Physical Therapy Degree Research Articles

An Innovative Approach for Online Neuroanatomy and Neurorrehabilitation Teaching Based on 3D Virtual Anatomical Models Using Leap Motion Controller During COVID-19 Pandemic.

After the World Health Organization had declared a pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on March 11, 2020 many governments, including the Government of Spain, declared the state of alarm enforcing a quarantine that have left millions of students confined to their homes. This home confinement has affected students of all levels, including university students, and has forced faculties to adapt online teaching strategies. Thus, traditional classroom face-to-face teaching has suddenly been replaced by online classes. This has revealed particularly challenging for medical courses. For such purpose we have designed an online teaching proposal addressed to the Degree in Physiotherapy and the Double Degree in Nursing and Physiotherapy of the University of Jaén (Spain). The objective is to implement an online virtual teaching protocol through the use of Virtual Reality. For such a goal, the Leap Motion Controller (LMC) will be used to teach the neuroanatomy of the brain and spinal cord and to teach and practice neurorehabilitation exercises. Along with devices like the LMC students will be asked to use Health Sciences databases in order to achieve a significative learning of the course topics. The project is structured in two phases. First, students will learn neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of the most relevant neurological conditions using LMC-based models. Then, they will learn to combine LMC games and conventional physiotherapy for neurorehabilitation purposes. The work of students will include the recording of videoreports demonstrating the acquisition of neuroanatomy concepts and simulating a clinical case. With this project we will assess the usability of LMC as an educative tool, the perception, satisfaction and self-regulated learning of physiotherapy students.

What emotions do physical therapy students feel during their first visit to the dissection room?

Dissections are a fundamental practical methodology for teaching human anatomy. However, this experience can be stressful, generating anxiety situations among students. This study tries to understand the attitudes, reactions, fears and anxiety state among students earning a physiotherapy degree when facing their first prosection. A cross-sectional before-and-after study was carried out with students who were provided with an anonymous “ad hoc” questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).The values obtained from the total STAI questionnaire remained stable and unchanged during the prosection (p>0.05). The levels of trait anxiety (TA) and state anxiety (SA) remained stable except in female students, who showed higher TA and SA scores, with a significance of p<0.05 before and after the prosection. Although 100% of the students were satisfied with the dissection practices, the experience can provoke stressful responses and should be addressed using coping mechanisms, especially among female students

A Comparison of Instructional Methods on Clinical Reasoning in Entry-Level Physical Therapy Students: A Pilot Study

Introduction. The primary aim of this study was to provide a comparison of the effects of 2 commonly used pedagogical approaches (paper-based case studies vs authentic patient experiences) on clinical reasoning and critical thinking of second-year entry-level physical therapy students. Current literature reveals a lack of consistency in how clinical reasoning is taught and assessed in physical therapist education. There is a need for evidence-based approaches to develop clinical reasoning in entry-level physical therapy students in the United States. Subjects. Twenty-three students in their second year of a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree program participated in this study. Methods. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group or to receive 1 of 2 supplemental learning activities (paper-based case studies or authentic patient experiences). Outcomes measured preintervention and postintervention included the Health Science Reasoning Test with Numeracy (HSRT-N) and the Self-Assessment of Clinical Reasoning and Reflection (SACRR). Data analysis included a comparison of effect sizes of change scores between groups and correlational analysis of pretest scores and student factors. Results. Authentic patient experiences demonstrated a moderate to large effect size for improved HSRT-N scores on 5 of 8 subscales, compared with paper-based case studies. Authentic patient experiences demonstrated a moderate effect size for improved SACRR scores compared with the control group. Discussion and Conclusion. The use of authentic patient experiences may be more effective than paper-based case studies for improving critical thinking and clinical reasoning in an entry-level DPT curriculum.

Factors influencing student choice of a degree in physiotherapy: a population-based study in Catalonia (Spain).

