Status: Article under review
Authors: Andreas Alt
DOI: to be allocated
Date submitted: 16/12/2022
Background: Vulnerabilities of physiotherapy, such as the question of uniqueness, sustainability, and internal conflicts of interest appear to slow the unleashing potential of physiotherapy for becoming a sustainable resource in the healthcare system. Aim: This work aims (1) to construct a thought model as an orientation tool for sustainable physiotherapy and (2) to evaluate for the first time its suitability as an orientation for sustainable physiotherapy.
Method: A hypothetical and narrative approach was applied to construct the Physio2Future model. A descriptive approach based on structured qualitative content analysis was used to obtain reflections from physiotherapists on the suitability of the model for sustainable physiotherapy. Interviews were conducted with 10 physiotherapists in a variety of positions.
Results: The hypothetical approach resulted in the construction of the model with 6 dimensions, and 21 variables assigned to the dimensions. The descriptive approach resulted in confirmations and innovations for changes by the interviewed physiotherapists. Autonomy and human-centeredness are interpreted by worries about enforcement. It was also advised to replace essential elements of the model. Conclusion: The Physio2Future model was perceived for the first time as a suitable orientation for sustainable physiotherapy. With the support of expert discussions, the model will be discussed more closely.
Keywords: Physiotherapy, sustainability, health for future, conscientious physiotherapy, environmental health
Read: Is the physio2future model suitable as an orientation for sustainable physiotherapy?
Status: Article accepted
Authors: Sophie Buckley, Louise Fazakarley, Mel Hughes
DOI: 10.14426/opj/asb20230109
Date submitted: 27/06/2022
Date accepted: 09/01/2023
Introduction This report is the third in a series of research reports (see reports one and two) critically reflecting on the involvement of people with lived experience in a UK based physiotherapy degree programme. The goal of all three reports has been to challenge the lack of empirical evidence base for involvement in physiotherapy education. …
Continue reading “Involving people with lived experience in physiotherapy education – Research report three: Developing equal partnerships”
Read: Involving people with lived experience in physiotherapy education – Research report three: Developing equal partnerships
Status: Article accepted
Authors: Tom Easterbrook, Emma Blackman, Kathryn Collins, Mel Hughes
DOI: 10.14426/opj/ate20230119
Date submitted: 27/06/2022
Date accepted: 09/01/2023
Introduction This report is part of a series of case reports critically reflecting on the involvement of people with lived experience in a UK based physiotherapy degree programme (see reports one and three). An initial scoping review of the literature (Jury, Mohan and Hughes 2022) found only two papers (Thomson and Hilton 2011, 2013) exploring …
Continue reading “Involving people with lived experience in physiotherapy education – Research report two: Harnessing the expertise of people with lived experience”
Read: Involving people with lived experience in physiotherapy education – Research report two: Harnessing the expertise of people with lived experience
Status: Article accepted
Authors: Rachel Jury, Vikram Mohan, Mel Hughes
DOI: 10.14426/opj/a20230119
Date submitted: 27/06/2022
Date accepted: 09/01/2023
In September 2014, the physiotherapy regulator for England and Wales (Health and Care Professions Council) introduced an education and training standard requiring service user and carer involvement in all approved programmes (HCPC 2018) including physiotherapy. Despite this, a scoping literature search on the involvement of people with lived experience in physiotherapy education and training returned only two results (Thomson and Hilton 2011, 2013), both of which pre-date the regulatory requirement. This means that there is no documented scientific literature on a client's lived experience involvement in a physiotherapy course since the introduction of this standard.
