How Project-Based Clinical Education Can Benefit Both Students and Host Organisations

A project-based approach to clinical education can provide students with a range of valuable and unique experiences. This method of teaching can benefit both students and host organisations, allowing for more flexibility in placement opportunities whilst adding value to student learning.

Project-based learning (PjBL) involves the student being an active participant in the discovery, problem-finding, research and solution building processes in a clinical environment. It also promotes the idea that knowledge is not acquired passively, but rather constructed through engagement with and transformation of ideas.

Students can use PjBL to explore a range of issues relevant to their professional development, such as the impact of culturally and linguistically diverse communities on health service delivery, the role of technology in supporting social justice and human rights agendas, and community perspectives on specific health care needs https://thetechnotricks.net/2024/03/01/ways-to-optimize-contract-staffing-in-calgary-alberta/. It can also support students to develop a range of clinically-relevant skills and transferable skills that they may be able to take with them into their career as a registered nurse or occupational therapist.

It’s important for both host organisations and the university to support students as they undertake their placements, and to help them get the most out of their experience. This can include ensuring that students are placed in an organisation or service where they have access to a qualified supervisor and that the on-site supervisor is aware of the PjBL pedagogical approach. It can also involve ensuring that students are provided with an appropriate level of training and supervision to ensure they are safe and competent to undertake the tasks required of their placements.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a great time for companies to keep their early talent engaged through meaningful projects and micro-internships. These short-term digital assignments give young talent a chance to explore different roles and discover the best fit, while also building their resumes and professional networks.

While traditional full-time jobs offer a sense of security and stability, project-based work offers more variety for employees, helping them stay engaged and find the best ways to contribute to their company’s success. The millennial generation is increasingly seeking autonomy in their careers, which can be found in flexible jobs that allow them to define their own working hours and place of work.

The best way to attract and retain project-based workers is to ensure that they are a valued part of the team. This means integrating them into the workflow, giving them access to the same benefits as permanent staff and keeping the lines of communication open. It’s also worth considering using online screening tests for project-based candidates as they can help to determine a candidate’s skills without the need for formal qualifications. This helps to streamline the hiring process and makes it quicker to roll out new projects with a team of talented contingent workers.