BackgroundIn other healthcare professions, there has been extensive research into students’ motivation, but studies aiming to determine what leads individuals to choose a degree in physiotherapy are scarce. This research study had three main objectives: to obtain a sociodemographic profile of first-year physiotherapy students in Catalonia; to determine the factors that lead individuals to choose a degree in physiotherapy; and to determine potential differences, according to gender and country of origin.MethodsThis is an observational, cross-sectional, multicentre study. Data were collected by means of a self-administered, ad-hoc questionnaire, consisting of 15 Likert scale questions, options ranging from “not influencing at all -1-” to “extremely influencing -5-”. Ten out of the twelve universities in Catalonia (Spain) that offer a degree in physiotherapy participated in this study. The sample consisted of 941 first-year physiotherapy students (55.2% men; mean age 20.1, SD: 3.4).ResultsThe most determinant factors leading individuals to pursue a degree in physiotherapy were: helping others (95.6%); the relationship between physiotherapy and sports (79%); physiotherapy involving manual work (76.4%); and it being perceived as providing multiple job opportunities (75.9%). Male and French students were attracted due to its relation to sports (MD = 0.369, p < 0.001 and MD = 0.130, p < 0.027), perception of it being an easy degree (MD = 0.148, p < 0.001 and MD = 0.091, p < 0.037), admiration for a known physiotherapist (MD = 0.223, p = 0.006 and MD = 0.265, p = 0.001), employability (MD = 0.297, p < 0.001 and MD = 0.706, p < 0.001), good income (MD = 0.190, p = 0.002 and MD = 0.609, p < 0.001) and social recognition (MD = 0.164, p = 0.011 and MD = 0.286, p < 0.001). Helping others (MD = −0.149, p < 0.001) and interest in the sciences (MD = −0.164, p = 0.030) were more determinant for female students. Male students were more guided by recommendation (MD = 0.234, p = 0.001) and to complement previous studies (MD = 0.237, p = 0.016). French students tended to present more interest in the selection of physiotherapy as a wish since childhood (MD = 0.595, p < 0.001), due to its multiple job opportunities (MD = 0.427, p < 0.001) and because of manual work, and did not choose it to complement previous studies (MD = −1.122, p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe desire to help and care for others, the relation to sports, and involving manual work are the predominant factors that lead students to pursue a degree in physiotherapy. Female students favour helping others and science, whereas male students favour its relation to sports, complementing studies, social factors (admiration, recommendation, friendship) and socioeconomic determinants such as employability, good income or social recognition. When compared to Spanish students, French students were more motivated by its connection to sports, social and socioeconomic factors and some vocational determinants such as being a wish since childhood and interest in a manual profession.

Professional competences of the physiotherapists in the field of mental health in Portugal: a questionnaire based survey

Introduction In 2001 the World Health Organisation made the following statement: "the Mental Health – neglected for far too long – is crucial to the overall well-being of individuals, societies and countries" [1]. In Portugal, the focus on this issue arose in 2017 when a national program for Mental Health was created stating that "people are living more years, but with disabilities on the area of Mental Health, which implies an overload for society" [2]. Currently, the importance of the role that Physiotherapy has in this field is demonstrated by the World Physiotherapy Day 2018 campaign held by World Confederation of Physical Therapy, which was centred on the theme "Physiotherapy and Mental Health" [3]. The role of the Physiotherapist in Mental Health aims to promote the welfare and autonomy of people with physical dysfunctions associated with mental diseases and use physical stimuli to influence Mental Health [4]. The purpose of this study is to characterise the professional profile of the Physiotherapists working in Portugal in the field of Mental Health. Materials and methods This is questionnaire online-based survey. An online questionnaire was sent to institutions, hospitals, centres where official records showed physiotherapists working in the field of Mental Health. The questionnaire was divided in 2 parts: socio-demographic information and questions related to Mental Health practice and training. The questionnaire was answered by 18 physiotherapists, which had an average age of 38 years (±10.4) and 94% were female (n = 17). All the participants gave their informed consent. Results All the respondents have at least 3 years of continuous work in Mental Health field and 50% (n = 9) of them have experience for more than 5 years. Physiotherapists intervene daily with a minimum of 3 patients and 56% (n = 10) of them work within a multi-professional team. Concerning education, 78% (n = 14) of the physiotherapists stated that the theme of Mental Health was insufficiently addresses during the bachelor degree. More than 70% (n = 12) of the physiotherapists declared that have none or a little support to their clinical practice concerning training, guidelines. Discussion and conclusions Training in mental health during bachelor is insufficient and coincident with the information provided by the coordinators of the 19 physiotherapy degrees in Portugal. The recommendations collected in the questionnaire, highlight the main aspects that should be addressed within the mental health theme in the basic training of physiotherapists. Moreover, the physiotherapists working in the field report urgent needs of formation.

