Engaging in Student Supervision

How do I get started?

Isn't this always the hard part? You would like to supervise a student but work involved in the organisation of it just seems too much! Student supervision in Queensland is generally organised within a concept of clinical blocks or placements. When you agree to have a student you will be agreeing to supervise them for a full placement.

To help meet the needs of busy and dynamic workforce placements can be organised under a number of frameworks. Placements can be full time or part time, traditional, project based, collaborative, role emerging or inter-agency. There are so many options.

Before you start, think about the needs, demands and potential changes in your workplace, look at the placement framework guide and determine how you will structure your placement. Maybe you could share a student with a like minded colleague?

This page identifies key issues in getting started and provides links to useful fact sheets. Just follow the links and you will be ready to Go! Go! Go!

Structuring a placement - programme planning

With the placement framework in mind we have provided some examples of an orientation process that may help you develop a programme for your student- follow the above link. It can also be useful for students to receive information about your service and with any pre reading you think might reinforce their theoretical knowledge. We have posted some examples of a pre-placement orientation brochure as a guide: Example 1 and Example 2.

Think about what you would expect a student to achieve week by week. Providing a structured guide that clearly articulates expectations or placement learning objectives can be helpful for the student but also provide you with structuring learning experiences in a graded way.