The learning experiences of health and social care paraprofessionals on a foundation degree

Kubiak, Chris; Rogers, Anita; Turner, Annie

doi:10.1080/02601371003700725

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, the central role of government in funding of higher education and healthcare in the UK brings particular challenges which result in frequent policy changes in response to both internal political agendas and external market forces. Within healthcare, Fds have been welcomed as an appropriate work-based qualification for the training and education of AP or 'paraprofessional' staff who work under the direction of registered professionals (Kubiak, Rogers, and Turner 2010). In this respect these qualifications have opened up opportunities for lower paid employees in both the public and private sector to access occupationally relevant higher education whilst still in paid employment.…”

Section: Background and Policy Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of the practice trainer as an agent of co-configuration

Reid

2015

Studies in Continuing Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Professional and vocational learning requires the sharing of expertise across physical, social and cultural boundaries in developing and delivering programmes of study. Contemporary understandings of workplace learning emphasise the criticality of contextualised learning which considers how learners and workplace environments are reciprocally shaped. This paper draws on the findings of a case study which utilised the tools of activity theory to develop insights into the complexities of bridging educational institutions and the workplace in support of learners in order to build capacity in healthcare. The case study centres on development of a new assistant professional (AP) role, underpinned by a two-year foundation degree qualification. During the programme learners are supported by a 'practice trainer' who has a dedicated role in supporting learning across academic and workplace environments. The study explores the role of practice trainers in promoting expansive learning which creates new solutions to meet emerging demands. It is set within an interpretivist research paradigm with data gathered through semi-structured interviews and a focus group with key members of the partnership. The findings reveal the centrality of practice trainers in aligning the educational programme to the needs of the emerging AP role. A similar, dedicated role is recommended in other professional and vocational programmes to foster conditions which enable a more contextualised learning experience.

show abstract

Section: Background and Policy Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of the practice trainer as an agent of co-configuration

Reid

2015

Studies in Continuing Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The experience of students undertaking a Foundation degree in order to become a paraprofessional, assistant or associate professional while adjusting to becoming a work-based learner is challenging. A small-scale study by Kubiak et al (2010) into workplace learners undertaking a Fd in health and social care depicted a learning experience influenced by the quality of workplace conditions and work relationships that required students to manage their time, the demands of home and work and to motivate themselves in order to cope. Student experience amongst teaching assistants in the education sector is similar.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student Satisfaction with Work-based Learning: Evaluation of a Foundation Degree Health & Social Care Programme

Wareing

Chadwick

Baggs

2014

International Journal of Practice-based Learning in Health and

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper presents findings from an evaluation of student satisfaction with work-based learning as experienced by 57 Foundation degree (Fd) Health & Social Care students. The study participants were all employed by the National Health Service (NHS) in a range of clinical settings in the English Midlands. Three cohorts of students completed a questionnaire which sought to uncover the individual circumstances, behaviour, attitudes and beliefs of work-based learners. Students undertaking the acute care, long-term conditions, children and mental health study pathways were supported by a workplace mentor and assessor, while students studying the diagnostic radiography, radiotherapy and mammography pathways had their work-based learning supported by a clinical learning facilitator (CLF). Most of the participants were undertaking the Fd to make the transition from radiography helper or healthcare assistant (HCA) to assistant practitioner (AP). The findings distinguish the individual circumstances of students in the context of their study pathways and on the basis of their contracted hours and the role that they hoped to fill on completion of the programme. Student behaviour was characterised by the regularity with which students worked with their mentors, assessors or CLFs and their engagement in a range of work-based learning activities including practice-based assessments, knowledge and skills acquisition and, with particular regard to radiography students, the learning of new procedures. Although the level of student satisfaction with work-based learning was high, several participants perceived that their colleagues seemed reluctant to recognise them as students in their own right and lacked an awareness of the role of the AP. Participants believed that their confidence had increased and that they were playing a greater role in their clinical teams as a result of gaining knowledge and skills that had helped them to engage in new ways of working.

