Professional Experience Placement

This seminal work about legitimate peripheral participation  by Spouse (1998) promoted the importance of professional development within the clinical environment that was discussed last week by Felstead (2013).  Spouse (1998) conducted a longitudinal study of seven nurses through their undergraduate course. She collected documentary evidence, interviewed and observed their interactions. The rationale for the study was mentorship by a registered clinician provides support and guidance for students, assists with integration of theory and practice and contributes to their professional understanding.

Spouse (1998) discusses how the change to higher education has impacted on the exposure and experience students have to role models and constant mentorship that was available through the apprentice model. The need for more complex understanding about nursing effectively required the shift to the tertiary sector. She emphasised the need for professional development and learning needs continuing effective mentorship. Legitimate peripheral participation originally described by Lave (19xx), in this article, is a complex of behaviour that enables new workers to enter the work place of more established staff; engage in increasingly complex activities; while developing as a member of the community. Spouse (1998) discusses the value of mentoring of students to provide access to legitimate peripheral participation and also the value, support and guidance provided by a community of practice. This mentorship enables new-comers to be exposed to the culture, activities, knowledge, behaviour, skills and attitudes embodies professionalism and thinking like a nurse.

It is 15 years since this paper was written and it encompasses much of what can now be segmented into a complex set of attributes of providing a learning environment for students. Belongingness, being welcoming and part of a team, or guiding from the side are behaviours have been described in previous blogs that form part of creating a learning environment. Interestingly this paper also discusses the value of being part of a community of practice that has the capacity to embody identity and understanding about the symbolic relationships that assist with developing identity and shaping professionalism.

On a broader note the community of practice being promoted for clinical supervisors at UTAS has the capacity over time to provide support and guidance for new comers, similar to discussed in this paper. There is legitimacy in the peripheral participation of being a lurker of this blog or the Twitter community @PEPCommunity. The legitimate peripheral participation is synonymous with being a new arrival in a health care setting. There is a need to observe and learn prior to embarking on active participation. Students are expected to be prepared to embrace their new environment and create learning opportunities. I urge you to join the community of practice and share your nursing thinking with others in this community of clinical supervisors.

If you have any comments about legitimate peripheral participation or being part of a community of practice for clinical supervisors you are welcome to post them here.