scholarly journals Influence that Service in a Pro Bono Clinic has on a First Full-Time Physical Therapy Clinical Education Experience

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daria Porretta ◽  
Jill Black ◽  
Kerstin Palombaro ◽  
Ellen Erdman
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Clinical Experience ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Clinical Instructors ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Education Experience ◽  
Pro Bono ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: Physical therapist education programs strive to prepare their students for full-time clinical experiences in a variety of ways. Experiential and service learning in authentic contexts reportedly help students make connections between the classroom and the clinic. The purpose of this study was to explore the influences that service in a physical therapy pro bono clinic has on a first full-time clinical education experience. Methods: Participants were all third year doctoral physical therapy students at Widener University who were entering their first full-time clinical education experience. Sixteen participants kept journals throughout their first full-time clinical experience regarding the impact of their previous pro bono experience. Upon completion of the 10-week full-time clinical experience, the sixteen participants answered a Likert-scale survey to further delineate the influence of the pro bono experience, and fifteen of the participants participated in focus group discussions to further explore themes that emerged from the journal and survey data. Data from the focus group and journals were analyzed qualitatively. The responses from the surveys provided quantitative data. In addition, the researchers looked at the Clinical Instructors (CI) midterm comments on the APTA’s Clinical Performance Instrument (APTA PT CPI WEB) to further corroborate or disconfirm the findings. Results: Triangulation of the data points revealed 9 categories of positive impact that the pro bono experience had on their first full-time clinical experience. The strongest three categories in order were client interaction, clinical instructor interaction, and professional communication. The next five categories were of relative equal strength and related to specifics areas of competency. They were competency in documentation, evaluation, intervention, clinical reasoning and cultural competency. A final overarching category was increased confidence. CI comments on the midterm CPI corroborated these findings. Participants also shared ways in which the pro bono experience could have better prepared them for their full-time clinical experience. Conclusions: Regular participation in a pro bono clinic throughout the didactic portion of the physical therapy curriculum contributed to student confidence and competence in their first full-time clinical experience. Future research should include interviews with the clinical instructors to further corroborate the student perceptions. The findings of this study also serve to inform how the pro bono clinical experience can be enhanced to further contribute positively to the students’ first full-time clinical experiences.

scholarly journals Investigating the Influence that Service in a Pro Bono Clinic has on a First Full-Time Clinical Education Experience from the Perspective of Students and their Clinical Instructors

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Erdman ◽  
Jill Black ◽  
Sandra Campbell ◽  
Tim Golder ◽  
Stephen Grazioli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Student Readiness ◽  
Education Experience ◽  
Interaction Interaction ◽  
Pro Bono ◽  
Data Points ◽  
Physical Therapy Programs

Purpose: Academic physical therapy programs strive to foster student readiness for full-time clinical education experiences in a variety of ways. This research looks at one program who has students participate in a student-run pro bono clinic for at least 60 hours prior to the first full-time clinic experience. The purpose of the study is to explore the influence that participation in this pro bono clinic has on a first full-time clinical education experience from the perspective of both the student and the clinical instructor (CI). Methods: Qualitative methodology was employed to gain the perspectives of 29 students and their respective CIs. Data collection included student journals and focus groups, and CI Likert-scale rankings and open-ended questions upon midterm calls. Data points were triangulated through iterative data analysis. Results: CIs rated students high in the eight categories that were triangulated to student data. The themes that were strongest among both students and Cis included comfort with client interaction, interaction with CIs, and cultural competency. Additional themes included documentation, interprofessional interaction, examination, clinical reasoning and intervention. An overarching theme was that students were well-prepared and functioning at high levels of competency for a first full-time clinical experience. Conclusions: Participation in a student-run pro bono clinic helps to facilitate student readiness for a first full-time clinical education experience according to both student perceptions and CI ratings.

scholarly journals Integrated Clinical Experiences in a Campus Onsite Clinic: A Self-Contained Model of Physical Therapy Clinical Education

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Physical Therapist ◽  
Clinical Performance ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Wellness Program ◽  
Academic Knowledge

Purpose: This paper describes a self-contained model of integrated clinical experiences (ICEs) that take place during the academic portion of an entry-level physical therapist education program in a campus onsite clinic. Description of Model: Students participate in ICEs for three consecutive semesters. Students provide pro bono physical therapy services to individuals with impairments, functional limitations, or changes in physical function resulting from a variety of health conditions. In addition, students participate in an exercise/wellness program for individuals who wish to improve or maintain their current levels of fitness. The first ICE consists of second-year students observing/assisting third-year students in the onsite clinic with basic patient care skills and participation in an exercise/wellness program. Students in the second and third ICEs provide ongoing one-on-one skilled therapy for individuals with neurological or musculoskeletal diagnoses. Results: Feedback obtained from onsite clinical instructors, core academic faculty, students, and patients receiving care in the onsite clinic through group debriefings, questionnaires, and interviews is used to assess students’ readiness for full-time internships and effectiveness of the ICEs. The feedback reveals that the ICEs are meeting their intended goals. Category ratings in the “red flag” areas of the Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI) are consistently above expected levels for students completing their first full-time clinical internship. In addition, patients receiving care in the onsite clinic report a high level of satisfaction with the care provided. Conclusion/Possible Recommendations: This model provides students with an opportunity to gain clinical confidence in a realistic setting while reinforcing concepts presented in academic coursework. Providing ICEs on campus decreases reliance on clinical facilities and allows for academic program oversight of the quality of the learning experiences and early identification of students who have deficits in clinical skills and/or academic knowledge. The learning experiences provided in the onsite clinic give students a transitional experience that helps them benefit more fully from full-time internships. A potential challenge to this model is finding the space and financial resources needed to make it viable.

