title: Identifying factors which enhance capacity to engage in clinical education among podiatry practitioners: an action research project.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health profession students develop practical skills whilst integrating theory with practice in a real world environment as an important component of their training. Research in the area of practice placements has identified challenges and barriers to the delivery of effective placement learning. However, there has been little research in podiatry and the question of which factors impact upon clinical educators' capacity to engage with the role remains an under-researched area. This paper presents the second phase of an action research project designed to determine the factors that impact upon clinical educators' capacity to engage with the mentorship role.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online survey was developed and podiatry clinical educators recruited through National Health Service (NHS) Trusts. The survey included socio-demographic items, and questions relating to the factors identified as possible variables influencing clinical educator capacity; the latter was assessed using the 'Clinical Educator Capacity to Engage' scale (CECE). Descriptive statistics were used to explore demographic data whilst the relationship between the CECE and socio-demographic factors were examined using inferential statistics in relation to academic profile, career profile and organisation of the placement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey response rate was 42 % (n = 66). Multiple linear regression identified four independent variables which explain a significant proportion of the variability of the dependent variable, 'capacity to engage with clinical education', with an adjusted R2 of 0.428. The four variables were: protected mentorship time, clinical educator relationship with university, sign-off responsibility, and volunteer status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identification of factors that impact upon clinical educators' capacity to engage in mentoring of students has relevance for strategic planning and policy-making with the emphasis upon capacity-building at an individual level, so that the key attitudes and characteristics that are linked with good clinical supervision are preserved.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Human Sciences, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abey
authors.affiliation: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), University of Greenwich, London, UK.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lea
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mental Health and Justice, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Cornwall, UK.
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Callaghan
authors.affiliation: School of Computing and Mathematics, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Pedagogic Research Institute and Observatory, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cotton
keywords: Capacity building; Podiatry; Professional education; Psychometrics; Questionnaires