Exploring the complexity of clinical education: understanding lived experiences of clinical educators through audio diaries in a longitudinal study

Purpose This study explored how audio diaries, within the framework of complexity theory, captured the evolving lived experiences of clinical educators (CEs) in clinical education. It examined how this qualitative methodology revealed nuanced changes over time and informed CEs’ responsiveness to students’ developmental needs. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative, longitudinal approach was employed. Over eight months, seven CEs provided weekly audio diary reflections documenting their experiences in a clinical education programme. Reflexive thematic analysis identified themes, and complexity theory was applied to interpret the adaptive and interconnected changes in CEs’ practices. Findings Audio diaries provided insights into the evolving experiences of CEs, capturing how their approaches shifted in response to students’ developmental needs. CEs documented the transition from structured support to fostering student independence, adapting their strategies to align with student progress and challenges. The diaries also revealed how CEs navigated emotional complexities, as they responded to students’ academic emotions, which influenced engagement and required ongoing supervisory adjustments. By offering real-time perspectives, audio diaries enabled CEs to identify and respond to subtle shifts in student learning, refining their teaching approaches. Originality/value This study highlights the value of audio diaries in capturing temporal, nonlinear changes in clinical education. Complexity theory offers a novel perspective on how adaptive practices evolve to address clinical education’s complexities.