The role of psychological variables in improving resilience: Comparison of an online intervention with a face-to-face intervention. A randomised controlled clinical trial in students of health sciences

BackgroundMost studies on improving resilience lack representative samples and pre- and post-intervention assessments. Results regarding the effectiveness of online interventions versus face-to-face interventions are mixed. ObjectivesTo evaluate the effectiveness of online and face-to-face programmes for the improvement of coping strategies to develop resilience to stressful situations, and to assess their relationship with personality traits, mood, and academic stressors. DesignRandomised controlled clinical trial. Three-armed parallel design. Participants245 students of the Nursing and Physical Therapy Degree. MethodsStudents were randomly assigned to the control group (CG), intervention group 1 (IG-1, face-to-face) or intervention group 2 (IG-2, online). They were assessed after the intervention with the following instruments: the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Academic Stressors Scale, the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the NEO-FFI scale. ResultsNegative affect was higher in IG-1 (p = 0.12). The greatest stressors were methodological deficiencies of the teaching staff, academic overload, and beliefs about academic performance. The most widely used coping strategies were “Active Problem-Focused Coping” and “Seeking Social Support”. There were differences between IG-1 and IG-2 only regarding “Focus on and Venting of Emotions” (p = 0.086). On the Resilience scale, “Persistence, Tenacity, and Self-Efficacy” was higher in the CG, and there were differences with IG-1 (p = 0.06). With respect to the traits measured by the NEO-FFI questionnaire, higher levels of emotional instability (neuroticism) were observed in IG-1 than in the CG (p = 0.06). ConclusionsThe results of both interventions are similar, with increased self-awareness of negative personality traits, which is useful for those ignoring their areas for improvement. In addition, these factors are further increased in individuals with high levels of neuroticism and low levels of extraversion. The online intervention was as effective as the face-to-face intervention.

Attitudes towards learning professional ethics in undergraduate physiotherapy students: A STROBE compliant cross-sectional study

BackgroundEthics is a key competence to be acquired by physiotherapy students to ensure quality care. However, students may not be aware of the importance of ethics for the development of their clinical practice, in the same way that their attitudes towards Professional Ethics are unknown within their curriculum. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to identify the attitudes towards learning Professional Ethics among undergraduate students of Physiotherapy Degree and compare the attitude between the educational years. DesignA cross-sectional study was carried out.Settings.Physiotherapy Degree at the University of Valencia, Spain. ParticipantsIn the study 340 physiotherapy students participated. MethodsThis was a quantitative study with a cross-sectional observational design. The students of the different years of the Physiotherapy Degree had to complete the Attitudes Questionnaire towards Professional Ethics in Physiotherapy in order to analyse the study objective. ResultsThe four educational years' scored 3.80 or more in the questionnaire. Second-year students scored the highest (4.25 ± 0.35) and had significantly more favourable attitudes towards learning ethics in relation to the rest of the years (p = 0.007 vs. first; p < 0.001 vs. third and fourth). First-year students (4.09 ± 0.37) obtained a significantly higher score than third (3.86 ± 0.35) and fourth years (3.80 ± 0.33) with p < 0.001 vs. both third and fourth. Finally, in relation to the 3 categories of the items' questionnaire the mean scores showed significant differences between the second year and the rest of the years. ConclusionsThe attitudes towards learning Professional Ethics among students of the Physiotherapy Degree at the university is favourable, although it varies depending on the academic year, with the students in the academic year in which Ethics is taught (i.e. second year students) being the ones with better attitudes.

