Profile of an Allied Health Clinical Supervision Workforce: Results From a Nationally Representative Australian Practice-Based Research Network

Authors

Brett Vaughan, Department of Medical Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, School of Health & Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia
Michael Fleischmann, College of Health & Biomedicine, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
Kylie Fitzgerald, School of Health & Biomedical Sciences, Melbourne, Australia
Sandra Grace, School of Health & Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia
Patrick McLaughlin, College of Health & Biomedicine, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
Brian Jolly, Medical Education Unit, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
Steve Trumble, Department of Medical Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

Introduction: Supervision of clinical learners by appropriately qualified and experienced health professionals is paramount to development of the health workforce. There is extensive literature on the qualities and attributes of effective clinical supervisors however we know little about the clinical practice characteristics of our supervison workforces. Our work explores these charateristics in an Australian allied health supervision context. Methods: Australian osteopaths participating in the professions’ practice-based research network were invited to complete a 27-item practice questionnaire. Participants were asked to indicate if they had participated in clinical supervision in the 12 months prior to data collection. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were calculated to identity characteristics associated with involvement in clinical supervision. Results: 15.1% of respondents indicated being involved in clinical supervision. These practitioners were more likely to be female, involved in university teaching, volunteering as an osteopath, and possess an additional qualification beyond their primary pre-professional degree, compared to their non-supervising counterparts. Conclusions: Our work highlights a number of characteristics associated with involvement in clinical supervision. Further research is required to explore why females were more likely to participate in clinical supervision, and potentially explore the motivations for volunteering and its association with clinical supervision. © 2020 King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences

Recommended Citation

Vaughan, Brett; Fleischmann, Michael; Fitzgerald, Kylie; Grace, Sandra; McLaughlin, Patrick; Jolly, Brian; and Trumble, Steve (2020) "Profile of an Allied Health Clinical Supervision Workforce: Results From a Nationally Representative Australian Practice-Based Research Network," Health Professions Education: Vol. 6: Iss. 3, Article 5.
DOI: 10.1016/j.hpe.2020.04.008
Available at: https://hpe.researchcommons.org/journal/vol6/iss3/5