Assessing self-regulatory processes during clinical skill performance: A pilot study

Figures & data

Table

Practice points

SRL is a cyclical process involving the proactive use of strategies and feedback to optimise performance. SRL microanalysis has been used to assess and to inform the training of athletic skills but there has been no previous research in clinical contexts. Assessment of self-regulatory processes can be identified before, during and after actual performance of clinical skills by the use of SRL microanalysis. Students who displayed adequate skill in venipuncture exhibited strategic thinking before, during and after performance, whereas the students who struggled tended to focus on outcomes. SRL microanalysis has strong potential as a structured assessment technique targeting the self-regulatory processes underlying clinical skill performance and could be used to guide training for struggling students.

Table 1.  Descriptive statistics across motivation belief measures for participants

Participant	Pre-task self-efficacy	Post-task self-efficacy	Satisfaction
Successful
A	60	70	70
B	60	80	70
C	45	–	40
D	50	90	70
F	75	70	75
	Mean = 58	Mean = 77.5	Mean = 65
Strugglers
E	60	90	30
G	70	40	10
	Mean = 65	Mean = 65	Mean = 20

Note: “–”, Student misunderstood self-efficacy measure directions and thus provided erroneous scores.

Table 2.  Self-regulatory profile of participants on the venipuncture task

Participant	Planning	Goal-setting	Monitoring	Self-evaluative standards
Successful
A	Process/technique	Process/technique	Process/technique	Process/technique
B	Process/technique	Outcome	Non-process	Process/technique
C	Process/technique	Process/technique	Process/technique	Number of attempts
D	Process/technique	Process/technique	Process/technique	Process/technique
F	Process/technique	Patient interaction	Process/technique	Number of attempts
Strugglers
E	Outcome	Outcome	Do not know	Number of attempts
G	Outcome process/technique	Outcome	Non-process	Number of attempts