From fixer to facilitator: an interpretative phenomenological study of diabetes person-centred counselling and empowerment-based education [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]

Abstract

Background The purpose of this study is to explore the professional and personal experiences of multidisciplinary healthcare professionals during and following diabetes counselling and empowerment-based education. Methods Everyone who had participated in a diabetes counselling and empowerment course between 2008-2016 was invited to respond to an online survey and follow-up telephone interview if willing. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The research team used interpretative phenomenology to identify core themes from both the survey and telephone interviews and which captured the impact of empowerment-based education. Results 22 doctors, nurses, dieticians, and psychologists completed an online questionnaire. 10 subsequently took part in telephone interviews. Empowerment-based education changed them from fixers to facilitators. Their transformation included a sense of becoming authentic, ‘being the way I want to be’ in clinical practice and becoming more self-reflective. This affected them personally as well as reinvigorating them professionally. Conclusions The participants described a personal and professional journey of transformation that included discovering their person-centred philosophy. They adopted a consultation structure that empowered people with diabetes to care for themselves. It can be speculated that participants’ experience of transformation may also guard against professional burnout.

Keywords

• Person-centred approach
• health professional education
• counselling
• facilitation
• qualitative research
• empowerment education
• eng