Exploring Physiotherapists' Perspectives of Group Clinical Supervision Effectiveness for Aquatic Physiotherapy Skill Development: A Qualitative Study.
Krista L A Burke, David A Snowdon, Sarah C Milne and 1 others
PMID 40114498WHAT IT FOUND
Physiotherapists in a specialised aquatic service valued fortnightly group supervision for building confidence and clinical reasoning through peer discussion.
They found it useful for sharing diverse experiences but requested more structure and direct, in-water practice to fully develop skills.
Key findings
01Participants perceived group supervision as effective for skill development, particularly for reflecting on practice and building confidence in a specialised area they infrequently practice.
02The main strength identified was high group interactivity, which facilitated learning from colleagues with diverse clinical experience, though participants noted this could be improved with practical activities in the pool.
03The main shortcoming was a lack of structure, with participants reporting that ad hoc sessions limited reflective practice and would benefit from pre-determined content.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted at a single metropolitan health service in Australia, which may limit the transferability of findings to other contexts or healthcare systems. The findings reflect only the perceptions of physiotherapists; there was no objective measure of skill improvement or patient outcomes. The sample was small (16 participants) and self-selected, potentially introducing selection bias towards those who valued the supervision. The study did not include the perspectives of supervisors or other allied health professionals who might also participate in or benefit from such models.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Two of the researchers had extensive experience in aquatic physiotherapy, including experience delivering the specific group supervision program being evaluated, which introduces potential insider bias.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the participants' positive perceptions as evidence that group supervision objectively improves clinical skills or patient outcomes. The study reports subjective experiences of confidence and reasoning, not measured competency gains.