Interprofessional Clinical Preceptor Training Utilizing Simulation Ð a Pilot Project
Purpose
The clinical education component of any healthcare academic program is crucial to the success of its students. The ability to practice the clinical skills, which have been taught during the didactic curriculum, with real patients in the clinical setting is vital for students to develop their full potential to be effective clinicians in the healthcare field. The clinical faculty, or preceptors, who work with students in the clinical setting are an important part of the overall educational team to prepare students for safe and effective clinical practice. In clinical education, feedback is crucial to improve the studentÕs abilities in clinical skills, professionalism, and clinical reasoning. Feedback is an ongoing process1, which gives an unbiased reflection of events which are utilized to guide student learning and clinical performance.2 Effective student feedback is essential for student growth and the studentÕs ability to develop realistic self-appraisal, which is a component of the learning process.3,4 Without honest and applicable feedback by clinical faculty, students are left to rely on self-appraisal which can be misleading and ineffective for professional growth. Clinical faculty understand the importance of providing feedback and although there is a confidence in giving positive feedback, the majority of preceptors are not confident in providing negative feedback.1 Barriers to effective feedback include a lack of clinical faculty training on feedback methods, a desire to maintain the faculty-student relationship,2 fear of decreasing student self-esteem, difficulty initiating uncomfortable conversations, and a lack of time.1,4
Methods/Description:
A two-hour workshop was developed consisting of a didactic curriculum educating preceptors on the effective feedback models for todayÕs generation of healthcare students. A standardized patient learning experience was developed to allow participants the opportunity to practice the feedback skills taught in the workshop. Clinical faculty were given feedback on their performance in the standardized patient experience with a debrief session with program faculty. Data was collected utilizing a self-evaluation tool designed by the research team, learner survey, and the use of the Direct Observation of Clinical Skills Feedback Scale (DOCS-FBS).9 The DOCS-FBS was used to assess the standardized patient experience by 1) participant, as a self-evaluation, 2) standardized patient, and 3) program faculty observer.
Results/Outcomes:
The final results of this study will be completed in June 2020. The project workshop was completed in December 2019 and the research design had a 6 month follow-up survey with all participants. All results and data will be shared during the ELC presentation.
Conclusions/Relevance to the conference theme:
Enhancing Team Well-being through Physical Therapy Education This session relates to the conference thematic area Promoting Student, Clinician, and Faculty Leadership and Professional Development. The professional development of clinical preceptors is crucial to supporting the clinical education component for students. Promoting continued skills for our clinical preceptors creates more willing clinicians to work with students by empowering them with the skills to be successful when working with students in the clinical setting.