How to give feedback

What is feedback?
Feedback is an essential part of education and training programmes. It helps learners to maximise their potential at different stages of training, raise their awareness of strengths and areas for improvement, and identify actions to be taken to improve performance.
Feedback can be seen as informal (for example in day−to−day encounters between teachers and students or trainees, between peers or between colleagues) or formal (for example as part of written or clinical assessment). However, ‘there is no sharp dividing line between assessment and teaching in the area of giving feedback on learning’
(Ramsden, 1992, p. 193). Feedback is part of the overall dialogue or interaction between teacher and learner, not a one−way communication.
If we don't give feedback what is the learner gaining, or indeed, assuming? They may think that everything is OK and that there are no areas for improvement. Learners value feedback, especially when it is given by someone credible who they respect as a role model or for their knowledge, attitudes or clinical competence. Failing to give feedback sends a non−verbal communication in itself and can lead to mixed messages and false assessment by the learner of their own abilities, as well as a lack of trust in the teacher or clinician.
Most clinicians already give feedback to students or trainees. This module offers some suggestions on how you can improve the feedback you give so that you are better able to help motivate and develop learners’ knowledge, skills and behaviours.
Why is feedback so important in healthcare education and training?
Feedback is important to the ongoing development of learners in healthcare settings. Many clinical situations involve the integration of knowledge, skills and behaviours in complex and often stressful environments with time and service pressures on both teacher and learner.
Feedback is central to developing learners' competence and