Experiences of clinical supervisors regarding the clinical training of radiography students in Zambia
Keywords:
experience, qualitative research, radiographerAbstract
Introduction. Clinical supervisors play a vital role in the training of radiography students. There is a lack of published research that investigates the experiences of clinical supervisors in the facilitation of practice-based learning for radiography students.
Objective. This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of clinical supervisors regarding the clinical training of radiography students in Zambia.
Methods. A qualitative research design, with a phenomenological approach, was used. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of ten clinical supervisors of radiography students working in the Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces of Zambia. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.
Results. Clinical training of radiography students impacts positively or negatively on clinical supervisors. Experiences, such as the availability of X-ray equipment and teaching aids, positive attitude of students towards learning, positive clinical supervisor characteristics, and knowledge and experience in radiography, positively influenced clinical supervisors in the facilitation of students’ learning. On the other hand, insufficient clinical education knowledge, inadequate supply of resources, out-dated X-ray equipment, shortage of clinical supervisors, over-enrolment of students and a lack of support from stakeholders, negatively affected clinical supervisors in the facilitation of students’ learning.
Conclusions. The findings shed light on the experiences of clinical supervisors regarding the clinical training of radiography students. There is a need to support clinical supervisors in enhancing their experiences. It is recommended that a clinical supervision course be developed and that continuing professional development (CPD) on clinical education be provided. In addition, incentives should be implemented for clinical supervisors. There is also a need to increase imaging consumables and staffing levels in teaching hospitals.
Lay abstract
Clinical supervisors at two teaching hospitals in Zambia were asked about their experiences in teaching radiography students to take X-rays. They identified both positive and negative experiences when teaching radiography students during clinical training.
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