Jennifer Black, RN, BScN
Objectives
This presentation is designed to:
1. Help clinical instructors gain an appreciation for the
importance of post-conferencing as a teaching
strategy, and understand their role as a learning
facilitator; and
2. Increase awareness about the need for empirical
evidence to help sustain post-conferencing as an
integral part of nursing education.
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"Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed people can change
the world. Indeed. It is the only thing that
ever has." ~ Margaret Mead
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Presentation Outlineo Overview of the Clinical Post-Conference
• Theoretical Influences
• Debriefing and reflective learning
• Development of critical thinking skills
o Modern Applications
• Different time, different venue
• Online conferencing
• Teleconferencing
o Role of Faculty
• Facilitator
• Promoting higher-order thinking
o Lack of Empirical Evidence
o Future Directions
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Theoretical Influences
oTransformative Learning Theoryo Learners have perspectives based on learning experiences, thoughts,
values and insights
o Critical reflection is essential (Hsu, 2007)
oBehavioural-Environmental Theoryo Human behaviour is a function of the state of the person AND the
environment in which the person exists (Letizia & Jennrich, 1998)
oBloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Domainso Knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and
evaluation
o Most instructors ask questions at the first two levels – higher level
questioning is needed to develop critical thinking skills (Gaberson & Oermann,
2010a; Hsu, 2007; Oermann, 2008)
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Reflection
o Think back to when you were a student in the
clinical setting and consider a time when you
experienced something that made you feel
happy, sad, angry, apprehensive, frightened,
or anxious.
o How did you manage these feelings?
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Debriefing & Reflective
Learning
o Debriefing and reflective learning are well known
functions of the clinical post-conference.
o Discuss the clinical experience;
o Share information;
o Analyze clinical situations;
o Clarify relationships;
o Identify problems;
o Utilize group process; and
o Cultivate support systems to foster the development of
reflective learning.
(Adegbola, 2011; Hermann, 2006; Hsu, 2007; Matheney, 1969; Oermann, 2008; Stokes & Kost, 2012)
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Critical Thinking
o The development of critical
thinking skills and problem-solving
abilities are among the primary
goals of clinical post-conferencing
and there is plenty of literature to
support this notion.
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Modern Applications
Barriers
• Fatigue
• Limited availability of
physical space
• Lack of technological
resources
• Complex patient
care needs
Advantages
• Enhance active
learning
• Increase interaction
• Interactive synthesis
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Different Time, Different Venue
Modern Applications
Online Conferencing
oOnline forums are excellent environments for
supporting peer and collaborative learning (Cooper
et al., 2004; Hermann, 2006; Rentmeester, 2006).
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Modern Applications
Teleconferencing
• An appropriate alternative to post-clinical
conferencing when face-to-face communication
is impractical (Adegbola, 2011).
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Role of Faculty
o Facilitation• Faculty serve as conference facilitators by utilizing these
facilitating behaviours:
1) supporting, encouraging, and sharing information;
2) being flexible yet focused;
3) encouraging and enhancing active participation of all students;
4) posing ideas and questions;
5) providing feedback in a non-threatening way;
6) creating an environment that is conducive to discussion and sharing;
7) assisting students in identifying relationships, patterns and trends;
8) being alert to teaching and learning moments; and
9) facilitating the group process.(Stokes & Kost, 2012)
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Reflection
o Think about the type of questions you ask your
students during post-conference.
o Which cognitive domain of Bloom’s taxonomy do
they belong to?• Knowledge
• Comprehension
• Application
• Analysis
• Synthesis
• Evaluation
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Promoting Higher-Order
Thinking
o Faculty consistently ask low-level (recall) questions.
o There is a need to ask higher-level questions to
promote higher-order thinking.
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Conclusions
o Overall, the purpose and value of post-
conferencing as a clinical teaching strategy is
well articulated and well supported in the
literature, although there is a quantifiable lack of
empirical evidence and contemporary research.
o The development of critical thinking and clinical
reasoning skills continue to be the driving force
behind the endurance of this clinical teaching
strategy despite the absence of objective
measurements.
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Future Directions
o Recommendations for further study include:o Comparing the impact of post-conference learning
environments (online vs. face-to-face) on the educational
process and learning outcomes;
o Exploring faculty perceptions of higher-order questioning;
o Measuring critical thinking and clinical reasoning as
outcomes of post-conference learning; and
o Examining the post-conference with a constructivist lens.
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ReferencesAdegbola, M. (2011). Taking learning to the learner: using audio teleconferencing for postclinical conferences and more. Creative Nursing, 17(3),
120-125. doi:10.1891/1078-4535.17.3.120
Cooper, C., Taft, L., & Thelen, M. (2004). Examining the role of technology in learning: An evaluation of online clinical conferencing. Journal of
Professional Nursing, 20(3), 160-166. doi: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2004.04.003
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10.1111/j.1365-2702.2006.01751.x
Letizia, M. (1998). Strategies used in clinical postconference. Journal of Nursing Education, 37(7), 315-317. Retrieved from
http://www.healio.com/journals/jne
Matheney, R.V. (1969). Pre- and post-conferences for students. American Journal of Nursing, 69(2), 286-289. Retrieved from
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Rentmeester, M. (2006). Integrating online discussion into clinical rotations. Journal of Nursing Education, 45(12), 528. Retrieved from
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Stokes, L.G., & Kost, G.C. (2012). Teaching in the clinical setting. In D.M. Billings and J.A. Halstead (Eds.), Teaching in nursing: A guide for
faculty (4th ed., pp. 311-334). St. Louis, MO: Saunders.
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