Table 2 Themes arising from participation and experience in action learning (T4)

Experience of follow-up processes and activity

Process was useful, good opportunity to reflect (CONTROL PARTICIPANT)

Helpful framework for reflections and action planning (CONTROL PARTICIPANT)

Having the opportunity to come back (after a course) and revisit, highlight what’s important has been useful (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

It was difficult and at times, challenging, coaching someone I’d never met or seen, I tend to have a visual mind (COACH)

Having an action plan, a clear structure and clear outcomes really helped focus the sessions (COACH)

I’ve really enjoyed the telephone coaching sessions, on one level it helps because listening skills really come into their own, and you’re not distracted by observing, or getting into personal realms (COACH)

Time difficulties and challenges of continuing with the research

The reality is, time is always the issue (CONTROL PARTICIPANT)

Flexibility is important and the ability to do that outside of regular hours (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

It was quite difficult to commit to but every time I got to a coaching session or sit down and do my action plan, I found it quite useful, so it was swings and roundabouts (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

Despite logistics of scheduling and availability, it didn’t have a negative impact on the experience of the intervention (COACH)

I think the 30 min only rule may be a discipline for the coach but I wouldn’t criticise it as it is sometimes what the participant needs (COACH)

Use of coaching as a tool for development

Coaching has been a useful mechanism to reflect verbally, I needed to hear myself talk about these things, it reminds me why I’m doing them (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

I loved the coaching. I don’t really like questionnaires, but that sort of human interaction, having somebody else helping you structure your ideas, has been really effective for me (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

I think definitely using coaching after your education events just reinforces your learning (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

It helped to tackle things straight on rather than avoid them, so I spent time discussing things with [coach], things I specifically wanted to do (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

It’s something that should be instilled as part of our foundation rather than ad hoc when we hit problems (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

30 min is a really short period of time, but if you’re focused on a very specific topic, it’s probably about right (COACH)

I think it’s a really powerful additional training intervention (COACH)

Even with missed sessions and cancellations, there is a lot of value and feasibility in this kind of approach (COACH)

The action learning via coaching model is helpful and adds value and I can see how it can support different learning styles and levels (COACH)

Impact of training on communicating with patients on staff

Sometimes I feel guilty about just sitting down and talking to patients…if you’re not seen rushing around when everyone else is busy I feel guilty. It’s an entrenched professional dilemma (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

My contact with patients is more natural and the dynamic is very different. I used to feel unsettled and now I don’t. I’m comfortable sitting in silence (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

I’ve been taking time to listen more, create more time for the patient or family, but it has an impact on the way I feel, you know the guilt of somebody else picking the pieces whilst you sit with a patient for 20 min instead of just overviewing (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

Responsibility for own learning and development

(Using this research project) I thought it might provide me with a bit of support, be a positive focus to keep what I’ve learnt close and not to let it slip by for a while, until it builds into my everyday practice (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

It prompted me to do some sort of further learning on my own back (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

I’m going to incorporate action planning into my goals, I will put it in my PPRD and update my goals (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

I need to review, rewrite, and reflect on my goals so I can use the different frameworks from the course as well as capture what I’ve learnt and how I’ve changed (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

I could see how the coaching triggered different, latent thinking, which our conversations really seemed to bring to the surface (COACH)

Use of reflexivity as an action learning activity

Have never been asked to reflect on my thoughts after a communication skills training, it was first of its kind. (It) made me come away and think about what else I could do to introduce into my professional practice and I will follow that up (CONTROL PARTICIPANT).

It really allowed me to revisit some of the previous things I’d been thinking, but in a structured way (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

It wasn’t until you’ve done it, do you realise the full effectiveness of it (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

In hindsight, you don’t really realise until you’re analysing, what you do and how you do things (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

I’m reflecting back and thinking if I hadn’t gone on that course when I did, I may not have had that conversation I needed to have with that patient, and I would have been sitting here thinking, it’s too late now. I was really happy I’d addressed that (difficult) situation (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

I feel that my self-awareness and my understanding and skills have definitely improved since working on them and I’ve been examining and reflecting on my own behaviours (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

I came into the first session with a list of three things I wanted to work on and by the end of that session they had changed, so in my next action plan I had that updated to reflect what I actually wanted to work on (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

My thinking has changed, my working style has changed, I’ve had time to reflect on things, gauge where I’m going (INTERVENTION PARTICIPANT)

The model is a different way of approaching AL and reflexivity in a much stronger way (COACH)