Allied health clinical placements with a remote supervision model: Students' and clinical educators' perceptions

• Published in: Distance education Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 284 - 305
• Main Authors: Whitehead, Andrea J., Beak, Kelly. M., Russell, Trevor, Ross, Megan H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne Routledge 03-04-2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Affordances; allied health; Allied Health Occupations Education; clinical education; Clinical experience; Clinical teaching (Health professions); College Students; Competence; Coronavirus (COVID-19); COVID-19; Distance Education; Distance learning; Feedback (Response); Focus groups; Foreign Countries; Geographic isolation; Higher education; Interpersonal Communication; Interpersonal Relationship; Job Skills; Occupational Therapy; Pandemics; Program Effectiveness; remote supervision; Speech Language Pathology; Speech pathology; Speech therapy; Student Attitudes; Supervision; Supervisory Methods; Teacher attitudes; Telehealth; Telemedicine; Videoconferencing; Australia
• ISSN: 0158-7919; 1475-0198
• DOI: 10.1080/01587919.2023.2209024

COVID-19 restrictions prompted change to clinical placements for students, including a move to a remote supervision model where students, clinical educators, and patients were geographically remote from each other but connected via videoconferencing technology. A total of seven students and 11 clinical educators from occupational therapy and speech pathology participated in focus groups, reflecting on their experiences and perceptions of the rapid transition to remote supervision. Qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. No participants had experience with remote supervision prior to COVID-19. Three key themes were generated from the data: (a) key considerations, processes, and suggestions for remote supervision, (b) impact of remote supervision on relationship development, and (c) development of student professional competencies within the model. This study provides insights and practical considerations for implementing remote supervision and confirms this model can effectively meet students' supervision needs and support the development of professional competencies.