Increasing objectivity in the assessment of interpersonal skills and attitude

This article was inspired following an incident in practice where a clinical mentor (CM) developed concerns regarding the interpersonal skills, conduct and attitude of a probationary emergency care assistant (ECA) but found it difficult to specifically identify the exact nature of the concerns. The CM sought senior support but the problem persisted as recognising and finding the language to communicate subtle, nuanced traits remained problematic. Moreover, there was little in the way of Trust policy or guidance in reference to the assessment of interpersonal skills and attitude of learners. Finally, the incident was further exacerbated by a feeling that to instigate a supportive action plan not referenced to Trust documentation or policy would leave the CM and manager open to claims of unfairness.

To establish a structure to improve the development of essential non-practical skills.

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) (2011) suggest that professionalism could be seen as a ‘meta-skill of situational awareness and contextual judgement’. This communicates well the difficulty in applying a scoring matrix or set of rules for staff to adhere to. Accepting that this level of interpersonal performance will not come naturally to all, arguably, as peers, mentors, managers and educators we have a duty to develop structured systems whereby staff can meaningfully engage and discuss their performance and receive feedback with a view to improving their professional development (HCPC, 2011). A proposal which rewards and provides an incentive and image of what professionalism looks like while being realistic and mindful that you can be at a pass level without yet being an expert/exemplary member of staff will be presented. The model presented proactively enables the holding of conversations regarding non-practical and attitudinal competence which may traditionally have been avoided by some due to their sensitive nature. Additionally, it aims to mitigate to some extent against feelings of awkward conversations to ensure that staff receive regular and tangible evidence of their achievements and developmental targets in line with wider organisational goals. It is anticipated that the recommended proposal, if adopted, will run alongside current clinical and performance assessments.