Mentor TrainingMentor TrainingIn Collaboration withIn Collaboration with

Sheffield Hallam UniversitySheffield Hallam University Feb 2008

Aim of this sessionAim of this session

• The concept of mentoring and how it is applied in the The concept of mentoring and how it is applied in the radiotherapy setting with SHU students radiotherapy setting with SHU students

• Overview of the SHU clinical education programmes Overview of the SHU clinical education programmes

• Practical implementationPractical implementation– Mentor allocationMentor allocation– Mentor role Mentor role

• Feedback including report books/ formsFeedback including report books/ forms

• Mentors as Role ModelsMentors as Role Models

• Student MotivationStudent Motivation

What is Mentoring?

A sustained relationship between a mentor and a mentee offeringsupport, guidance and assistance

Mentoring is a joint venture

Successful mentoring means sharing responsibility for learning. Regardless of the facilities, the subject matter, the timing, and

all other variables

In practice?

• The practical implications of establishing a single mentoring relationship throughout the students training would be impossible. This would not allow for the student or mentor 'moving' around the department

• Students will therefore interact with numerous mentors throughout their training dependant on their placement and this will broaden their experiences of working with different individuals

What's in it for you?

• Challenge • Continual Professional Development • Sharing your knowledge and skills• Development of new skills• Job satisfaction• Benefits the patients• Improves moral• Influence the future workforce

Evidence of CPD Activity Evidence of CPD Activity Knowledge and Skills FrameworkKnowledge and Skills Framework• Core 1 – CommunicationCore 1 – Communication• Core 2 – Personal and People Development Core 2 – Personal and People Development

HPC standardsHPC standards• A registrant must maintain a continuous, up-to-date A registrant must maintain a continuous, up-to-date

record of their CPD activityrecord of their CPD activity• A registrant must identify that their CPD activities are a A registrant must identify that their CPD activities are a

mixture of learning activities relevant to current or future mixture of learning activities relevant to current or future practice practice

Practice Educator Status with the CoR • College of Radiographers now maintain a register of

recognised Practice Educators (support available via CPD Anywhere and Jo Doughty j.p.doughty@shu.ac.uk)

What have you let yourself in for?

• Essentially provides a ‘focus’ for placement Essentially provides a ‘focus’ for placement

• Negotiation of placement learning outcomesNegotiation of placement learning outcomes

• Monitors progress and developmentMonitors progress and development

• Communication with other team membersCommunication with other team members

• Mid-placement discussion and reviewMid-placement discussion and review

• End placement discussion and reviewEnd placement discussion and review

In your role as a student mentor it is important that you understand a little about the academic programme that is delivered with Sheffield

Hallam University and how this makes practical links to the clinical placement setting

Programmes of Study Programmes of Study

BSc (Hons) Radiotherapy & OncologyBSc (Hons) Radiotherapy & Oncology(3 years)(3 years)

PgD Radiotherapy & Oncology in PracticePgD Radiotherapy & Oncology in Practice(2 years – only available to graduates who have a (2 years – only available to graduates who have a

first degree in a science related subject)first degree in a science related subject)

Our aims and philosophyOur aims and philosophy• To facilitate progressive development of students’ abilities as a To facilitate progressive development of students’ abilities as a

reflective, proactive practitionerreflective, proactive practitioner

• To equip students to undertake clinical procedures required of To equip students to undertake clinical procedures required of them to the highest possible standardthem to the highest possible standard

• To provide essential integration of theoretical aspects and their To provide essential integration of theoretical aspects and their application to clinical practiceapplication to clinical practice

• To enable students to develop as integral members of the multi-To enable students to develop as integral members of the multi-disciplinary teamdisciplinary team

• To foster and develop an holistic approach to patient careTo foster and develop an holistic approach to patient care

• To provide the requisite foundation for CPDTo provide the requisite foundation for CPD

The student experience: rotas

• The student rotas are created to facilitate the achievement of clinical competency and therefore the clinical learning outcomes

• The rotas reflect the specific opportunities offered with individual departments

• Rotas are designed to maximise the students time on the treatment units/ simulator taking into account the overall training burden within the department

