June 7, 2023
New Research: A Primer for Understanding and Utilizing Telesupervision with Healthcare Trainees
Take a look at this Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science (JTiBS) article examining telesupervision practices within healthcare published by Perle and Zheng (2023).
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has led many professions to reflect on the appropriate use of technology within supervision and training. This article highlights special considerations for supervisory practices around technology within healthcare. Authors define telesupervision as “supervision of a trainee from a distance through the use of technology”.
Targets of Supervision
The article highlights specific skills that may be targeted within supervision in a healthcare setting.
- Trainee’s clinical skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Documentation skills
- Ethical/legal adherence
- Telehealth-specific skills
Methods of Telesupervision
The article also highlights a variety of options for providing supervision services using technology.
- Live-Monitoring Only: Supervisor observes in real-time without intervening in patient care.
- Live-Monitoring with Intervening: Supervisor observes in real-time while supplementing information and assessment as needed.
- Live-Bug-in-the-Ear: Supervisor observes in real-time while providing audible feedback to trainee through a one-way receiver in the trainee’s ear.
- Live- Step Out: Supervisor observes in real-time and trainee will “step out” of the appointment to receive feedback before returning to the appointment with the patient.
- Scheduled- Case Review: Trainee shares information with supervisor in advance of feedback being received.
- Scheduled- Audio and/or Video Review: Trainee provides audio/video recordings of appointments that are reviewed by supervisor before feedback.
Benefits of Telesupervision
The article highlights various benefits of telesupervision in practice. Benefits of telesupervision include access to more specialized supervisors, promotion of equity and inclusion, greater breadth of knowledge from supervisors, reduced costs to trainee and supervisor due to reduced travel time, increased scheduling flexibility, and the potential to reduce perceived impacts of hierarchical…