Physiotherapy students are underprepared to work with people living with dementia: a qualitative study

Abstract

ObjectivesTo 1) explore physiotherapy students’ experience in caring for people with dementia; 2) develop a rich understanding of their perceived preparedness to work with people with dementia upon graduation; and 3) identify opportunities to improve dementia education from the perspectives of students. DesignA qualitative study comprised of semi-structured interviews via web conferencing software. Thematic analysis was undertaken, with themes/subthemes derived and a qualitative framework generated. SettingThree Victorian Universities in Australia. ParticipantsPhysiotherapy students of entry-to-professional practice education programs (n = 17; mean age 23.7 years, 65% female), having completed at least 15 weeks of clinical placements. ResultsThe overarching theme was that students’ experience of providing care for people with dementia was variable. The three sub-themes were: 1) students experience significant challenges when working with people with dementia, 2) students experience a range of emotions when working with people with dementia, and 3) the quality of dementia learning experiences during entry-to-professional practice training is mostly inadequate. Students described the importance of the supervisor during clinical placements, and suggested incorporating ‘real-life’ scenario training in the classroom to assist them learn to manage the challenging symptoms of dementia. ConclusionPhysiotherapy students believe that entry-to-practice dementia education is insufficient. These findings have important implications for the future planning and delivery of physiotherapy dementia education. Contribution of the Paper•This paper provides evidence that physiotherapy students found their experiences in providing care for people with dementia was variable.•Students highlighted the importance of the clinical placement supervisor in their experiences.•Students suggested incorporating ‘real-life’ scenario training into their education to improve preparedness.