3.11.2003Peer Tutoring1

Peer tutoring as a means of enhancing nursing students’ professional development

K. H. Yuen & A. TiwariThe University of Hong Kong

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Preregistration Preparation of Nursing Students From hospital-based training to

university degree education competent practitioners who are:

professionalcritical thinkersreflectiveself-reliantpatient-oriented

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Or, are they?

University-prepared nurses oriented towardspreservationreplication of past practice

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Through peer tutoring...

Students learn with and from each other

Gain better insight into professional values of nursing

Develop professional role conception

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Objectives

1. Facilitate better understanding of professional nursing roles

2. Acclimatise students to the demands of the profession

3. Enhance confidence and skills in dealing with role conflict

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The peer tutoring project

Phase 1A pilot schemeDecember 2002 - July 2003

Phase 2A revised peer tutoring schemeAugust 2003 - June 2004

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Student Tutors

Phase 110second-year nursing students

Phase 220second- and third-year nursing

students

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Tutees Phase 1

10First-year nursing students

Phase 220First-year students

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Phase 1

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Selection

Voluntary Self select Involvement of the Student

Union One tutor to one tutee Pairing decided by project

coordinator

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Publicising the Project...

Nursing students Head of Department Programme coordinator Year coordinator

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Briefing

During the first workshop For both student tutors and

tutees

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Training workshop

ThreeInitial, mid-way, final

PurposeExplanation about the schemeTraining of tutoring skillsFeedback from tutors and tutees

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Implementation

Student tutors - tuteesFace to face tutorialsElectronic contact

Student tutors - scheme coordinatorsUse of discussion forumMonthly workshop

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Monitoring

Weekly reportsDiscussion forumMonthly workshop

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Rewards

Certificates for student tutors and tutees

Book tokens for student tutors Social function

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Evaluation

Focus group interviewBefore and after peer tutoringStudent tutors, tutees and

comparison groups Summative evaluation

Questionnaire Monthly report External assessor’s report

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Measurements Changes:

Understanding of nurses’ rolesAcclimatisation to the demands of the

professionConfidence and skills in dealing with

role conflict Comparison:

Change over timeComparison groups

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Understanding of nurses’ roles

Tutees:No obvious changes between pre-

and post-intervention Student tutors:

Obvious changesA more ‘professional’ understanding

Comparison groups:No obvious changes

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Acclimatisation

Tutees:No obvious changes

Student tutors:No obvious changes

Comparison groups:No obvious changes

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Role conflict

Tutees:No obvious changes between

pre- and post-intervention Student tutors:

Obvious changesMore confident

Comparison groups:No obvious changes

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Unexpected findings

Apparent enhanced professional development among student tutors

No obvious enhancement among tutees

Student tutors supporting tutees during the SARS outbreak

Student tutors reacted to SARS with increased confidence

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Summative evaluation

Student tutors:Positive evaluation of peer tutoring

schemeImprovement in patience,

communicationLearn from tuteesNot enough communication among

student tutors Discussion forum not user-friendly

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Summative evaluation

Tutees:Positive evaluation of peer

tutoring schemeSupport from student tutors

valuedMore structured meeting

arrangement with their tutorsMore informal workshops

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Improvements Suggested To improve communication among

student tutors Less often and more flexible form of

reporting If IT is to be used, it should be more

user-friendly To have less formal and more

interactive workshops

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Phase 2

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Improvement (1) Clear and specified content

1. The concept of profession- What is a profession- Characteristics of a profession

2. Professional socialisation- A novice nurse’s perception of a nurse

and nursing- The norms and values of the nursing

profession- The process of professional socialisation

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Improvement (1) Clear and specified content

3. Nursing identity- The giving up of societal and media stereotypes about

being a nurse or nursing- The adoption of the values and norms of professional

nursing

4. Role conflict- Causes of role conflict- Literature on the professional socialisation of nursing

students- Transition from the role of a student nurse (newcomer)

to that of a professional nurse (insider)

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Improvement (2) Re-defined outcome measures

For tutors- Internalisation of the norms and

values of nursing- Development of a nursing identity- Confidence in handling role conflict- Teaching/tutoring skills- ‘All round’ skills in teamwork,

communication and leadership

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Improvement (2)

Re-defined outcome measuresFor tutee- Understanding of the norms and

values of nursing- Insight into nursing identity- Knowledge and skills for handling

role conflict- Interest in learning

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Improvement (3)

Less formal workshopsFor student tutors onlySharing of ideas and experienceTutoring skills provided in CD-

ROM

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Improvement (4)

More structured tutor-tutee meetingsMeeting schedule & learning

agreement• Date• Topic• Mode of contact• Duration• Venue

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Improvement (5)

More communication among student tutorsWorkshops for student tutorsBBQ at the beginning and end of

phase 2

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Improvement (6)

More user-friendly discussion forumPassword of student’s choice

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Improvement (7)

Reporting less often and more user-friendlyMonthly reportElectronicRefine some of the items

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Improvement (8)

Formative & summative evaluationCompare changes over timeRefine some of the items

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Improvement (9)

Refine the questions used in focus group interviewTo reflect the objectives and

outcome measures

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Improvement (10)

Production of a course manualDetails of the project clearly

describedWith summary of activitiesAnd action plan

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Conclusion1. Peer tutoring seemed to have enhanced nursing

students’ professional development (student tutors, end of phase 1)

2. The design of the project should be both structured and informal

3. Outcome measures should reflect learning objectives

4. Clear outline of learning content is required5. A course manual is essential6. Both student tutors and tutees were capable of

functioning independently and creatively

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