Knowledge and current practices of Nigerian physiotherapists on the physical activity and exercise training in the rehabilitation of patients with asthma

Objectives The study aimed to determine the knowledge and current practices of Nigerian physiotherapists on the physical activity and exercise training in the rehabilitation of patients with asthma and to determine if any difference exists between novice and expert professionals. Methods This was designed as a cross-sectional study. A total of 311 practicing physiotherapists in Nigeria participated in the study. An electronic questionnaire comprising 34 semi-structured questions with three domains; personal information, knowledge, and current practices, was used to collect data throughout 4-months. Data were analyzed using a pragmatist paradigm. Results Out of the physiotherapists, 51.8% (n = 161) had postgraduate degrees, 46.9% (n = 146) had bachelor’s degrees, and 1.3% (n = 4) had a doctor of physiotherapy degrees. The result also indicates that 45.3% (n = 141) of the physiotherapists had insufficient knowledge about asthma, and 39.5% (n = 123) were not using current clinical practice in the rehabilitation of patients with asthma. The results also indicate that expert physiotherapist has more knowledge and also uses current practices when compared to novice physiotherapist. Conclusions Even though expert physiotherapists have better knowledge and current practices when compared to the novice physiotherapists, the overall outcomes indicate that Nigerian physiotherapists had insufficient knowledge about asthma and were not using current clinical practice in the rehabilitation of patients with asthma.

Determining the Lifetime Return on Investment of a Career in Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy – An Educational and Financial Analysis

Background: In the United States, student loan debt has been a subject for national and political discussion. Professional associations have expressed concern and taken action in ways to combat high levels of student loan debt. What has not been discussed is the lifetime earnings, debt, and retirement (or loss thereof) which would produce an overall lifetime return on investment (ROI) for the graduate and associate’s degree levels of careers in physical therapy and occupational therapy. Method: A literature review on student loan debt in the United States was performed. Specifically, statistics were obtained from various sources relative to the fields of physical and occupational therapy. Salaries and salary projections were obtained for both graduate and associate’s/technical degree levels in physical and occupational therapy. Data was calculated to obtain overall cost of education (tuition plus debt-based interest), lifetime earnings of salary, and available retirement contributions when replacing contributions with potential loan repayment. Results: Literature review showed that while value can only be determined subjectively, current career projections and cost of education for obtaining graduate degrees in physical and occupational therapy have an overall negative return on investment in relation to lifetime earnings. By comparison, the associate’s degree level of training provides for a relatively high lifetime earning and high return on investment when factoring in a debt-to-income ratio and lifetime potential retirement earnings. Conclusion: Value can only be determined by the one pursuing a degree or career goal. However, numeric and financial data shows that the lifetime earnings and overall investment in a graduate career in physical therapy and occupational therapy is negative when compared to the associate’s degree level. Limitations: Limitations of this review are the lack of consideration of loan forgiveness, as well as grant funding from research groups, Pell grants, and other methods of loan payment or repayment. Also not taken into account for these calculations are the career burnout rates for physical and occupational therapy professionals.

An Audit of the Use of Simulation in Australian and New Zealand Physiotherapy Curricula

Purpose: The aim of this exploratory research was to investigate the use of simulation in physiotherapy curricula across Australia and New Zealand. The key areas of focus were whether simulation was being used, the forms of simulation used for training and assessment, evidence for educational simulation practices, and the enablers and barriers to implementing simulation into the curricula. Method: All Australian and New Zealand Universities offering a physiotherapy degree were invited to participate in an electronic survey. As no pre-existing tool was available to answer the aims of the study, a custom designed survey was developed. The survey was pilot tested on three physiotherapy academics to limit ambiguity and ensure the questions directly related to the purpose of the study. An introductory invitation was circulated via the Council of Physiotherapy Deans Australia and New Zealand. Open and closed ended questions were analyzed following a sequential explanatory strategy. Results: Fourteen (14) of the possible 22 universities (64%) responded, with all indicating that they use simulation for training or assessment and many using it for both. All core areas of clinical practice were represented, as were low to high-fidelity forms of simulation. Role play (77%), low/medium fidelity manikins (77%), and standardized patients (62%) were the most frequently used for training. Role play (73%), standardized patients (45%), objective structured clinical examinations (45%), and low/medium fidelity manikins (37%) were the most frequently used modalities for assessment. The key enablers appear to be availability of equipment, academic support, growing evidence for its use, safety, and positive student experiences. The key barriers appear to be time, cost, and access to trained staff and equipment. Conclusions: Academics across Australia and New Zealand described simulation practices for both training and assessing physiotherapy students. Academics were able to identify a limited but expanding evidence-base for simulation, more strongly focused on training than simulation-based assessments. Recommendations: Further research may justify increased investment of time, money, resources, and training in different simulation modalities.