The student experience: assessmentThe student experience: assessment

• Clinical Assessment profilesClinical Assessment profiles

Monitoring development of increasingly demanding clinical Monitoring development of increasingly demanding clinical competencies and testing students’ understanding of competencies and testing students’ understanding of underpinning theory underpinning theory (Requires mentor input)(Requires mentor input)

• Written case reportsWritten case reports

Required for case discussion and portfolio. They encourage Required for case discussion and portfolio. They encourage the student to think in more depth about the technique and the student to think in more depth about the technique and overall management making the link between theory and overall management making the link between theory and practice practice (May require mentor input)(May require mentor input)

• Placement Report FormPlacement Report Form

Continuous, formative scheme to provide feedback on Continuous, formative scheme to provide feedback on individual progress and development individual progress and development (Requires mentor (Requires mentor input)input)

• Professional Practice Portfolio Professional Practice Portfolio Documenting range of Documenting range of experience and providing evidence of personal/ experience and providing evidence of personal/ professional development professional development (May require mentor input)(May require mentor input)

Practical Implementation?

The mentor role from start to finish of a placement

How do you allocate a mentor?How do you allocate a mentor?

• With first year students it may be easier to allocate With first year students it may be easier to allocate them a mentor as they will not know which staff to them a mentor as they will not know which staff to approach approach

• Once the student is familiar with the department Once the student is familiar with the department and staff they may be involved in the 'choice' of and staff they may be involved in the 'choice' of mentor?mentor?

• As a principle a students should have some input As a principle a students should have some input into mentor choice however this should be reflected into mentor choice however this should be reflected by guidance from the staff for example reflecting by guidance from the staff for example reflecting the additional burdens on individual staff members, the additional burdens on individual staff members, the possible rota changes or annual leave for the possible rota changes or annual leave for qualified staff qualified staff

Successful mentoring begins with setting a contract for learning around which the mentor

and the student are agreed

In practice?

This will involve an initial meeting and agreement on the learning objectives

Mentor role?

• Initially the student will need guidance on the appropriateness of the objectives that they have chosen for that specific placement

– Does the workload make progression with that objective achievable?

– Does the student need guidance on their current level of progression i.e. are the targets realistic?

In practice?

• The initial meeting should involve the review of previous learning objectives and the establishment of new targets

• This will serve as an opportunity to set boundaries and commitments

Things to discuss in the initial meeting?

• Agree learning objectives/ targets/ highlight any additional opportunities on the unit?

• Discuss working hours/ break arrangements etc.• Outline your additional responsibilities that might

impact on arrangements with the student?• Decide on dates for progress review or catch

ups?• With first year students you may introduce them

to the team and explain the different roles?

What if one of the students objectives is to complete a clinical assessment/ case discussion

or a student asks for advice about clinical assessments/ case discussions?

The student experience: Clinical assessments

Palliative Techniques

Superficial Apposition Techniques (includes superficial, orthovoltage and electrons dependant on departmental equipment)

Radical isocentric chest or pelvis techniques

Localisation of palliative techniques

Radical Breast Techniques

Radical head and neck techniques

Localisation of radical techniques to include profiles for:

• Chest or pelvis• Head and neck• Breast

New Patient Information to includes profiles for:• Pelvis• Breast• Head and Neck• Palliative

Additional profiles include:

Communication and interpersonal skills

Simple Treatment Calculations

Planned isocentric and electron (dose/plan/calculation) checking procedures (no case discussion)

These three profiles have no case discussion

Operational aspects

The case discussions should be viewed as a 'total' list

Students should complete these case discussions in which ever order is most appropriate to their level of experience and availability of practice learning examples

Students should be encouraged to complete case discussions in an appropriate and timely manner

Link tutors and PDF's will guide students to consider their academic learning/ clinical experience and workload when booking case discussions

Mentor guidance...

If in your role as a student mentor you have any concerns about the order that a student seeks to complete their case

discussions then please discuss it with your Link Tutor or PDF

Feedback: Always a gift?

For students to progress they need feedback on their performance. This is not just linked to under performance and areas for development but also

areas where students are developing sound skills or overcoming difficulties.

Practical aspects of this are the signing of competency profiles and writing the placement

report book.

Mentor Role in Feedback?

