Speech-language pathology clinical educators’ perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of telesupervision: a qualitative analysis

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study, conducted during the 1st year of the COVID-19 pandemic, analyzed speech-language pathology (SLP) clinical educators’ perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of using telesupervision to achieve clinical effectiveness during a telepractice visit. Findings suggest that the context of telesupervision was perceived to impact clinical education, both by enhancing increased supervised practice opportunities but also restricting it to specific populations and service types. The supervisory relationship was perceived to be enhanced by telesupervision in the simplicity of meeting with students while also being reduced due to a loss of interpersonal connection between supervisor and student. The impact of telesupervision on the clinical learning environment, clinical education, and supervisory relationship was reported more frequently than the impact of technology on telesupervision. Telesupervision has both merits and challenges that must be considered when developing professional development content.

KEYWORDS:

• Telesupervision
• e-supervision
• speech-language pathology
• supervision
• telehealth
• telepractice
• feedback
• COVID-19

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rachel Pittmann

Rachel Pittmann MS CCC-SLP, MS HPEd, is an Assistant Professor in Communication Sciences & Disorders, Assistant Dean in the Center for Interprofessional Education & Practice and a PhD candidate in Health Professions Education at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Anne Thompson

Anne Thompson is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Master of Health Professions Education (MS-HPEd) and PhD in Health Professions Education Programs in the School of Healthcare Leadership at MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Claudia Rosu

Claudia Rosu is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Health Professions Education programs at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. Her research interests are in studying the quality of health care delivery, particularly the medical students’ preparedness and the medical care for minority populations. Her methodological interests involve the application of advanced research methods to the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.