Situational Supervision for Athletic Training Clinical Education

Abstract

Introduction: The medical education model provides the basis for athletic training students to learn theoretical and practical skills. Clinical rotations are completed where they apply what they have learned under the direct supervision of a clinical instructor (CI) or approved clinical instructor (ACI). Approved clinical instructors are taught how to evaluate athletic training students' clinical skills and proficiencies, yet are left to decide for themselves how students should be supervised. No formal supervision training is required for potential CIs/ACIs. Situational Supervision is one potential model that can be used by athletic training educators to provide guidance to CIs/ACIs regarding student supervision. This model provides a method for students to be supervised according to their knowledge base, experience and self-confidence. Objective: To present the Situational Supervision Model that can be used to develop athletic training students' clinical skills. Background: Based on Blanchard and Hersey's Situational Leadership, Situational Supervision provides CIs/ACIs with one supervision model that can be used in athletic training clinical education. Description: As students become more comfortable with clinical skills and mature in motivation and competence, CIs/ACIs need to adapt supervision styles to match the students' progressing development. Clinical Advantages: Using situational supervision, clinical instruction becomes a cooperative interaction between CIs/ACIs and athletic training students that is dependent on the students' needs and abilities, which may result in higher satisfaction and production for both the students and the CIs/ACIs.

Athletic Training Student Communication: What They Need to Talk About

“…True autonomy and supervised autonomy are 2 different strategies, with the former being haphazard/ dangerous and the latter being more structured. Levy et al 42 described situational supervision as a model in which preceptors adapt their supervision of students' progression. Students should be given more autonomy as they progress but still be supervised.…”

Programmatic Factors Associated with Undergraduate Athletic Training Student Retention and Attrition Decisions

“…4 Also, clinical education experiences should allow students to apply their skills with appropriate autonomy, leading to improved knowledge and confidence. 55 The final factor accounted for the resources, both personnel and financial, available to the program to successfully graduate students. Not surprisingly, PDs who reported higher levels of satisfaction with the resources available to them also reported higher retention rates.…”

Factors Influencing Athletic Training Students' Perceptions of the Athletic Training Profession and Career Choice

“…Furthermore, as suggested in recent research about supervising athletic training students, preceptors should use ''situational supervision'' that acknowledges and accounts for students' needs and abilities. 20 This model would allow for increased independence and autonomy because the type of supervision would be adapted to the specific needs of each student as he or she progresses through the programs. The researchers suggest that this model may also lead to increased levels of satisfaction for both the preceptor and athletic training student, which could further support socialization in the field.…”