Discussion of the fifth aspect of findings from the
unpublished research –
Williams M, 1999, ‘Exploring the Role of the Personal Tutor
in Nurse Education, Department of Education, University of Surrey, unpublished.
The research was carried out using a sample of students and
staff from 7 campus sites. On examining the responses regarding the qualities
of a personal tutor, three main themes emerged – knowledge, communication skills
and interpersonal skills.
The earlier related blogs are:
Maintain Confidentiality
Both the students and tutors appear to agree that
confidentiality is important during interaction and for a good relationship.
Students from all sites go on to state that it is easier to communicate and
less stressful if confidentiality is assured, which is also a finding of Peelo
(1994). But some tutors from sites A, B, C and F point out that the student
needs to indicate this prior to a discussion. This does not appear to be a
point that students feel, needs to be made, they appear to assume that maintaining
confidentiality is a part of the relationship. Therefore, it is something that
tutors must keep in mind, that students do not necessarily state the need for
confidentiality but take it for granted that it will be provided. Some tutors
clarify their point by stating that caution needs to be exercised, as they have
to consider the legal implications as well as public safety. Students appear to
be aware of this, as they have also pointed out, like the tutors, that should
there be a need for disclosure, the permission of the student must be obtained.
Students are also aware that the personal tutor may need help from others, but
they would still need to inform the student.
This is further clarified when reviewing comments on
confiding in the personal tutor. Most students and tutors from all sites
clearly state that it should be allowed when necessary. A few students from all
sites stated that this should not happen. The reasons for this no are better
explained by the tutors who opposed the idea of allowing students to confide in
them. They indicate that if the student is just venting their feelings or using
this confidence to reflect on practice then it may be safe to allow the student
to confide. But, it may not always be appropriate, as the tutors have to function
within legal parameters and professional code of conduct. Also as suggested
time and time again by both students and tutors, that personal tutor is not a
counsellor and should deal with academic issues only. There are many students
but only few tutors from site A, who chose not to make any comment. This may
reflect their lack of surety regarding this issue. But comments made in other
areas reflect an overall agreement with this.
Honesty in Interaction
Honesty, a quality spoken of earlier, is seen to be
necessary for communication according to majority of the students and tutors.
Both feel it is beneficial and essential to the relationship. Students are of
the opinion that there is no point in being told untruths if they are to learn
from their mistakes and feedback provided by the personal tutor, on their
progress. Similarly, tutors explain that honesty is necessary to allow students
to have realistic expectations and understanding of what is required of them.
Though, they do point out, that honesty needs to be tempered by tact and
constructive criticism, as occasionally honesty can hurt. Tutors also point out
that sometimes it is difficult to maintain absolute honesty as in the case of
knowing the student result, which has not yet been published, and so it is not
always appropriate to be honest. However, ordinarily students do not ask such a
question, and if they do surely it is possible to be honest and state that they
are unable to give that information. After all, majority of the students and
tutors find trust to be important and without honesty it is difficult to
maintain trust.
Engender Trust
Trust is also seen to be the basis for a good relationship.
A few students and many tutors from all sites except D feel that it is a two
way process. But like Earwaker (1992) some tutors from sites B and D point out
that this is essentially a relationship of ‘unequals’ and also that students do
not know their personal tutor well enough, so asking for trust in a
relationship can be difficult. Each, therefore, needs to prove to the other
that they are trustworthy. Brown’s (1993) suggestion of self-disclosure by both
the tutor and the student, over a period of time helps to develop trust.
Initially, non-threatening social information to deeper private information is
of enormous value in developing a meaningful relationship.
Be Friendly
Friendliness in interaction and therefore in the
relationship is something majority of the students and tutors have identified,
as after all this is one of the desired qualities of a personal tutor, as
identified by both. The students want friendliness as it makes the tutor more
approachable and therefore communication is easier. The tutors too, indicate an
awareness of this reason and its impact on the relationship. Responses show, a
word of caution from some tutors as they advocate avoiding overfamiliarity, in
order to keep the relationship on a professional footing. Moreover, different
students have different needs at different times. A good example for this is
when a student is being disciplined friendliness is not entirely appropriate.
Supportive
Majority of the students and tutors from all sites see the
provision of personal support, in times of need and difficulty, as a part of
the role of the personal tutor. Students desire the support to be both academic
and personal, though the tutor would have to know the student for this. While
tutors from all sites except A are more in favour of providing academic support
and deal with the pressures of academia rather than to baby sit students or get
personally involved. Further, the provision of support must be limited to the personal
tutor’s abilities and students should be referred on to appropriate agencies,
rather than getting involved in personal problems, so that the time spent with
the student is utilised judiciously. A small number of tutors, from sites B and
F, are of the opinion that this is the role of student services and qualified
counsellors. The provision of personal support is seen to be the pastoral role
of the personal tutor by people like Bramley (1977). The same personal tutor
also provides the academic support. But as discussed in an earlier blog, the
changes within the nurse education have spilt this role up. The students do not
essentially wish to see two different tutors to gain support for their course
work. As content of the course is important they take up tutorial from the
module operator who to some extent gives the academic writing skills support.
Therefore, the burden on a small number to tutors, who work
within each module, having to support the whole cohort, can be as large as two
hundred and fifty students. While the students do not meet their personal
tutor, for after all not many students wish for pastoral care, because as
MacGuire (1966) found that, students develop peer support. Also there are more
mature students coming into nurse education who already have well developed
support network outside of the system, as suggested by Earwaker (1992). So
unless the academic support role for both the skills and knowledge is returned
back into the domain of the personal tutor students will not get a holistic
support.
Comfortable
Other comments made by tutors relate to the interpersonal
skills discussed earlier and the quality of interactions. The only issue that
was not raised earlier related to a question posed by tutor for site C, whether
a tutor and a student of opposite gender show be alone during tutorials? This
could have stemmed from past experience of this individual. Offering privacy
may often mean the closing of the office or classroom door. The tutor needs to
be sensitive to the student’s reactions, and make appropriate responses, like
using communication skills to break down barriers and ease any awkwardness or
even leave the door of the room open unless specifically asked to close it.
This detailed understanding of the issues that impact on the
quality of communication between student and personal tutor can be easily
generalised to cover all student tutor communications. The level of each aspect
may vary depending on the situation for which the communication is taking place.
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