The Toll of Student Debt: Stress Among Health Professions Students and the Promising Role of Financial Self-Efficacy on Career Choices

Introduction. As the cost of higher education rises, the debt associated with degree attainment also increases, including that of the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Research suggests that a relationship between financial debt and postprofessional career aspirations may exist, and financial self-efficacy could attenuate debt-related stress. These relationships have not been studied in the health professions outside of medicine. Methods. A total of 139 participants among 6 health professions programs housed in one public, academic medical center were surveyed. Surveys administered to participants provided Likert scale data for a multiple regression analysis. Results. Eighty-one percent of students reported having a medium, large, or extreme amount of stress from the total amount of debt they are accruing. More than 70% of student responses indicated that the amount of student loan debt they expect to accumulate will influence their posttraining career selection to some extent. The regression model indicated some predictive ability of stress from student debt. Two of the covariates, self-efficacy and career selection, were statistically significant. Self-efficacy accounted for 36% of the variance explained in students' self-reported stress from debt by itself. Students' career selection and stress were strongly associated, with career selection explaining 85% of the variance explained in students' self-reported stress by itself. Discussion. Health professions students in a public academic medical center had a “medium amount” of stress, on average, from financial debt. Stress was associated with the amount of student loans students expect to accrue and their financial self-efficacy. Students also appeared to base their postprofessional career aspirations, at least in part, on the stress they experienced from financial debt. Financial self-efficacy appears to be a promising moderator for debt-related stress. Conclusion. Stress appears to be associated with higher student loan debt, but financial self-efficacy may moderate this trend. Level of Evidence. IV, Cross-sectional descriptive survey design. What Is Known About the Subject? Costs of physical therapy programs continue to rise, requiring more physical therapy students to use loans to pay for their education. Other professions, including medicine, have noted that student loan debt can cause high amounts of stress and has the potential to influence career choices. What This Study Adds to the Existing Literature? Health professions students in one academic medical center appear to base their postprofessional career aspirations, at least in part based on the stress they experience from financial debt. Financial self-efficacy appears to attenuate the amount of stress students feel from student loan debt.

Rapid implementation and improvement of a virtual student placement model in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Practice-based learning via clinical placement is a core part of a physiotherapy degree with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy requiring completion of 1000 placement hours over a preregistration degree programme....

Attitude towards People with Disability of Nursing and Physiotherapy Students.

Background: Attitudes are a component of our behaviour. Health professionals should have a global perspective of disability. They must provide treatment to people with disability and care for them, but they also should accept them with no judgements or discrimination. The general objective of this study was to know the attitude towards people with disability of nursing and physiotherapy students at the University of Cadiz. Methods: This was a descriptive, correlational, transversal and synchronous study. A total of 200 students participated in the study (91 from the bachelor’s degree in nursing and 109 from the bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy). The ‘Attitudes towards people with disability scale’ was used. Results: The mean score for both groups of students was 157.05 (SD = 14.14). Conclusions: Attitudes towards disability of nursing and physiotherapy students at the University of Cadiz tend to be positive. However, this was considered not sufficient since they will be health professionals in the future.