Clinical Assessment profiles

CLINICAL ASSESSMENT – YEAR 3

Techniques/Area of Practice: RADICAL HEAD AND NECK TECHNIQUES

Observed Demonstration InformedParticipation

CaseDiscussion

SupervisedPracticeShowingAutonomy

Adaptationand/orDissemination

Date andSignature ofAssessor

PassNB. Shaded box only to be signed following a team discussion

• Clear guidelines/criteria for each stage of achievement

• Integration and application of theoretical concepts to practice

• Integration with Placement Report and Professional Practice Portfolio

• If a student requests that aspects of competency profiles are signed and you do not feel they this is appropriate it is vital that the students has a clear explanation to aid their future progression

– Highlight areas of achievement initially– What improvement would need to be seen to achieve

levels of competency?– Give specific examples to highlight your view– Check that the student is clear what needs to be

addressed and how?

Completing the placement report Completing the placement report form?form?

• Beginning of placementBeginning of placement- Objectives are discussed with mentor- Objectives are discussed with mentor- Previous feedback is reviewed if necessary- Previous feedback is reviewed if necessary- Objectives are agreed- Objectives are agreed- All team members should be aware of students objectives- All team members should be aware of students objectives

• Mid-placementMid-placement- Placements of 4 weeks or longer require a mid-placement review- Placements of 4 weeks or longer require a mid-placement review- May also be appropriate for shorter placements- May also be appropriate for shorter placements- Feedback to link tutor/ PDF if necessary- Feedback to link tutor/ PDF if necessary

• End of placementEnd of placement- Student completes comments section first (honest reflection on - Student completes comments section first (honest reflection on

learning) learning) - Main feedback sections then completed by mentor (discussion - Main feedback sections then completed by mentor (discussion

with other staff) with other staff)- Written feedback discussed with student (provides basis for next - Written feedback discussed with student (provides basis for next placement) placement)

Feedback SummaryFeedback Summary• Ask the student to self assess firstAsk the student to self assess first• Give praise before criticismGive praise before criticism• Limit what you coverLimit what you cover• Concentrate on what can be changed Concentrate on what can be changed • Give the student time to think and respondGive the student time to think and respond• Be clear and specific not vagueBe clear and specific not vague• Give regular feedback and avoid delayGive regular feedback and avoid delay• Own the feedback that you give Own the feedback that you give • Give balanced constructive feedbackGive balanced constructive feedback• Think of the questions you are using – use questions Think of the questions you are using – use questions

initially rather than accusationsinitially rather than accusations• Offer support and challenge Offer support and challenge

Celebrate success

Give verbal recognition and with positive re-enforcement when students get closer and closer to achieving learning outcomes or overcoming areas of weakness

The Mentor as Role Model?

• You are always a role model!

• Your own view of the profession was probably developed as a result of observing and interacting with others. What impact are you having on students?

• Wright and Carrese (2002) developed a model of what is needed to be a role model:– Professional skills– Good behaviour– Ability to cope with difficult situations

Discussion point!Discussion point!

How can I help with a students How can I help with a students motivation? motivation?

What helps or hinders students learning?

Supporting StudentsSupporting Students

Factors aiding learningFactors aiding learning Factors hindering learningFactors hindering learning

Being made to feel part of the teamBeing made to feel part of the team Lack of encouragement from staff

Staff making time to work through problemsStaff making time to work through problems Reluctance to ask questions when staff are busy

Staff asking questions and challenging Staff asking questions and challenging studentsstudents

Feel intimidated when questioned in front of others

Giving opportunities to participate in a non-Giving opportunities to participate in a non-intimidating environment (patience)intimidating environment (patience)

Staff appearing frustrated when a student takes longer than they would (and sometimes ends up taking over from the student)

Discussing weaknesses before the end of a Discussing weaknesses before the end of a placement, thus giving time to correct themplacement, thus giving time to correct them

Being referred to as ‘the student’ rather than by name

Supporting students Supporting students

Factors aiding learningFactors aiding learning Factors hindering learningFactors hindering learning

Staff being approachable, enthusiastic, supportive and reinforcing

Radiographers doing things differently (without explanation as to why)

Staff aware of student’s ability Wrong expectations of student

Allowed time to reflect on clinical experience

Being laughed at when a mistake is made

Positive attitudes to education from all involved

Negative attitudes to education from any single party

Discussion and review of progress, action plans

No knowledge of direction of learning

QUESTIONS