Factors influencing radiation therapy student clinical placement satisfaction

Abstract

Introduction: Radiation therapy students at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) attend clinical placements at five different clinical departments with varying resources and support strategies. This study aimed to determine the relative availability and perceived importance of different factors affecting student support while on clinical placement. The purpose of the research was to inform development of future support mechanisms to enhance radiation therapy students’ experience on clinical placement.Methods: This study used anonymous Likert-style surveys to gather data from years 1 and 2 radiation therapy students from QUT and clinical educators from Queensland relating to availability and importance of support mechanisms during clinical placements in a semester.Results: The study findings demonstrated student satisfaction with clinical support and suggested that level of support on placement influenced student employment choices. Staff support was perceived as more important than physical resources; particularly access to a named mentor, a clinical educator and weekly formative feedback. Both students and educators highlighted the impact of time pressures.Conclusions: The support offered to radiation therapy students by clinical staff is more highly valued than physical resources or models of placement support. Protected time and acknowledgement of the importance of clinical education roles are both invaluable. Joint investment in mentor support by both universities and clinical departments is crucial for facilitation of effective clinical learning.

Strategies to develop student support mechanisms in medical radiation sciences clinical education

“…MRS students also rely on qualified practitioners to help them develop and refine their clinical skills during clinical placement. 47 Though research from other health professions shows students do not always feel supervision is provided in a supportive manner. 48 According to the Australian professional capabilities for medical radiation practitioners 49 (page 18), Australian practitioners are expected to 'use appropriate strategies to effectively supervise students in the work environment and deliver feedback (verbal and written) to the student and the education provider on their performance'.…”

“Yes, the type of student supervision matters, but what about the placement structure?” - A critical realist review of block and integrated practice learning models within pre-registration nursing programmes

“…It commonly consists of a practicum which occurs either towards the very end of, or after, the formal programme and in such courses is normally a pre-requisite for graduates seeking professional registration. [19,48] It is claimed that an internship 'allows students to learn new knowledge and skills by being completely immersed and engaged in the prescribed activity', [49] permits students to develop a rich understanding of the practice setting and form stronger working relationships with clinical staff [50] and promotes more effective interprofessional working. [51] Moreover, it is argued such placements can expose learners to new clinical experiences, help them integrate theory and practice, accelerate their learning and facilitate a more effective transition to a Registered Nurse (RN) role.…”

Peer mentoring for radiotherapy planning skills development: a pilot study

“…As peer mentoring has been shown to benefit both the mentor and mentee, perhaps it would also be useful to consider expanding this relationship to the clinical setting when students are on placement. Demand for clinical placements is high and this places an additional burden on the clinical staff 18 whose primary focus is the patient. This burden could potentially be alleviated by spreading the mentoring load 10 by pairing students in a mentor–mentee relationship while on clinical placement.…”