Telehealth and in‐person placements: Same, same, but different. A mixed methods investigation of speech and language therapy students’ and practice educators’ experiences and perceptions

What is already known on this subject Telehealth use has increased dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic, both for clinical services and student placements in allied health services in general as well as speech and language therapy (SLT). Student placements conducted via telehealth are beneficial for student learning but some skills such as communication and interpersonal interaction develop differently. Placements can involve students delivering clinical services via telehealth and/ or remote student supervision (tele-supervision). What this paper adds to existing knowledge By drawing on the perspectives of students and practice educators, this paper demonstrates that the processes used for supervision, planning and clinical services are different in telehealth compared to in-person placements. It reveals that SLT students and educators have strongly held perceptions about the value and equivalence of telehealth placements that change over the course of a telehealth placement. This paper suggests placements that combine telehealth with tele-supervision are more complex and have fewer opportunities for incidental learning and developing professional workplace skills than placements where the educator and student providing telehealth services are co-located. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? This paper will help universities, professional organisations and practice educators disentangle placements where students deliver services using telehealth from those where students also receive tele-supervision. This work identifies common perceptions about telehealth placements that educators can use to guide discussions with students, and guide the selection of effective work practices for students and educators during telehealth placements.