Unit 5 Guidance tools and strategiesUnit 5.1 Tools to enhance supervision

Basic Principles of Supervision

Summary table of strategies and guiding toolsTools

& strategies DescriptionContext of use

(knowledge objectives for the trainee or supervisor)

1. Supervisor’snotebook

Document in which key information is logged:• Supervision meetings with the trainee (clin-

ical situations discussed, dates and duration of each meeting, conclusions and planned follow-up, etc.).

• Learning activities performed by the trainee(e.g. observations, summary of comments onperformance during intervention, strengthsand areas for improvement, etc.).

• Coaching provided in the learning of profes-sional practice and the development of profes-sional skills

• Assessment of the placement progression• Assessment of progress• Feedback, assessment and follow-up processes• Preparation for assessment of learnings

(check-list with respect to conclusions, courses of action suggested)

(Knowledge, procedural and people skills)2. Learningcontract

Placement handbook or contract, written in cooperation with the trainee, identifying factors related to placement objectives and to the supervision process (Boutet & Rousseau, 2002). Various information can be included, such as the placement objectives, the course of the training, the feedback and assessment processes.

• Coaching to be provided for the knowledge tobe acquired

• Trainee’s commitment to his learnings• Choice of teaching strategies to use• Actuate the assessment process

(Knowledge)3. Case study Analysis of a concrete or experienced clinical

situation in order to foster reflective practice and improve the ability to reflect and resolve problems (Boutin & Camaraire, 2001).

• Coaching the trainee in his learning of prob-lem-solving (judgement, analysis, summary,decision) (Boutin et al., 2001)

• Development of reflective thinking• Development of clinical reasoning

(Knowledge, people skills)4. Role play Activity in which the trainee plays a role in a

“hypothetical” situation in order to feel what his character could feel in a similar situation (Chamberland, Lavoie & Marquis, 2003).

Need to:• Understand what motivates his character’s

behavior and reactions (Chamberland, Lavoie et Marquis, 2003)

• Tame the unknown• Become familiar with taboo or sensitive topics• Develop a specific skill

(Knowledge, people skills)

Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS) – Volet Université d’Ottawa. © 2017

Unit 5 Guidance tools and strategiesUnit 5.1 Tools to enhance supervision

Basic Principles of Supervision

Tools & strategies Description

Context of use (knowledge objectives for the trainee

or supervisor)5. Observationgrid for supervisors (tool)

Grid listing the behaviors to look for when the trainee is performing a clinical interven-tion.

• Feedback and assessment processes (observa-tion during performance)

• Confirmation of acquisition of specific proce-dural skills

• Assessment of trainee autonomy• Coaching for interventions to be performed

(Procedural skills, people skills)6. Observationgrid of clinical reasoning (tool)

Grid listing the clinical reasoning skills to look for while observing the trainee perform a clini-cal intervention.

• Feedback and assessment processes regardinglearnings

• Need to develop clinical reasoning

(Procedural skills)7. Observationgrid of clinical documentation (tool)

Array of information to be documented in client’s clinical record, and list of specific char-acteristics, guidelines and regulations related to clinical charting.

• Learning charting according to guidelines andregulations

• Feedback and assessment processes regardinglearnings

(Knowledge, procedural skills)8. Logbook Work tool or support document for the trainee,

in which he documents the experiences he had during his placement, his thoughts on the top-ic, and any critical incident or significant event he encountered during his placement (Boutin & Camaraire, 2001).

• Development of reflective thinking (step backfrom the events, and analysis of the situation,attitudes)

• Reflection on learnings, strengths and diffi-culties (e.g. documenting the facts, acquiredknowledge and progress)

• Reflection on clinical situations experienced

(Knowledge, people skills)9. ABCDEobjectives (tool)

Model used for writing learning objectives. • At the beginning of the placement, when writ-ing the learning agreement

• During placement, to clarify objectives to bereached

(Knowledge)

Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS) – Volet Université d’Ottawa. © 2017

Unit 5 Guidance tools and strategiesUnit 5.1 Tools to enhance supervision

Basic Principles of Supervision

Tools & strategies Description

Context of use (knowledge objectives for the trainee

or supervisor)10. SMARTobjectives (Tool)

Method to write learning objectives. • At the beginning of the placement, when writ-ing the learning contract

• During placement, to clarify objectives to bereached

(Knowledge)11. Taxonomy ofverbs (tools)

List of action verbs classified according to learning areas: cognitive, emotional and psy-chomotor.

• At the beginning of the placement, to helpwriting and assessing learning objectives

• Clarification of actions to take in order toreach objectives set

(Knowledge)12. Verbatim Word-by-word transcript of the trainee’s verbal

exchange with a client or with another person, as related to the placement (Office québécois de la langue française, 2001). The verbatim can also include other persons’ silences, emo-tions, intonations, and non-verbal communi-cation.

• Whenever the trainee does not spontaneouslydistance himself (stepping back) and objectiv-ization is required in a clinical situation

• Need to perform a more comprehensive analysis of a given situation (reflective practice)

(Procedural skills, people skills)13. Videoscopy Video recording of trainee performing a clini-

cal intervention. • Self-assessment of the trainee’s skills and be-

haviors in a clinical setting• Development of reflective practice

(Procedural skills, people skills)14. Visualization(mental imagery)

Self-management technique consisting in imagining and mentally manipulating images representing a desirable situation (Kottley & Chen, 2008). Relaxation techniques can also be taught.

• Trainee needs to mentally prepare before per-forming an action

• Need to reduce stress associated to the inter-vention to be performed or assessed

(People skills)

Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS) – Volet Université d’Ottawa. © 2017