It is, perhaps, not talked about much in academic circles how much we learn from students: what they teach us in a variety of ways and support the staff-student experience is, indeed, underrated. Yet during the Covid-19 pandemic when we picked up our newly acquired laptops and headed home for an uncertain future, when teaching online was a relatively unknown phenomenon and MS Teams was (virtually – pun intended) unheard of, I realised this crucial interrelationship. At the start of the pandemic (almost) everyone struggled with MS Teams and Wi-Fi connection. Yet Teams slowly became liberating. It was a highly flexible, convenient, responsive solution to not being on campus. On the other hand, it formalised the working day. Gone, it seemed, were the informal ad-hoc get together meetings with colleagues; ushering in a new code of conduct where meetings could take place in an instant. How would I ever sound genuine talking to a screen? Sometimes we would present to hundreds of students without seeing any of them.
One of the major obstacles to begin with was to sound like you are in a real classroom talking to real people. In other words, making the virtual classroom an authentic place of learning. Can this authenticity be achieved in a virtual world and the subtleties of an-person meeting be replicated? It took a while to realise, but student nurses came up with the answer – meeting them via Teams taught me a lot about the softer side of teaching. When writing their assignments they often refer to the NICE guidelines and one of its guiding principles – the therapeutic relationship (NMC, 2018). They taught me how to teach online. It was a revelation to learn how one of the central practices of the nursing profession could help me teach: a door had been opened into a new perception of myself and my tutoring role. I was about to apply the nursing code of conduct in teaching.
Though it may be little discussed, students educating tutors is fundamental. The qualities such as being authentic, trustworthy, approachable and honesty lends itself to a 1-1 setting (Wright, 2021). Why is the therapeutic relationship, and more broadly the principles of nursing, so key in underpinning the tutor-student relationship? It empowers the student to carry out their studies. They believe they are being listened to – not just another student writing an assignment – but as an aspiring individual wishing to succeed in their studies. It individualises the conversation, adding value to the meeting. Such a rapport makes them believe in themselves, ultimately giving them empowerment. The therapeutic relationship becoming an empowering tool remains one of the core elements of the tutor-student relationship, particularly in the digital age when humans and technology are increasingly blended, and an authentic experience is sought and thereby defined.
References
Nursing and Midwifery Council. (2018). The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates. Available from: The Code (nmc.org.uk) [Accessed 13th February 2024]
Royal College of Nursing. (2024). Definitions and principles of nursing. Available from: Definition and Principles of Nursing | Royal College of Nursing (rcn.org.uk) [Accessed 13th February 2024].
Wright, K. M. (2021). Exploring the therapeutic relationship in nursing. Mental Health Practice. 24(5): 34-41. Available from: Exploring the therapeutic relationship in nursing theory and practice (rcni.com) [Accessed 13th February 2024].