Practice Experience in Multi-Level and/or Complex Care
Practice Experience in Multi-Level and/or Complex Care
Suggested Learning Strategies
The following learning strategies can be applied in various contexts, depending on the clinical placement parameters and the instructor’s preferences.
Strategies that Focus on Caring
1. Gathering Information About a Client
Early in the clinical placement, ask students to gather information about a client for whom they are providing care. Potential sources of information include the client, family, friends, staff, the chart, and other client-specific documents. Ask students to describe what they learned about the client and how the information has influenced how they provide care to them (Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7).
2. Person-Centred Goals
Have the students write person-centred goals for the care of their client(s). This will help them become more focused on the client(s), ensuring their best care rather than placing their focus on other areas (e.g., their time schedule).
Strategies that Focus on Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving, and Decision-Making
1. Pre- and/or Post-Conference Sessions
Have students gather with the clinical instructor topics and issues to discuss related to their clinical placement.
Topics to support pre- or post-conference discussions or self-reflection journal writing are outlined below.
- Describe a situation when you provided person-centred care to one of your clients.
- Describe a situation where you applied a holistic approach to client care.
- Reflect on your cultural competence and whether you feel prepared to provide adequate care.
- Describe a communication challenge that you experienced this week and how you responded. Discuss an alternative approach you could have taken to effectively address the situation.
- Has there been a time during this placement that you felt out of your depth or overwhelmed? How did you manage it? What did you learn from it?
- Describe a communication challenge that you experienced with a staff member. How did you handle it?
- Describe how you organize your day and prioritize care.
- Describe a situation where your organization and time management went well.
- Describe how you are using resources (e.g., textbook, nurse, instructor) to inform your practice.
- Describe a situation where you used creativity when you did not have the supplies you required.
- Use Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle to analyze a situation that you encountered during clinical:
- Description: What happened?
- Feelings: What did you think and feel about it?
- Evaluation: What were the positive and negative aspects?
- Analysis: What sense can you make of it?
- Conclusion: What else could you have done?
- Action plan: What will you do next time?
Note: This activity refers to Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford Centre for Staff Development. Retrieved from https://stephenp.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/learning-by-doing-graham-gibbs.pdf
2. Communication Challenges
Ask students to iden