- Email: [email protected]
Developing a framework for a competency-based PT curriculum
eS1644
WCPT Congress 2015 / Physiotherapy 2015; Volume 101, Supplement 1 eS1643–eS1721
Implications: Young women’s multifaceted experiences of stress and mental illness place high demands on health facilities and physiotherapeutic interventions. It is important to develop holistic and psychosomatic, as well as context- and gender-sensitive approaches in future youth health services and in physiotherapy. The concept of embodiment, including gender and sociocultural perspectives, can be further developed and integrated into physiotherapy theory and practice. Keywords: Embodiment; Youth mental health; Gender theory Funding acknowledgements: Västerbotten County Council, The Swedish Research Institute, The Umeå Center for Gender Studies (UCGS). Ethics approval: The study was approved by the Regional Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.034 Special Interest Report Poster Presentation Number: SI-PO-18-20-Sat Saturday 2 May 2015 13:00 Exhibit halls 401–403 PHYSIOTHERAPY IN THE LIGHT OF EDITORIALS IN SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL PHYSIOTHERAPY JOURNALS C. Wikström-Grotell 1,2 , L. Noronen 3 1 Arcada
Finland; Finland; Finland
UAS, Health and Welfare, Helsinki, 2 Åbo Akademi University, Caring, Vasa, 3 Metropolia UAS, Rehabilitation, Helsinki,
Background: In physiotherapy (PT) the establishment of scientific international journals has been of significant importance for the development of the PT profession and its knowledge base. Despite this the contents of the journals have been little explored. As editorials are written by recognized experts and researchers from all over the world, they express issues of particular significance at the present time in PT internationally. The interest in this paper is the international perspective of PT profession as visible in editorials in seven international scientific PT journals. Purpose: The purpose is to describe the main ideas as well as critical characteristic features of the PT profession during the academic era (1980–2012) in order to increase understanding of the development of PT in an international context. Methods: The study material covered a total number of editorials (n = 595) in a sample of seven reputable scientific PT journals from the corresponding period with a geographical distribution covering USA, Canada, Australia and Europe. Qualitative and material based open content analysis was used to explore the editorials. First the material was explored
in order to create an overall understanding of the text. The extensive material was then classified into two content areas; professional issues and research related issues. The content areas were further analyzed to identify meaningful categories and subcategories. Results: The development of physiotherapy as a profession is reflected in relation to three main themes: 1. PT profession and its position in the society, 2. professional responsibility, roles and territory and 3. internationalization. PT as a profession is in the editorials reflected in relation to professional identity and position. Later the extended roles and societal responsibility as well as international aspects were put on the agenda. The findings related to PT research included three themes: 1. emerging research, 2. evidence based physiotherapy and 3. knowledge base and theory development. The focus in the editorials concerning PT research seems to concentrate on different aspects of clinical practice and effects of PT interventions. Conclusion(s): Based on the contents of the editorials the main focus internationally for the PT profession is on societal health needs while global health issues are dealt with to a lesser extent. Direct access seems to be a question of particular interest in PT. The evidence base in PT can be considered as strength especially in clinical practice. Implications: The editorials and the results of this analysis could be utilized in creating educational policies, in the planning of research programmes and in developing the content of PT services. Keywords: PT profession; PT editorials; Internationalization Funding acknowledgements: No funding acknowledgements. Ethics approval: Not needed. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.035 Special Interest Report Poster Presentation Number: SI-PO-03-19-Mon Monday 4 May 2015 12:15 Exhibit halls 401–403 DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK FOR A COMPETENCY-BASED PT CURRICULUM C. Wikström-Grotell 1 , R. Partia 2 , A. Piirainen 3 , T. Sjögren 3 1 Arcada,
University of Applied Sciences, Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland; 2 The Finnish Association of Physiotherapists, Helsinki, Finland; 3 Jyväskylä University, Jyväskylä, Finland Background: Environmental and behavioral risks threaten health security of people, which places new demands on health workers. The knowledge and competencies of health professionals do not fully meet patient and population needs. To have a positive effect on health outcomes,
WCPT Congress 2015 / Physiotherapy 2015; Volume 101, Supplement 1 eS1643–eS1721