show abstract

“…Unlike the Early Career Changers , however, the False Starters did not necessarily have a long-term interest in the HCSA industry, nor were they particularly focused on developing their professional knowledge and skills. The Late Starters, the third distinctive trajectory type in this study, are similar to students described in Kubiak et al's (2010) study, who had "choppy career histories" characterised by "…a pattern of taking whatever work they could to get by, some moving from job to job with no clear pathway or direction and others trying different roles on for size". As with Kubiak et al's (2010) participants, the Late Starters' interests in the HCSA industry was also piqued later in their career trajectories.…”

Section: Patterns Are Evident In Ecps' Career Trajectoriesmentioning

confidence: 53%

“…Few other studies have been conducted which consider the career types of ECPs, much less those employed in the HCSA industry. Although no studies identify precisely the trajectory types highlighted in the current project, research most relevant here concerns graduate dental students , students enrolled in a health and social care paraprofessional foundation degree (Kubiak, Rogers & Turner 2010) and newly qualified pharmacists (Gregory & Austin 2014). Comparative appraisal of the literature and this study reveals both similarities and differences.…”

Section: Patterns Are Evident In Ecps' Career Trajectoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, Newton et al's (2011) Established Career Changers are generally older and had had long established careers in the HCSA industry before commencing dentistry studies. Furthermore, Kubiak et al (2010, online) highlight a group of students' with "fragmented employment patterns, underpinned by consistent threads of a vocation devoted to working with people". Inconsistency is evident in Newton et al's (2011) Established Career Changers, who spoke of missing their previous work and of being motivated to gain qualifications because of the potential employment options, yet such issues were not mentioned by the Stayers in this study.…”

Section: Patterns Are Evident In Ecps' Career Trajectoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Valuing complex and diverse career pathways: the career trajectories and career-related choices of early career practitioners

Turner¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Historically, career was understood to be a static, linear concept concerned primarily with paid employment. More recently, broader conceptualisations of career have extended its meaning to incorporate all aspects and roles of an individual's life and to acknowledge its inherently complex, individual, dynamic and contextual nature. Change, now recognised as a key characteristic of career, underpins choice-making processes, which are influenced by a range of factors, including broad contextual issues like labour market trends, in addition to more personal concerns such as family circumstances. This thesis explored the career trajectories of early career professionals (ECPs) employed in the Health Care and Social Assistance (HCSA) industry. Specifically, the aims of the study were to investigate how ECPs describe their career trajectories and account for their careerrelated choices, to identify important attractors and deterrents in relation to career-related choices, and to explore the relevance and usefulness of chaos theory to this topic.In particular, the author sought to understand how the career trajectories of ECPs develop in the context of complex systems including the family, organisations and the broader society. The conceptual approach chosen for its potential to capture this complexity was chaos theory. Three principles of chaos theory were explored. First, chaotic systems change with time and are characterised by randomness and variation. Second, they are sensitive to initial conditions. Finally, their functioning and level of change is affected by several types of attractors.The context of this study was Queensland's non-government mental health sector (NGMHS).Challenges currently facing the broader mental health sector include inadequate responses to consumer needs, difficulties in recruiting and retaining skilled mental health professionals, an ageing workforce, and increasing reliance on non-government organisations (NGOs). Early career professionals employed within Queensland's NGMHS were chosen as the subjects of this study for their documented characteristics, which include high career mobility, variable work readiness, overand under-qualifications, and disparities between their expectations and the realities of employment.Their potential to both exacerbate and to counter challenges faced by Queensland's NGMHS made focusing on these ECPs compelling. Recent calls for Australia to enhance its long-term economic sustainability in the global context by concentrating more on developing the service economy, rather than the commodities sector, provided added impetus for this study.A qualitative, exploratory methodology was adopted. The research design involved a two-phase study consisting of concept maps and individual autobiographical interviews. Participants comprised 25Page 2 of 309 ECPs who had completed university studies in the five years prior to 2012 and who were employed in Queensland's NGMHS. Data were analysed thematically, using both inductive and deductive approaches.Early career ...

show abstract

The learning experiences of health and social care paraprofessionals on a foundation degree

Cited by 6 publications

References 33 publications

The role of the practice trainer as an agent of co-configuration

The role of the practice trainer as an agent of co-configuration

Student Satisfaction with Work-based Learning: Evaluation of a Foundation Degree Health & Social Care Programme

Valuing complex and diverse career pathways: the career trajectories and career-related choices of early career practitioners

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About