Read: Involving people with lived experience in physiotherapy education – Research report one: Reflecting together to enhance teaching outcomes
Status: Article accepted
Authors: Okayama Y, RPT, PhD, and Daikuya S, RPT, PhD
DOI: 10.14426/opj/a20230214
Date submitted: 05/04/2022
Date accepted: 14/02/2023
In Japan, physiotherapist is quantified ‘experienced’ as someone with sufficient time in the field, regardless of their level, efficacy or quality of training. However, this definition is insufficient in establishing quality and uniformity among physiotherapists in Japan. The purpose of this study is to establish groundwork for standardization in education and evaluation. Therefore, it was to clarify physiotherapy skills by means of a Weight Shifting (WS) practical assessment. Participants of this study were 10 physiotherapists from 2 institutions. The WS was repeated 3 times on a simulated patient. The ground reaction force (GRF) of the simulated patient was recorded during the task. The ratio of the center of pressure (COP) displacement was calculated by dividing COP displacement by the distance between the center of pressure of both feet of the simulated patient to normalize. Correlational statistical analysis was used to confirm whether years of experience changes the degree of WS. The obtained data was compared between their institutions. The results of this study confirm that the correlation between the data obtained and years of therapists’ experience is weak or absent. There were significant differences between each institution’s ratios for COP displacement as well as the maximum GRF. It was considered that years of therapists’ experience does not necessarily correlate with physiotherapy skill, especially if they have 6 or more years of experience. Greater differences were observed between institutions with regards to the characteristics of physiotherapy skill.
Read: Physiotherapy skills in the difference of years of therapists’ experience and affiliations
Status: Article accepted
Authors: Issakainen M, Mustonen H, Kuisma R
DOI: 10.14426/opj/a20220609
Date submitted: 06/10/2021
Date accepted: 09/06/2022
Background: Physical activity is important for health and well-being for all ages. The recommendation for children and adolescents is at least 60 minutes moderate- to vigorous- intensity physical activity daily and two thirds of Finnish children achieve these recommendations. Schools have an important role in children’s physical activity and physiotherapists as experts in motor development, movement and mobility could contribute largely in this respect to children's health and wellbeing in school healthcare system. This article describes, how school physiotherapy was developed and organized in North Karelia in cooperation with Karelia University of Applied Sciences (Karelia), schools in the Joensuu region and the Siun sote- Joint municipal authority for North Karelia social and health services. Aim: The aim of the pilot project was to promote the health, well-being, and functional capacity of children and adolescent. The purpose of the school physiotherapy pilot was to build a school physiotherapy model for schools in the North Karelia region. Discussion: School physiotherapy pilot was perceived necessary for improving pupils participation on health promoting physical activity. Because of the positive experiences of the pilot project, it is recommended that physiotherapy should be included in the school health services to promote the health and well-being of school aged children and adolescents.
Read: Physiotherapy students promoting health and well-being of school-aged children and adolescents in North Karelia, Finland
Status: Article accepted
Authors: John JN, Asogwa JA, Okezue OC, John DO, Mgbeojedo UG, Ezeukwu AO
DOI: 10.14426/opj/a20220428
Date submitted: 05/07/2021
Date accepted: 28/04/2022
Background: Feedback from students regarding their clinical learning environment and clinicians teaching attributes should be evaluated regularly to monitor students' learning experiences, which can affect learning outcomes, the readiness for professional practice, and the level of satisfaction with the profession. Differences may exist in this feedback from students based on their institution, level of study, and characteristics of the clinicians. Aim: To evaluate physiotherapy students’ perception of their clinical learning environment and clinicians’ teaching attributes. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilised 258 participants from two academic institutions, which offer physiotherapy training in southeast Nigeria. A self-structured questionnaire, the McGill Clinical Teacher Evaluation tool (MCGill CTE) and the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) were used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used to present the mean scores obtained on the DREEM questionnaire and McGill CTE tool. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the difference in the students’ perception of their clinical learning environment and clinicians' teaching attributes based on their institution of learning and level of study. In addition, the Mann-Whitney U test also determined the difference in the students' perception of their clinicians teaching attributes based on the clinicians' gender, while the Kruskal Wallis test determined the difference in the students' perception of their clinician's teaching attributes based on their last clinical posting unit and the highest educational level of the clinicians. Results: The students perceived their learning environment to be “more positive than negative”. The highest-rated domain in the DREEM questionnaire was "perception of learning", while the lowest was "social perception". The highest-rated attribute for clinicians in the McGill CTE tool was "clinical interest in helping students to learn", while the lowest was "emphasises concept rather than factual recall". A significant difference was observed in the students rating of their clinical learning environment based on their institution and level of study. Conclusion: There is a need for regular evaluation of students' perception of their clinicians’ teaching attributes and the clinical learning environment to ensure the desired learning outcomes are attained and that students are ready for professional practice after training.
