Hostname: page-component-76dd75c94c-7vt9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-30T08:01:47.383Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Differences in radiation therapy staff and students’ perceptions of clinical teaching characteristics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2007

Cathryne Palmer  and
Natassia Naccarato
Cathryne Palmer*
Affiliation:
Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Natassia Naccarato
Affiliation:
Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario
*
Correspondence to: Cathryne Palmer, Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Rm 5-969, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2M9, Canada. Email: Cathryne.Palmer@rmp.uhn.on.ca
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background: The clinical practicum provides an opportunity for students to apply and integrate classroom theory and clinical practice and competence effectively. In a teaching hospital, it is the responsibility of all staff to participate in clinical teaching and every interaction with a student constitutes a learning experience. The clinical teaching characteristics that are important to students and facilitate learning are not clearly defined in radiation therapy practice.

Objective: To determine and compare the perceptions of the most and the least important clinical teaching characteristics as identified by radiation therapy staff and students.

Methods: A self-administered, online questionnaire was used. The questionnaire was developed using clinical teaching characteristics identified in the literature and from Knox and Mogan’s Nursing Clinical Teaching Effectiveness Inventory. Participants were asked to rate on a 4-point, Likert-type scale the importance of the teaching characteristics with 1 being ‘not at all important’ and 4 being ‘very important’. Of the 150 questionnaires distributed, 49 radiation therapists and 10 students responded to the survey, constituting a 39% response rate.

Results: There was generally a greater agreement between staff and students in terms of rating the least important teaching characteristics, being in the categories of interpersonal relationships and personality traits. Staff ranked characteristics in the category of Clinical Competence as most important, whereas the most important clinical teaching characteristics for students were dispersed amongst all categories.

Conclusion: Radiation therapy staff and students place great emphasis on the demonstration of clinical competence in the teaching–learning process; clinical teachers should be made aware of and develop these characteristics, which ultimately assist in the student’s success.

Keywords

Clinical educationclinical teachingteaching characteristics
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , June 2007 , pp. 93 - 102
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Gignac-Caille, A, Oermann, MH.Student and faculty perceptions of effective clinical instructors in ADN programs. J Nurs Educ 2001; 40:347–353.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ell, T.Effective supervisory behaviours and characteristics in field-based experiences. Can J Med Radiat Technol 2003;34:6–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laurent, T, Weidner, TG.Clinical instructors’ and student athletic trainers’ perceptions of helpful clinical instructor characteristics. J Athl Train 2001; 36:58–61.Google ScholarPubMed
Knox, JE, Mogan, J.Important clinical teacher behaviours as perceived by university nursing faculty, students, and graduates. J Adv Nurs 1985; 10:25–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, WS, Cholowski, K, Williams, AK.Nursing students’ and clinical educators’ perceptions of characteristics of effective clinical educators in an Australian university school of nursing. J Adv Nurs 2002; 39:412–420.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, MK.Perceptions of effective clinical teaching behaviours in a hospital-based nurse-training programme. [Electronic version]. J Adv Nurs Educ 1997; 26:1252–1262.Google Scholar
Mogan, J, Knox, JE.Characteristics of ‘best’ and ‘worst’ clinical teachers as perceived by university nursing faculty and students. J Adv Nurs 1987; 12:331–337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kotzabassaki, S, Panou, M, Dimou, F, Karabagli, A, Koutsopoulou, B, Ikonomou, U.Nursing students’ and faculty’s perceptions of the characteristics of ‘best’ and ‘worst’ clinical teachers: a replication study. [Electronic version]. J Adv Nurs 1997; 26:817–824.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Viverais-Dresler, G, Kutschke, M.RN students’ ratings and opinions related to the importance of certain clinical teacher behaviours. J Contin Educ Nurs 2001; 32:274–282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davies, E.Clinical role modelling: uncovering hidden knowledge. J Adv Nurs 1993; 18:627–636.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stark, P.Teaching and learning in the clinical setting: a qualitative study of the perceptions of students and teachers. [Electronic version]. Med Educ 2003; 37:975–983.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wright, SM, Carrese, JA.Excellence in role modelling: insight and perspectives from the pros. Can Med Assoc J 2002; 167:638–643.Google ScholarPubMed
Atack, L, Comacu, M, Kenny, R, LaBelle, N, Miller, D.Student and staff relationships in a clinical practice model: impact on learning. J Nurs Educ 2000; 39:387–392.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bell, J.Doing Your Research Project: A Guide for First-time Researchers in Education and Social Science. 3rd edition. UK: Open University Press, 1999.Google Scholar
Cohen, L, Manion, L, Morrison, K.Research Methods in Education. 5th edition. UK: RoutledgeFarmer, 2001.Google Scholar
Zimmerman, L, Westfall, J.The development and validation of a scale measuring effective clinical teaching behaviours. J Nurs Educ 1988; 27:274–277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benner, P.From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice. Commemorative edition. USA: Prentice-Hall Inc., 2001.Google Scholar