Interprofessional supervision in a clinical context : is it possible?

Background. Our understanding of the qualities of clinical supervision is based on uni-disciplinary clinical education models. There is little research regarding the qualities needed in the supervisor role for interprofessional placements. This paper reports the views of medical and allied heath students and supervisors on the characteristics of clinical supervision in an interprofessional, international clinical placement. Methods. A qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews of eight health professional students (medical, physiotherapy, speech pathology and occupational therapy) and four clinical supervisors before and after an interprofessional, international clinical placement. Each interview was digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Each transcript was coded, line-by-line and a coding frame developed. The research team collaborated to compare themes from the coding process. Results. Our findings suggest that in the interprofessional context, supervision from educators whose professional discipline differs from that of the students can be a beneficial and rewarding experience. Students were satisfied with the frequency and style of supervision. Characteristics of supervisors deemed important by students included being supportive, sensitive and realistic about what can be achieved in the setting. However, all participants indicated that a supervisor of one’s own discipline was required during the placement. These views were maintained despite students acknowledging that, when faced with situations when a member of their own profession was not available, they used other learning strategies. Conclusions. Our study is the first to present the perceptions and values of students and supervisors on the role of interprofessional supervision in a clinical context. While interprofessional supervision was valued and led to the use of alternative learning strategies, there was agreement that profession-specific supervision was required throughout the placement. Further research is required to understand this view that is contrary to the goals of interprofessional education, especially the aim to prepare graduates for teamwork supervised by professionals different from their own.