Building Skills in Clinical Education

A series of short videos are available to view and can be accessed by clicking on the links below. Each video has been developed to provide current and prospective educators with valuable insights on a range of topics relevant to supporting student placements.

1. Thinking of taking on a student? (5.45 mins)

This video may appeal to prospective providers or clinical educators who are considering supporting students in their workplace. In this video, Ruth Dunwoodie and Lucy Hunter, Clinical Education Liaison Managers, identify some key considerations and benefits for providers and opportunities. In addition, Lucy and Ruth discuss some of the logistics in preparing a workplace for hosting students.

2. What makes a quality placement (4.40 mins)

In this video we hear from Ruth Dunwoodie and Lucy Hunter, Clinical Education Liaison Managers, as they discuss the principles of creating a quality placement to enable authentic student learning and development. Ruth and Lucy highlight foundational principles of commitment, communication, collaboration, planning and having a positive learning culture as pivotal to the experience.

3. Qualities of effective clinical educators (3.22 mins)

In this video, Wendy Hood and Lucy Hunter, Clinical Education Liaison Managers, discuss the essential qualities of effective educators that support a positive student experience, good learning outcomes and ultimately a better experience for their clients.

4. Multiple roles of clinical educators (4.14 mins)

In this video, Ruth Dunwoodie and Lucy Hunter, Clinical Education Liaison Managers, discuss how clinical educators, when supporting students, wear many hats over the course of a clinical placement. Each role is briefly described with examples of when this role may be required.

5. Orienting a student on placement (2.02 mins)

Michael Donovan, Clinical Education Liaison Manager, discusses the importance of providing students with an orientation as they commence their placement. Michael provides suggestions for inclusion that will assist in setting expectations for the student. In addition, he signals how a well-structured orientation provides an opportunity to prepare the workplace and work team for having a presence of students.

6. Setting and communicating expectations (3.18 mins)

In this video, Michael Donovan and Jodie Booth, Clinical Education Liaison Managers, share the importance of clarifying expectations that are contextual to the learning environment, along with some simple ways to confirm the student’s understanding of these.  In addition, Michael and Jodie introduce the BUILD framework as a tool to assist the student to link expectations to learning outcomes.

7. Establishing strong relationships for learning (3.34 mins)

In this video Ruth Dunwoodie, a Clinical Education Liaison Manager, discusses the importance of establishing strong learning relationships between students and clinical educators while on a placement. Ruth highlights that with any relationship, it can take time to develop and that being mindful that students and educators are first and foremost human, bringing with them their own individual characteristics, values, preferences, and experiences. Ruth suggests some ways to optimise the relationship seeking to build trust, confidence, and promoting active engagement from the learner.

8. Facilitating the learning journey (2.18 mins)

In this video we hear from Anne Hill, a senior SHRS academic, and Teresa Quinlan, an SHRS clinic manager, as they share their experience with clinical educators on how to facilitate learning with students on placement, supporting students to optimise the opportunities available. Anne and Teresa identify setting a safe environment, along with clear expectations and meaningful feedback, as key areas of focus.

9. The value of asking questions (2.09 mins)

In this video, Wendy Hood, a Clinical Education Liaison Manager, discusses the value of using a range of questioning techniques to support learning and understanding on placement. Wendy highlights how question types can vary as the placement progresses to promote learner development.

10. Supporting clinical reasoning and decision-making (5.66 mins)

In this video we hear from Jodie Copley, a senior academic in SHRS. Jodie shares her knowledge of how to support a learner to navigate the many facets of clinical decision making while managing a client. Jodie highlights the difference between the approaches of experienced clinicians and novice clinicians in this skill and offers tips and tools to enhance learner development.

11. Top tips for giving feedback (5.31 mins)

In this video, Jodie Booth and Ruth Dunwoodie, Clinical Education Liaison Managers, provide their tips for giving feedback to students on placement.

12. Giving difficult feedback (3.02 mins)

Sometimes it can be a challenge to provide feedback that may be sensitive or difficult to hear. In this video, Ruth Dunwoodie and Jodie Booth, Clinical Education Liaison Managers, discuss the importance of communicating feedback to students even if it feels uncomfortable to do so, and how this can enable reflection and promote future development for students.

13. Managing a difficult conversation (1.43 mins)

Following on from the earlier video about giving difficult feedback, Ruth Dunwoodie shares with us some key considerations in preparing and engaging in a difficult conversation with a student.

14. Managing a learning challenge (4.23 mins)

At times, learning challenges can be experienced by individual students. Progress for the student relies on targeted facilitation and support from the CE. In this video, Ruth Dunwoodie and Daniella Cain, Clinical Education Liaison Managers, discuss the importance of identifying the specific challenge from a range of possibilities, the importance of learner readiness to engage and how to help the learner move forward.

15. Supporting students with different needs (3.23 mins)

Having diversity among student cohorts enriches the learning experience for all. This implies individuality among students and the need to consider a range of support options that might assist students on placement. In this video we hear from Tania Kapp and Sara Nest who are diversity disability and inclusion advisors within UQ student support services. Tania and Sara share the most common concerns raised by students who may have some health and wellbeing needs and who are undertaking clinical placements. Tania and Sara offer some suggestions of how clinical educators can support these concerns.

16. Supporting students with anxiety (3.53 mins)

In this video we hear from Jodie Booth and Michael Donovan, Clinical Education Liaison Managers, as they guide clinical educators in supporting students who experience anxiety on placement. Michael and Jodie highlight the university student support services available and the importance of clinical educators being supportive while remaining within the scope of the role. Michael and Jodie suggest some things to consider when working with students who may require some support.

17. Supporting students with cultural and linguistic diversity (3.45 mins)

In this video, Anne Pearson, an SHRS clinical educator, provides guidance for clinical educators in supporting students from a culturally and linguistically diverse background. Anne provides us with understanding and tips to enable students to develop their skills while managing the challenges of learning in a different language or culture.

18. Supporting the development of employability skills (1.55 mins)

In this video, Anne Hill, a senior SHRS academic, provides some tips on how to develop employability skills in addition to profession specific clinical skills for students on a clinical placement. These employability skills will support students’ transition to working as a health professional following their graduation.

19. Working with more than one student (2.45 mins)

In this video, Lucy Hunter, a Clinical Education Liaison Manager, provides us with guidance on managing the learning experience when hosting more than one student at a time. Lucy shares some tips to help plan the experience, consider the roles and relationship expectations when students work and learn together, and how to support both team and individual development.

20. Facilitating learners in interprofessional teams (2.19 mins)

In this video, Anne Hill, an SHRS senior academic and Teresa Quinlan, an SHRS clinic manager, discuss the importance of facilitating interprofessional learning for students working in teams that will benefit the client experience and outcomes.

21. When should you contact the university? (3.24 mins)

In this video, Jodie Booth and Michael Donovan, Clinical Education Liaison Managers, outline the key times to contact the university clinical education representative during a placement such that the placement learning experience, the clinical educator and the students can be supported with the appropriate resources and expectations.