the professional education must be redesigned. Analysis of physiotherapy (PT) competencies and skills in collaboration between clinical PT experts, PT researchers and educators is a possibility to develop a syllabus for PT education that meets future societal needs. A competency-based approach to education specifies the health problems to be addressed, identifies the requisite competencies and allows the student to have an individual learning process. It is also important to focus more on the learning outcomes of PT education. Purpose: In 2013 the Finnish education authorities stated that there should be a nationwide analysis of core competencies assessing and describing future needs for competencies of health care professions. This requires use of various assessment tools as well as a theoretical base for the curriculum. The purpose is to describe a framework that can be used as the basis for developing a competency-based physiotherapy (PT) curriculum in cooperation with universities and experts from working life as well as the professional organization. This is done in order to provide quality and excellence in physiotherapy education and to ensure that the curriculum meets real societal needs. Methods: The model for the framework was developed in cooperation between the Finnish Association of Physiotherapists, PT experts from different fields and PT teachers based on literature with scientific relevance. A literature review exploring standards of PT core competencies was conducted and a survey (an electronic questionnaire) has been sent to physiotherapists, PT managers, teachers and researchers (n = 5700). Finally, the Delphi method will be used to reach a consensus view on the nature of the core competencies required in PT education. Results: The framework includes the concepts of man, movement, health and function. These concepts are considered in a context described on three levels: the individual life situation, the societal level and the actual culture. PT practices are viewed within an evidence based approach also considering ethical aspects. The literature review showed that research about core competencies in PT is scarce. However, there are minimum standards describing the content of the PT curriculum. The results of the survey focus on how PTs evaluate their professional knowledge and skills in assessing health and functioning of patients and the use of evidence based approaches and strategies. The results will furthermore include the view of PT experts from different fields as well as management in developing education for future needs in working life. Conclusion(s): The collaboration between PT experts from various fields is time consuming, but enhances a curriculum design in PT that is based on future needs in society. The theoretical framework supports a common understanding of PT practice. Implications: The framework as well as the used model for redesigning the PT curriculum can be utilized to develop a competence based PT curriculum focusing on future needs in health care and rehabilitation.
eS1645
Keywords: PT core competencies; PT curriculum; Theoretical framework Funding acknowledgements: The survey was funded by The Finnish Association of Physiotherapists. Ethics approval: The Ethical Committee at the University of Jyväskylä. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.036 Special Interest Report Poster Presentation Number: SI-PO-17-16-Sat Saturday 2 May 2015 13:00 Exhibit halls 401–403 MEETING CHALLENGES IN RURAL POSTGRADUATE PAEDIATRIC EDUCATION WHILE BUILDING WORKFORCE CAPACITY – A SPECIAL INTEREST REPORT E. Williams, J. McMeeken The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia Background: The context for this special interest report is challenges in rural postgraduate paediatric physiotherapy education recognised both in global policy and local practice. The global challenge is laid down in the World Health Organization’s first global policy for improving education in rural and remote health workers. It aims to ‘design continuing education and professional development programmes that meet the needs of rural health workers and that are accessible from where they live and work, so as to support their retention . . .’. The local challenge is that of accessibility, leading to a lack of paediatric physiotherapy expertise in rural areas. The result is fragmented local services for families who are forced to travel to metropolitan services, costly in terms of both time and financially. Purpose: The primary purpose was to provide higher education opportunities for rural practitioners and the secondary but more important to improve access to confident and skilled physiotherapists for rural children and families. Meeting those challenges started with a successful postgraduate ‘registrar’ or building capacity project in the rural physiotherapy workforce in Australia in 2008. This was postgraduate paediatric training that provided both clinical and academic training for rural physiotherapists. A corollary to this, the subject of this report, was the development of the Specialist Certificate in Rural Paediatric Practice; an inter-professional, masters’ level, university award course, delivered rural, but in collaboration with a major tertiary children’s teaching hospital. Methods: Evaluation of the building capacity project used purpose-built questionnaires as there were no specific indicators or validated tools to monitor the performance of systems and services that are available to children and families in Australia. The conclusions already reported were that were that partnership should include education providers
