Professional Experience Placement

This article is the tenth in a series authored or co-authored by Fiona Lake about learning and teaching during work integrated learning or professional experience. The specific topics addressed in these articles apply to the learning and teaching by clinical or professional experience supervisors of emerging health professionals undertaking clinical or professional experience in a range of settings.

Giving feedback is an essential part of clinical supervision. It is necessary to identify strengths and areas for it improvement. Any feedback provided needs to encourage self-awareness and reflection so well provide indicators for future learning and practice. Feedback needs to be effective, it can be informal or formal. This article also mentions that learners state they do not receive enough feedback. This issue continues today although as previously discussed in earlier blogs it can be labelled to the leaner as feedback, so they realise the information is feedback.

Formal feedback is provided as part of an assessment or appraisal and occurs episodically. It may cover specific areas or outcomes. At UTAS the PEP portfolio booklet is used to document this formal assessment process. Informal assessment is generally provided more often and is related to activities undertaken. Lake (2005) indicates giving effective feedback requires adequate time; needs to have clear goals and outcomes; requires direct observation and the supervisor is required to have skills in giving both positive and negative feedback to the learner.  She suggests using positive critique, whereby the learner speaks first, emphasizes the positive and encourages self-reflection.

Best practice is outlined in this article and includes being timely; specific; constructive; and undertaken in an appropriate environment. The author also states allowing the learner to provide input and focus on the positive. Lake (2005) also mentions the impact of feedback. She emphasizes the need to develop a learning culture where feedback is used to enthuse, encourage and assists with meeting learning goals.

If you have any comments about giving feedback you are welcome to post them here or join me on Twitter @PEPCommunity.