Sibiya Zinzile N, Ross Andrew J
Department of Family Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.
S Afr Fam Pract (2004). 2025 Feb 21;67(1):e1-e9. doi: 10.4102/safp.v67i1.6077.
In South Africa, graduate rehabilitation therapists undertake a compulsory community service (CS) year in public healthcare facilities, often entering this role without sufficient competency to work independently. They rely on supervision and support, which may come from senior therapists of different disciplines. This study, conducted in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, explores the experiences of rehabilitation therapists regarding cross-disciplinary supervision and support during their CS year.
A qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory design was employed. Virtual semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven purposively sampled participants from five KZN districts. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically.
The findings revealed four themes and ten sub-themes, highlighting the challenges and benefits of cross-disciplinary supervision, dissatisfaction with existing support structures, and recommendations for improvement. The CS therapists, as junior staff, often lacked the experience and authority to deliver optimal patient care within resource-constrained settings.
While discipline-specific supervision remains the preferred approach, cross-disciplinary supervision contributed positively to professional development, broadening therapists' understanding of other rehabilitation disciplines. However, the limited availability of accessible, discipline-specific supervisors remains a significant concern. Given their frequent isolation and minimal experience, CS therapists require consistent, discipline-specific support to meet service demands.Contribution: This study emphasises need to address the experiences of CS therapists, who face high patient loads and limited support, in public health sector planning. Incorporating their insights can enhance their ability to deliver essential services, ensuring better outcomes for the populations served by the public health system.
在南非，康复治疗专业毕业生需在公共医疗机构完成为期一年的义务社区服务（CS），他们往往在没有足够独立工作能力的情况下就进入该岗位。他们依赖监督和支持，而这种监督和支持可能来自不同学科的资深治疗师。这项在夸祖鲁 - 纳塔尔省（KZN）进行的研究，探讨了康复治疗师在其社区服务年期间跨学科监督和支持方面的经历。
采用定性、描述性和探索性设计。对来自KZN五个地区的七名有目的抽样的参与者进行了虚拟半结构化访谈。对数据进行了录音、逐字转录，并进行了主题分析。
研究结果揭示了四个主题和十个子主题，突出了跨学科监督的挑战和益处、对现有支持结构的不满以及改进建议。作为初级员工的社区服务治疗师，在资源有限的环境中，往往缺乏提供最佳患者护理的经验和权威。
虽然特定学科的监督仍然是首选方法，但跨学科监督对专业发展有积极贡献，拓宽了治疗师对其他康复学科的理解。然而，可获得的特定学科监督人员有限仍然是一个重大问题。鉴于社区服务治疗师经常处于孤立状态且经验不足，他们需要持续的、特定学科的支持来满足服务需求。贡献：本研究强调在公共卫生部门规划中需要关注社区服务治疗师的经历，他们面临高患者负荷和有限支持。纳入他们的见解可以提高他们提供基本服务的能力，确保公共卫生系统所服务人群获得更好的结果。
