Methods:
Nine peadiatric trainees enrolled in the VTPCCH who were based at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne and 15 supervising consultants were recruited in this study. Questionnaires were designed according to the roles of trainee and supervisor, exploring their experiences related to clinical supervision in the VTPCCH. Mixed quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted.
Results:
Sixteen responded (seven trainees and nine supervisors). Quantitative analysis revealed that respondents were highly satisfied with the overall training programme and quality of clinical supervision (median = 5.0 [trainee], 4.0 [supervisor], p > 0.05). Learning opportunity, especially the overall learning experience was valued, (median = 5.0 vs. 4.0 [supervisor], p = 0.03). Trainees were less satisfied with the opportunity to discuss patients and accessibility to supervision (median = 3.0, 4 [supervisor], p > 0.05) while supervisors perceived lower level of satisfaction pertaining to workload monitoring and extent of support they could provide in meeting the training requirements (median = 3.0, 4.0 [trainee], p > 0.05). Higher level of burnout was rated by trainee (median = 4.0, 3.0 [supervisor], p > 0.05). Access to supervision, heavy workload, inconsistent practices, lack of clarity and valuable educational opportunities are factors impacting participants' perceived satisfaction with the clinical supervision.
Conclusions:
Our findings indicate learning opportunity as the valued factor while suggesting gaps around access to supervisors, heavy workload, inconsistent and lack of clarity in practices as areas for improvement. Recommendations are being implemented with the 2025 cohort of paediatric trainees.
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