Read: Physiotherapy students’ perception of their clinical learning environment and clinician teaching attributes in Nigeria
Status: Article accepted
Authors: Forbes R, Toloui-Wallace J
DOI: 10.14426/opj/a20220202
Date submitted: 25/02/2021
Date accepted: 02/02/2022
Background: Diagnostic uncertainty in musculoskeletal pain presents as a frequent and challenging dilemma encountered by physiotherapists. Current literature indicates that diagnostic uncertainty impacts the clinical decision making of experienced and new graduate physiotherapists, highlighting a need for training and support in this space. Aim: This paper outlines considerations for diagnostic uncertainty in the management of musculoskeletal pain. It outlines five key strategies to help student and novice physiotherapists experiencing and navigating diagnostic uncertainty when managing individuals with musculoskeletal pain. These strategies include looking critically at diagnostic certainty; recognising and normalising uncertainty; utilising direct practice and authentic experiences, and Balint groups as a strategy for sharing. Conclusion: New graduate physiotherapists frequently experience diagnostic uncertainty in the management of musculoskeletal pain. There is a need to focus on acknowledging and managing diagnostic uncertainty in physiotherapy education and workplace support to address the ethical and emotional reactions associated with uncertainty. Physiotherapy educators and professionals can lead by example, acknowledging and sharing uncertainty and exploring this with students.
Read: Diagnostic uncertainty in musculoskeletal pain: Implications for physiotherapy education
Status: Article under review
Authors: SD Perumal
DOI: To be allocated
Date submitted: 12/11/2020
In modern education, flipped-blended learning has gained popularity around the globe. However, pedagogical inquiry of what we teach, where we teach, how and how much we blend in face to face (F2F) and online teaching is focused on the account of instructors (lecturer) designing new models of flipped-blended learning at undergraduate physiotherapy courses. This article describes a case report that illustrates why TBL and how hybrid TBL can be used to help undergraduate physiotherapy students (year 2) to understand and improve their ‘4Cs’ - Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity in a cardio-respiratory disease management topic. This case report intends to answer one big question “Is H-TBL a way forward for 21st-century learning?”
Read: A way forward: Teaching lens for embedding 4C’s in 21st century learning for future Physiotherapy Graduates Education
Status: Article under review
Authors: Shah AV, Naik PH, Parmar KK
DOI: to be allocated
Date submitted: 09/10/2020
Background: Technology has advanced significantly within the past decade and along with that has come the ability to use a variety of devices for academic purposes. While this can make accessing information much easier and allow for new organizational methods, it can also provide the opportunity for more distractions. Sleep is fundamental to optimal functioning including health and behaviour. This paper describes the interrelations between screen use, sleep and academic performance.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore technology use and its impact on sleep and academics in physiotherapy students in this pandemic lockdown. How the increased screen media usage and the uncertainty of the situation has an impact on their academic performance. We examined how this distraction potential can play a role in studying experiences and academic performance.
Methods: A representative sample of 150 Physiotherapy students were surveyed to quantify technology use, sleep pattern, mental health and academic performance. Results: 73.3% of the population agreed that screen time did affect their sleeping pattern in the lockdown, 84.7% of the students conveyed that they could not perform study related activities optimally as per their academic capacity. 56.7% of the population also agreed that excessive screen time hindered their ability to perform academically well.
Results: A total number of 150 completed forms were analysed. This study sample is representative of students from all academic years from I B.P.Th, to IV B. P. Th. and interns and postgraduate students with majority being from the II B.P.Th. The age of the participants was 20.15 ± 1.46 years (mean ± SD) and 92% were females. Analysis showed significant increase in screen time use in the time of COVID-19 and its impact on academic performance, sleep, mental and general health in Physiotherapy students.
Conclusion: This study provides preliminary insights into excessive screen time and its association with academic performance in Physiotherapy students.
Read: Rethinking screen time during COVID-19: Impact on sleep and academic performance in physiotherapy students