Glover P1, Lee E2, Lane J3, Bennett A4
1Peter Glover, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 2NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, AHP, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 3Queen Margaret University Edinburgh, Physiotherapy, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 4Independent Speech & Language Therapist, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Background: In the UK, one third of Physiotherapy pre-registration programmes are provided through clinical education placements. Placements are provided by Physiotherapists undertaking the role of a student Clinical Educator in the practice setting. The UK regulatory body of Physiotherapists requires that Clinical Educators have regular continuing professional development (CPD) for their role.
In Scotland, three universities run 6 physiotherapy pre-registration programmes. The public sector National Health Service (NHS Scotland) is the main provider of placements. A small, but increasing, amount of placements are provided within the private, independent and third sectors.
To date there has been no national approach for identifying Clinical Educators' CPD and their Support needs across Scotland.
Purpose: To ask Scottish Clinical Educators about their CPD and support needs to provide good quality placements for Physiotherapy students.
Methods: A short life working group with university Clinical Education Leads and representatives from placement providers was established to create an online survey with both open and closed questions. Topics explored through the survey included: providing student support, facilitating learning, and the role of the Clinical Educator. The electronic questionnaire was developed using Questback software and piloted. Over an 8-week period, the survey was distributed by email three times to existing Physiotherapy Clinical Educators across all sectors in Scotland.
Results: There were 314 responses, 300 of which were from respondents based in NHS Scotland (14% of the Physiotherapy workforce), and 14 were employed within other sectors. 68% of respondents described themselves as 'experienced Clinical Educators'.
Using a 5-point Likert Scale the five most popular CPD topics were: managing the needs of underperforming students; providing reasonable adjustments in the practice setting for students with disabilities; self-assessing skills as a Clinical Educator; conflict management; and supporting different learning styles.
The main responses to a free text question about CPD needs were: knowledge of course content; support to manage a range of specific needs of students; and support to develop general teaching and facilitating learning skills.
The main responses to an open question about further support were about: more regular and timely communication between universities and Clinical Educators; clarification on expectations of students at different programme levels; and more peer support through groups and local networks in the practice setting.
Conclusion(s): This was the first national, cross-sector survey which asked Practice Educators about their CPD and support needs in Scotland.
Scottish Clinical Educators' CPD needs are largely consistent with those within published research. The need for CPD about implementing reasonable adjustments in the practice setting has become a higher priority due to changes in UK legislation and universities widening their access routes for students into the profession.
The support needs highlighted largely relate to on-going communication and partnership working between Clinical Educators and their local teams and university staff.
Implications: Universities provide a rolling programmes of Clinical Educator CPD sessions across Scotland. The findings of the survey have informed the content of those sessions.
Online resources for the most common CPD needs are being developed so that access is available to Clinical Educators across Scotland.
Keywords: Clinical Education, Continuing Professional Development, Placements
Funding acknowledgements: NHS Education for Scotland facilitated the development and analysis of the survey.
In Scotland, three universities run 6 physiotherapy pre-registration programmes. The public sector National Health Service (NHS Scotland) is the main provider of placements. A small, but increasing, amount of placements are provided within the private, independent and third sectors.
To date there has been no national approach for identifying Clinical Educators' CPD and their Support needs across Scotland.
Purpose: To ask Scottish Clinical Educators about their CPD and support needs to provide good quality placements for Physiotherapy students.
Methods: A short life working group with university Clinical Education Leads and representatives from placement providers was established to create an online survey with both open and closed questions. Topics explored through the survey included: providing student support, facilitating learning, and the role of the Clinical Educator. The electronic questionnaire was developed using Questback software and piloted. Over an 8-week period, the survey was distributed by email three times to existing Physiotherapy Clinical Educators across all sectors in Scotland.
Results: There were 314 responses, 300 of which were from respondents based in NHS Scotland (14% of the Physiotherapy workforce), and 14 were employed within other sectors. 68% of respondents described themselves as 'experienced Clinical Educators'.
Using a 5-point Likert Scale the five most popular CPD topics were: managing the needs of underperforming students; providing reasonable adjustments in the practice setting for students with disabilities; self-assessing skills as a Clinical Educator; conflict management; and supporting different learning styles.
The main responses to a free text question about CPD needs were: knowledge of course content; support to manage a range of specific needs of students; and support to develop general teaching and facilitating learning skills.
The main responses to an open question about further support were about: more regular and timely communication between universities and Clinical Educators; clarification on expectations of students at different programme levels; and more peer support through groups and local networks in the practice setting.
Conclusion(s): This was the first national, cross-sector survey which asked Practice Educators about their CPD and support needs in Scotland.
Scottish Clinical Educators' CPD needs are largely consistent with those within published research. The need for CPD about implementing reasonable adjustments in the practice setting has become a higher priority due to changes in UK legislation and universities widening their access routes for students into the profession.
The support needs highlighted largely relate to on-going communication and partnership working between Clinical Educators and their local teams and university staff.
Implications: Universities provide a rolling programmes of Clinical Educator CPD sessions across Scotland. The findings of the survey have informed the content of those sessions.
Online resources for the most common CPD needs are being developed so that access is available to Clinical Educators across Scotland.
Keywords: Clinical Education, Continuing Professional Development, Placements
Funding acknowledgements: NHS Education for Scotland facilitated the development and analysis of the survey.
Topic: Education; Professional practice: other
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: NHS Scotland
Ethics committee: NHS Scotland Ethics and Research Guidance
Reason not required: The NHS Scotland guidance on research and ethics labels this work as service evaluation and therefore ethical approval is not required. Respondents to the survey were informed that the findings would be published with non identifying information.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
