Conducting Pre- and Post-Conferences

1. Conducting Pre- and Post-Conferences

2. Objectives • Explain the purposes of pre-clinical and post-clinical conferences. • State the benefits of clinical conferences. • Outline strategies to promote student participation in clinical conferences.

3. Objectives • Discuss ways to prepare for clinical conferences. • List methods to conduct successful clinical pre- and post-conferences.

4. Think-Pair-Share • Think: your own clinical conference experiences • Pair: with the person next to you • Share: ideas generated with the group

5. Planning for Clinical Conferences • Purpose • Topic • Process • Strategies • Method for Conference Evaluation

6. Pre-conference Validate student assignment preparation Review daily expectations Help set priorities Link theory to clinical practice Post-conference Debriefing Strengthen skills Vent feelings Learn by using student assignments as case studies Purposes of Conferences

7. Benefits of Clinical Conferences • Promote interactive learning, collaboration, and teamwork • Develop problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking skills

8. Benefits of Clinical Conferences • Develop oral communication skills • Link theory to practice • Provide opportunity for self-reflection

9. Benefits of Clinical Conferences • Sharing of student learning/skill mastery • Develop nursing attitudes and values • Assess own learning

10. Different Approaches for Levels of Students • Beginning Students • Advanced Students

11. Beginning students Inner focused Specific directions Concrete material Black & white terms Highly critical of staff execution of nursing care Skill reinforcement Need to learn medical terminology Limited understanding of nursing process Advanced Students Greater understand nursing process More use of medical terminology Externally focused Able to see things in shades of gray Active role in leading conferences Different Approaches for Levels of Students

12. Possible Activities for a Conference • Case study analysis with student assigned clients (Nursing Rounds) • Skill building with equipment • Clinical pathways • Strengthening documentation skills • Learning how to operate a clinical agency’s computer system

13. Possible Activities for a Conference • Topic of the week • Linking personal experiences with health care to services offered as students • Nursing process activities • Discussion of role transition issues • Debriefing of the day’s experience (post-conference)

14. Possible Activities for a Conference • Processing legal and ethical issues that arise • Guest speaker with special expertise • Sharing personal accomplishments • Explaining the health care system & delivery of health care • Cyber clinical conference

15. Possible Activities for a Conference • Clarifying and assisting students with written clinical assignments • Analyzing staff performance in nursing care situations

16. Debriefing for Meaningful Learning(Dreifuerst, 2012) • Learning in clinical context • Socratic dialogue, narrative pedagogy • Revisiting, unpeeling, understanding student thinking - unpeel, revisit, unpeel, revisit • Correcting misconstruction of information or action • Reflecting • Anticipating

17. Debriefing for Meaningful Learning Process (preparation) • Inform a student that his/her patient will be the clinical case for discussion • Students complete worksheets during their down-time in clinical in order to compare their patients with the one being presented • Debriefing occurs off the clinical unit • Need a white board to develop a concept map on the patient being discussed • Markers of different colors

18. Debriefing for Meaningful Learning Process (execution) • Students quiet as they answer the following questions: • What went well during the day and why? • What did not go so well and why? • What would be done differently if had the opportunity? Why? • Collaboratively process what happened during clinical • Develop a patient concept map

19. Debriefing for Meaningful Learning Process (execution and closing) • Explore why things were done as they were • Anticipate potential complications that might arise with this or another clinical situation • Close the conference by asking each student what they will take away from the clinical experience and will use as a future professional nurse • Goal is to teach clinical reasoning and produce reflective thinkers

20. Faculty Role in Conferences • Plan discussion and learning activities • Create questions and cases • Present problem, issues and cases for discussion

21. Faculty Role in Conferences • Keep time • Support shared information and ideas • Be flexible

22. Faculty Role in Conferences • Provide non-threatening feedback • Create an environment conducive to discussion • Help students identify relationships, patterns, and themes • Facilitate group process

23. Faculty Role in Conferences • Managing side conversations • Likely to occur with groups exceeding 5 members • Invite involved persons to share conversation • Outline conference time frame and goals • Stop discussion and use silence until all become attentive • Assign student seating if becomes a chronic problem

24. Faculty Role in Conferences • Handling Tardiness • Start conference only when all members have arrived • Hold to the allotted time frame for the conference

25. Faculty Role in Conferences • Handling Dysfunctional Group Members • Monopolizer • Playboy/Playgirl • Quiet One • Know-It-All • Complainer

26. Student Role in Conferences • Arrive on time • Prepare for discussion • Stay focused on conference deliberations • Work collaboratively with group • Examine different point of views

27. Student Role in Conferences • Modify own perspectives and opinions to attain consensus • Support shared information • Ask questions • Participate actively

28. Tips for Effective Implementation • Assure a comfortable and private setting • Stay OUT of the student evaluation role • Start on time • Maintain group focus • End on time

29. Tips for Effective Implementation • Create a safe climate for discussion • Conduct conference in a private location • Suggested seating arrangements • Faculty taking notes • Pledge of confidentiality • Positive feedback • Open-ended questions

30. More Tips to Facilitate Student Participation • Ask for volunteers to speak • Target students with sensitivity • Phrase open ended questions carefully • Give students time to answer questions (5-10 seconds)

31. More Tips to Facilitate Student Participation • Use of Chinn’s Peace & Power • Check in • Circling • Person holding object speaks • Check out

32. Conference Evaluation • Develop a feedback form • Have students complete a feedback form • Faculty self-reflection • Direct student conversations • Note cards • Include item on clinical faculty evaluation forms

33. Summary • Not all conferences will be perfect. • Things happen that disrupt the schedule. • Be open to student cues. • Successful conferences require planning. • Always room for improvement.