Professional Doctorate in Clinical Exercise Physiology

Professional Doctorate in Clinical Exercise Physiology

In Memoriam: Susan E. Bennett (1955–2020)

It is impossible to fully capture the extraordinary life of Susan E. Bennett in a few paragraphs. For over 40 years, Sue dedicated her life to serving her patients, students, and the rehabilitation profession. After graduating with her physical therapy degree in 1977, Sue had an immediate fondness for treating patients with neurologic dysfunction and often spoke of the experience that sparked her interest in multiple sclerosis (MS). During a roundtable meeting, a person with MS challenged her by stating that physical therapists had “no idea how to treat” people with the disease. Sue took this message to heart and initiated one of the very first studies examining how exercise affects MS symptoms and quality of life. She always said “and guess what… they got better!” With the evidence to support her, Sue developed an MS wellness program in 1994 that still runs today!As her expertise in MS developed, Sue’s national presence in the field of neurologic rehabilitation increased as well. She was an accomplished professor and scholar who published impactful original research in major scientific journals. Sue was actively sought out as a highly regarded speaker both nationally and internationally. Her interest in MS eventually led her to take on multiple leadership positions within the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC). In 2004, Sue, along with other contributors, started the “Rehabilitation Research Interest Group,” which then blossomed into the International Organization of MS Rehabilitation Therapists (IOMSRT). By 2008 she was elected to the executive committee as Treasurer and assisted in the creation of the MS Rehabilitation Therapy Specialty Training in 2009. In 2010 she received the CMSC’s Labe Scheinberg Award for research most likely to impact care in MS. Sue went on to eventually be appointed to the position of President of the CMSC in 2012. In 2016 the CMSC awarded her with the Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes an individual whose decades-long commitment has driven significant advances in the care of people with MS. She was the first rehabilitation professional to have received this award.Her accolades are too vast to mention them all, and she would be the first one to gloss over them. Personally, Sue was dedicated to helping those in her community. For many years she celebrated Thanksgiving by making meals and delivering them to her homebound patients. In 2015, she founded a not-for-profit organization (The WNY Center for Neurologic Wellness) to support wellness services for individuals with neurologic conditions. She even spent time mentoring foster children. Sue loved to travel and socialize with friends, and she was an avid bike rider. She also had an incredibly caring heart for all animals, especially golden retrievers.From her first experience with physical therapy until her last weeks of life, Sue was dedicated to improving her patients’ lives, even while battling her own physical symptoms. Sue has touched the lives of and imparted her values of service, dedication, and empathy to many thousands of patients, students, friends, and health care providers. She was so much to so many people and will be profoundly missed.

Impact of guided self-study on learning success in undergraduate physiotherapy students – a study protocol for a randomized controlled feasibility trial

Background: Self-directed learning or self-determined learning can be used in guided self-study (GSS) as an educational method with the goal to promote changes in the knowledge and skills of undergraduate physiotherapy students in higher education. Until now, there has been a lack of empirical evidence for the usage of GSS in physiotherapy higher education. At the Division of Physiotherapy in the Department of Health Professions (Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), Switzerland) the module ‘basic examination’ – in the form of an objective structured examination (OSCE) and written exam – is scheduled in the first semester of the educational program.Objective: The primary aim of this study is to examine the feasibility of establishing GSS in an undergraduate physiotherapy degree program at the BFH. Secondary aim is to assess the effectiveness of GSS on the examination skills of first-semester undergraduate physiotherapy students will.Method: This paper describes the protocol of a randomized group-controlled educational feasibility study. 51 physiotherapy students from the first semester will be allocated into a guided self-study group (GSSG) or control group. The GSS takes place during the first semester, and consists of an eight-day cycle, with a presentation on the last day. Duration of this presentation is 90 min with supervision from a university lecturer. One week in advance of the presentation, the case and the learning goals are provided to the students electronically. The students prepare the cases in groups of five to six. The students are guided by the tutor during this preparation time. During a moderated plenum session, students present the results of group work and reflect upon the preparation phase and learning steps. Feasibility outcomes include the fidelity of implementation through exposure dosage, students’ responsiveness, program differentiation, and the degree of acceptability. Success criteria of feasibility are (1) exposure dosage as the number of 90-minute presentations that are conducted, and the content of cases and competences, (2) students’ responsiveness, with the aim of 100% willingness to participate, and (3) program differentiation, which will illustrate the alignment between GSS case content and the curriculum. Acceptability of intervention from the students’ perspective will be evaluated by a semi-structured interview. Secondary outcomes will be the achieved grades in the OSCE exams and written exams that demonstrate learning success.Conclusion: This feasibility study assesses the fidelity of implementation, the degree of acceptability and the effectiveness of GSS sessions on examination skills in undergraduate physiotherapy students at the BFH. Furthermore, this study will demonstrate whether guided self-study is feasible and can be implemented with fidelity in the BFH physiotherapy higher education curriculum.

