An exploration of the experience of co-supervision practice education placements from the practice educator perspective

Purpose The increasing demand for practice education placements in Ireland, driven by the growing need for allied health professionals, presents significant challenges. Over the past twenty years, the co-supervision model, which divides the supervision of a single student among two educators, has become more prevalent. This is largely due to its suitability for part-time therapists who wish to facilitate practice education placements. Despite its increasing use, the model has received less attention in occupational therapy than the one-to-one model, the two-to-one and the collaborative model. This paper aims to describe occupational therapy practice educators experiences of facilitating the co-supervision model of practice education. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative descriptive approach, semi-structured interviews were completed with nine occupational therapists to explore their experiences of using the co-supervision model. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase reflexive thematic analysis. Rigour and trustworthiness were achieved through an audit trail, prolonged engagement with the data and ongoing team reflection on theme development. Findings Reflexive thematic analysis yielded five themes: (i) broad student learning opportunities in the co-supervision model, (ii) communication within collaborative relationships, (iii) co-supervision facilitates participation in the Practice Educator role, (iv) planning and self-preparation are essential and (v) the co-supervision model demands student self-management skills. Originality/value Providing contemporary nuanced evidence on practice educators’ perspectives of the co-supervision model in occupational therapy placements in an Irish context is essential in highlighting its potential as a promising alternative to other models in facilitating quality student placements.