Early career professional resilience: interdisciplinary

insights to support professional education

Mark Boylan, Education, Heidi Probst, Radiotherapy Pete Nelson, Social Work

Teacher Education, Radiation Therapy, Social Work

Teacher education - post graduate plus undergraduate, particularly in Primary, 2 or 3 placements, now schools direct, 120 days in school, school based 'mentor'Radiation therapy – undergraduate training, heavy clinical placement component, PG training is to develop advanced practice in qualified practitionersSocial Work – undergraduate and postgraduate qualifying training, Requirement for 200 days in placement for both usually over two placements which must include statutory social work experience

Q. Why research professional resilience? A. Professional need

– Teacher Education issues - high percentage of new teachers leave in the first five years, high levels of stress. Intense and intensifying performativity and accountability culture. Some research linking teacher well-being with student impacts.

– Radiation Therapy issues -there are issues of attrition on UG courses nationally with concerns about qualified practitioner retention at a time when cancer referrals are on the increase. In addition, research into the development of entrepreneurial skills identified a need for resilience in order to make changes in the NHS. Radiotherapy managers have identified resilience as a potential issue in their staff group manifest in increased numbers of days off sick.

– Social work issues- significant issues of professional retention particularly in children and families social work and child protection. There is evidence of early career drop out with an overall practice longevity of 8 years. SWs gain considerable satisfaction from their work but report higher levels of work-related stress than other professional groups with associated sickness absence.

Q. Why research professional resilience? A. Knowledge gap

Research literature

• Models of resilience - often from psychometric studies describe how different factors relate to each other e.g. coping, wellbeing, emotional intelligence, positive emotions

• Little qualitative research• Little research with multiple perspectives• Limited research on interventions or ways of developing

resilience in health, teacher, and social work education

Some resilience dimensions/issues

• Bounce back from adversity coping with ◄▬►continual demands

• Personal/individual organizational◄▬►• Relatively stable situated◄▬►• Fixed learnable◄▬►• Disengaged 'surviving' engaged/ ◄▬►

professional

Initial definition

Professional resilience is what supports people to stay in the

profession and to stay professional

Research Aim

To develop the basis for a research informed creative curriculum and pedagogy that supports and develops professional resilience during early career education in professions involving emotional labour and moral challenge.

Research Questions

• What supports and hinders the development of professional resilience in radiotherapy, social work and teacher education?

• What creative pedagogical approaches may help to develop professional resilience?

• What are appropriate methodologies for researching professional resilience?

Methodology

• A fixed mixed method design incorporating survey research, qualitative interpretive interviews and creative innovative approaches

• Creative innovative approaches- co-operative inquiry

Activities

Common pictures - 1Staff – he pictures mountains with a road – described the pleasure of running on very straight boring roads as it gives you time to think and a metaphor for what keeps him going when he may be having a difficult time

Student – Represents reflection. The car in the road may represent a mental breakdown. Might not enjoy reflecting but it can be a useful toolGender an issue – men are expected to be tough – a reflection diary can seem a bit girly but reflection can be usefulI can talk but I hate reflection – I wouldn’t write a diary but I can reflect in my head.

Can resilience be developed?

Senior mentors/practice educators/practice training coordinators

Can resilience be developedacademic staff

Strongly agree

Confidence a strong part of resilience - build up people's self esteem

Role models and direct practice - learn from others

Fence sitters/middle group

Can't think of a situation where I have taught resilience

If something can be learnt then there is an element of teaching

Not sure about 'taught' - have to develop that

If we can identify what is stopping people moving forward anything is possible

Disagree

Some people's personalities mean they don't have resilience within them

Experiential learning is what happens helping students see things in a different way to improve resilience

Strongly agree disagree

Agree strongly disagree

Seeing the Wood and the Trees

Some tentative thoughts -and a logic model -on (or off) the wall

Emerging messagesfor Professions and Organisations

• commitment, values and altruistic purposes support resilience -• if professionals cannot enact those commitments values and purposes then they may

leave• leaders who communicate support, and signal appreciation and understanding of

workload issues enhance resilience• provide support with difficult cases• show understanding of transitions and have appropriate expectations of new

professionals• give support with difficult cases/clients/patients/classes/pupils• create space for peer talk/support• prioritise team and/or supportive relationships• develop a culture that avoids judgemental feedback both of trainees and newly

qualified professionals and aim for more supportive relationships • increase empathy for the demands of transitions• reduce workload

For qualified early career professionals

- develop supportive relationships- retain determination and commitment- keep issues in perspective and limit expectations of what is achievable - cultivate equanimity—empathetic distance - work life balance—have some where else to go - strengthen personal qualities, dispositions and skills that support resilience - trust that experience will make the work easier to cope with - take opportunities to increase knowledge and skills

For students• remember or develop a sense of purpose, values and commitment• be determined• engage with reflective practice to enhance self awareness and

understanding of professional life/role• accept not knowing as part of learning• aim for realistic appraisal of self and the profession• develop peer support networks• develop positive qualities, dispositions and skills such as patience,

empathy, emotional awareness• pay attention to the importance of professional relationships and teams• managing work load and maintaining a work-study-life balance

For HEIs/University tutors

• prepare students for the realities of professional practice

• signal support during placement by regular contact• be available to support with difficult

cases/situations/events/patients/classes• aim for an open, accessible relationship that models

professionalism as engaged and empathetic• address the issue of resilience and related subjects on

courses

Potential areas for curriculum development in University and Work Place professional education

• Professionalism, purpose and agency• Strengthening personal qualities• Interpersonal dimension• Support with placement and transitions• Expand professional knowledge base• Coping with workload

I remember feeling so stupid and incompetent...you had to pick yourself up and get on with it

As a student you’re constantly in a learning environment where all these people are telling you how you should behave and what attitude you should have

I think you’ve just got to be calm....I’m far more patient in my job. When someone would get cross before I would take it as a personal attack whereas actually that person’s life has fallen

I’m really proud of the job we do…..you really get to know them (patients) andthey get to the end of their treatment and they're so grateful that either you've managed justto get them through to the end or you've managed to deal with problems.

SHU Imagine Professional resilience project 2013 For further enquiries please contact a member of the project team

M. Boylan, edsmsb@exchange.shu.ac.uk P.Nelson P.Nelson@shu.ac.ukH. Probst h.probst@shu.ac.uk