Knowledge and current practices of physiotherapists on the physical activity and exercise in the rehabilitation of children with epileptic seizures

BackgroundPhysiotherapists play a key role in the rehabilitation of children with epileptic seizures. Regular physical exercise generates psychological and physiological benefits for people with epilepsy. DesignThis study was a cross-sectional design. PurposeThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and current practices of physiotherapists on the physical activity and exercise in the rehabilitation of children with epileptic seizures in Nigeria. MethodsPhysiotherapists with minimum bachelor's degrees were invited to participate in the study using an electronic questionnaire. The subjects (N = 117) answered a questionnaire comprising 33 simple closed-ended questions with three domains: personal information, knowledge, and current practices. ResultsOut of the 117 physiotherapists, 77.7% (n = 91) had postgraduate degrees, 16.2% (n = 19) had bachelor's degree in physiotherapy, and only 5.9% (n = 7) had Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). The results also indicated that 79.5% (n = 93) of physiotherapists had sufficient knowledge about epilepsy, and 86.3% (n = 101) of physiotherapists were using current skills/physical activity to rehabilitate children with epileptic seizures. ConclusionsIt was concluded that physiotherapists had sufficient knowledge about epilepsy and were using current skills/physical activity in the rehabilitation of children with epileptic seizures.

Training physiotherapists in primary care: reflections on teaching-service integration

Abstract Introduction: Teaching-service integration contributes to the quality training of healthcare professionals. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the relationship between practicing physiotherapists, teachers and students in physiotherapy training in primary care, from the perspective of the professionals. Method: This is a qualitative study that used a semi-structured interview for data collection and discourse analysis as a methodological framework to analyze the interviews. Interviewees were nineteen physiotherapists who work at basic health units (BHUs) in a large municipality in Paraná state, Brazil. Results: Only six of the nineteen physiotherapists receive or have received students in the workplace. Higher education institutions that offer degrees in physical therapy have yet to harness the full potential of practical physiotherapy training in primary care in the municipality studied. The professionals who received or have received students in the workplace highlighted shortcomings in teaching-service integration, such as the lack of collaboration with teachers in terms of planning and student assessment. Conclusion: There is a need for closer ties between managers, health care professionals, teachers and students in order to improve teaching-service integration and provide physiotherapy training that complies with curriculum guidelines and the principles and policies of the National Health System (SUS).

Is it possible to improve the involvement of students in the subject of Fundamentals of Physiotherapy of the Degree in Physiotherapy? Analysis through the application of a Classroom Improvement Cycle (CIMA)

Is it possible to improve the involvement of students in the subject of Fundamentals of Physiotherapy of the Degree in Physiotherapy? Analysis through the application of a Classroom Improvement Cycle (CIMA)

Responding to COVID-19: LUNEX University’s decisions and actions to continue physiotherapy education

In this report we reflect on the decision-making process and actions taken by a young higher education institution to the COVID-19 pandemic to continue teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapy degree programmes. LUNEX University is unique in that it is the only higher education institute in Luxembourg to provide education in physiotherapy. The response to the global pandemic is further complicated as the majority of students commute across international borders to attend campus. We have focused on three distinct challenges LUNEX staff faced to ensure continued and quality teaching was provided: 1) Response to the country-wide and global shutdown; 2) Return to campus; and 3) Provision of clinical placements. We describe the decisions and actions to rapidly move to a blended learning format, and the strategic approach to incorporating simulated practice after restrictions were eased and a return to campus was possible. Initial observation suggests improvement in student competency in practical skills as a result of the blended learning approach. Recommendations are provided to encourage the integration of blended learning for practical and clinical degree programmes, like physiotherapy, where an emphasis is placed on simulated practice in classroom settings, underpinned by prior theoretical knowledge delivered online.