Exploring the Nature of Peer and Academic Supervision on a Role-Emerging Placement

Introduction: This small-scale study explores the experiences of staff and students in using a pyramidal model of peer-assisted and long-arm supervision in a role-emerging practice placement in the United Kingdom (UK). Method: Two final year postgraduate diploma occupational therapy students from a UK university entered into a peer-assisted learning arrangement with two occupational therapy students from a Polish university, with UK university staff acting as long-arm supervisors. The setting was a home for older people with no occupational therapy service. This participatory action research preliminary study used interviews to explore the student and supervisor experiences whilst on placement. Findings and discussion: The findings suggest that high levels of personal and professional development can develop in students when this model is used.