Exploring the experiences of novice clinical instructors in physical therapy clinical education: a phenomenological study

Physiotherapy ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 349-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.H. Greenfield ◽  
P.H. Bridges ◽  
T.A. Phillips ◽  
A.N. Drill ◽  
C.D. Gaydosik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Clinical Instructors

scholarly journals Student mental health and clinical education: exploring the DCE experience

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bridget R. Eubanks ◽  
Chad Cook ◽  
Katherine Myers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Experience ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Physical Therapist ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Student Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Concern ◽  
Mental Health Challenges

Purpose: There is a potential link between the clinical education phase of a physical therapist’s education and increased incidence of student mental health challenges. The Director of Clinical Education (DCE) has a complex role in supporting students and clinical sites during clinical education experiences (CEEs.) The purposes of this study were to explore DCE’s experiences and perceptions with supporting students with mental health challenges during CEEs. Methods: Two-hundred-twenty DCEs from accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy programs were invited to participate in an electronic survey. Survey questions included demographics, institutional and curricular characteristics, and current perceptions/experiences with student mental health challenges. DCEs (n = 106; 48.2%) responded and were included in the analyses. Analyses included descriptive statistics, simple frequencies, and binary logistic regression. Incident coding processes analyzed responses of open-ended questions. Results: Seventy-four percent of respondents indicated awareness of a student(s) experiencing a mental health concern during a full-time clinical experience in the past 3 years. Regression analyses showed that length of terminal clinical experience, out-of-state placement, cohort size, and availability of online/video counseling were related to prevalence of DCE’s experience. Forty-six percent of DCEs indicated feeling prepared to deal with these issues, while 35% were ‘unsure’. DCEs indicated experience, training, and workload support as contributors to successfully supporting students. Conclusion: Results contribute to the emerging understanding of the prevalence of student mental health challenges in physical therapist education from the DCE’s perspective. Our findings suggest that institutional and curricular characteristics are potential contributors to the prevalence of this issue. We recommend training and institutional support for the DCE in these situations.

scholarly journals Virtual clinical activities: Lessons learned with first semester nursing students

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Krysia Warren Hudson ◽  
Sandra Marie Swoboda ◽  
Mishiko Redd ◽  
Melissa Diane Hunter ◽  
Nancy Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Students ◽  
Clinical Experience ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Nursing Student ◽  
Student Nurses ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Schools Of Nursing ◽  
The Impact

Background and purpose: As COVID 19 impacted schools of nursing, the impact of clinical training was immediate. Students were removed from clinical sites but clinical training was necessary to continue the education of nursing students at all levels. Select virtual clinical experiences were substituted for in person clinical experience to reinforce foundational nursing skills.Results: Implementing virtual clinical activities proved to be a challenge for schools of nursing. Finding, structuring and managing activities that foster key foundational concepts for novice student nurses is imperative.Conclusions: Management of virtual clinical activities, via a SIM Center, is key in providing foundational experiences via simulation for the novice nursing student. Substituting structured virtual clinical days, with expert clinical debriefing, can provide an adequate clinical experience.

scholarly journals A Mandala: A Diagram of the Clinical Education Experience in Athletic Training

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-15
Author(s):  
Steve Cernohous ◽  
Sharon West
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Experience ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Interpersonal Competence ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Athletic Training Students ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Athletic Training Student ◽  
Athletic Training Educators

Objective: The objective of this paper is to present the practical use of a Mandala that: 1) provides opportunities for athletic training students to explore, reflect on and appreciate their clinical experiences; 2) provides educators with a model to understand and value athletic training student experiences; 3) organizes and captures factors and associated relationships that influence the athletic training student's clinical experience; and 4) provides impetus for further research and discussion between and among athletic training educators. Background: Athletic training educators often find it difficult to demonstrate and assess the behavioral component of learning. Creative teaching strategies and exercises that help athletic training students develop interpersonal competence, self-awareness, and self-reflection are needed in athletic training education. One approach to address this need is to employ the practical exercise of creating athletic training student Mandalas; portraits of self-expression and interpretation of their athletic training clinical experience. Description: The Mandala of Clinical Education depicts the individualistic and complex elements of the athletic training student clinical experience. It is a manifestation of a milieu of intrinsic and extrinsic elements, personal experience, and established research. The athletic training student is positioned in the center of the Mandala, embraced by contributing elements and the wholeness of the clinical experience. The artistic design reveals a series of gates, doors, and portals in which the elements of the student's experiences interact and serve as a point for self-reflection. Conclusion: Mandalas allow the athletic training student and educator opportunities to explore, understand, and value all clinical experiences in athletic training. Mandalas may also facilitate athletic training students developing interpersonal competence, self-awareness and self-reflection, all of which are key components to the foundational behaviors of professional practice.

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