Communication + + +

This is a reflection on the first prac of the year, so had not had as much experience at this stage, both with patients and supervisors!

I was undertaking a prac which involved participating in multiple areas (ortho, burns and plastics) Due to this, I also had a number of different supervisors. All the supervisors were brilliant in their area and extremely knowledgeable. The thing I found difficult was the conflicting information I was receiving about things such as my performance with patients and protocols on how to perform certain techniques ect…

It became especially evident when receiving mid placement feedback. The supervisors I had been working with liked to give feedback along the way, and discuss certain points as they arose. I had had a few discussions with a supervisor regarding how she liked to be given handovers and specific things she would like me to do with certain patients. During my mid placement feedback, another supervisor gave me feedback on length about what had happened with that other supervisor (I hope your following this!)

Because he was repeating what I had already discussed with the other supervisor, I thought he was having a go at me (as if I hadn’t listened to the other supervisor) So I got fairly worried that I wasn’t doing things right.

I had also had an incident where one supervisor had said I had done a really good job with this patient (although she was not the usual supervisor for that ward), and the next day told by that ward supervisor that I should have done this, this and this… So again, I felt like I had not done it right!

As this was a first placement, and first feedback, I was slightly nervous about telling the supervisor that all the things he was telling me had been discussed. I spent a good day stressing that they thought I was useless. I ended up telling my main supervisor that the others had already given me feedback along the way, he acknowledged this and admitted that things were a bit haywire at the moment and not as organised as they should be. He appreciated me giving him the feedback that I was getting mixed feedback and then had a discussion with the other supervisors to try and communicate more in sync.

I guess I learnt that communication on every level is important, both between you and your supervisor, but also between the staff looking after you, otherwise feedback may get confused and create unnecessary stress.