WCPT Congress 2015 / Physiotherapy 2015; Volume 101, Supplement 1 eS1643–eS1721
Implications: Young women’s multifaceted experiences of stress and mental illness place high demands on health facilities and physiotherapeutic interventions. It is important to develop holistic and psychosomatic, as well as context- and gender-sensitive approaches in future youth health services and in physiotherapy. The concept of embodiment, including gender and sociocultural perspectives, can be further developed and integrated into physiotherapy theory and practice. Keywords: Embodiment; Youth mental health; Gender theory Funding acknowledgements: Västerbotten County Council, The Swedish Research Institute, The Umeå Center for Gender Studies (UCGS). Ethics approval: The study was approved by the Regional Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.034 Special Interest Report Poster Presentation Number: SI-PO-18-20-Sat Saturday 2 May 2015 13:00 Exhibit halls 401–403 PHYSIOTHERAPY IN THE LIGHT OF EDITORIALS IN SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL PHYSIOTHERAPY JOURNALS C. Wikström-Grotell 1,2 , L. Noronen 3 1 Arcada
Finland; Finland; Finland
UAS, Health and Welfare, Helsinki, 2 Åbo Akademi University, Caring, Vasa, 3 Metropolia UAS, Rehabilitation, Helsinki,
Background: In physiotherapy (PT) the establishment of scientific international journals has been of significant importance for the development of the PT profession and its knowledge base. Despite this the contents of the journals have been little explored. As editorials are written by recognized experts and researchers from all over the world, they express issues of particular significance at the present time in PT internationally. The interest in this paper is the international perspective of PT profession as visible in editorials in seven international scientific PT journals. Purpose: The purpose is to describe the main ideas as well as critical characteristic features of the PT profession during the academic era (1980–2012) in order to increase understanding of the development of PT in an international context. Methods: The study material covered a total number of editorials (n = 595) in a sample of seven reputable scientific PT journals from the corresponding period with a geographical distribution covering USA, Canada, Australia and Europe. Qualitative and material based open content analysis was used to explore the editorials. First the material was explored
in order to create an overall understanding of the text. The extensive material was then classified into two content areas; professional issues and research related issues. The content areas were further analyzed to identify meaningful categories and subcategories. Results: The development of physiotherapy as a profession is reflected in relation to three main themes: 1. PT profession and its position in the society, 2. professional responsibility, roles and territory and 3. internationalization. PT as a profession is in the editorials reflected in relation to professional identity and position. Later the extended roles and societal responsibility as well as international aspects were put on the agenda. The findings related to PT research included three themes: 1. emerging research, 2. evidence based physiotherapy and 3. knowledge base and theory development. The focus in the editorials concerning PT research seems to concentrate on different aspects of clinical practice and effects of PT interventions. Conclusion(s): Based on the contents of the editorials the main focus internationally for the PT profession is on societal health needs while global health issues are dealt with to a lesser extent. Direct access seems to be a question of particular interest in PT. The evidence base in PT can be considered as strength especially in clinical practice. Implications: The editorials and the results of this analysis could be utilized in creating educational policies, in the planning of research programmes and in developing the content of PT services. Keywords: PT profession; PT editorials; Internationalization Funding acknowledgements: No funding acknowledgements. Ethics approval: Not needed. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.035 Special Interest Report Poster Presentation Number: SI-PO-03-19-Mon Monday 4 May 2015 12:15 Exhibit halls 401–403 DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK FOR A COMPETENCY-BASED PT CURRICULUM C. Wikström-Grotell 1 , R. Partia 2 , A. Piirainen 3 , T. Sjögren 3 1 Arcada,
University of Applied Sciences, Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland; 2 The Finnish Association of Physiotherapists, Helsinki, Finland; 3 Jyväskylä University, Jyväskylä, Finland Background: Environmental and behavioral risks threaten health security of people, which places new demands on health workers. The knowledge and competencies of health professionals do not fully meet patient and population needs. To have a positive effect on health outcomes,
WCPT Congress 2015 / Physiotherapy 2015; Volume 101, Supplement 1 eS1643–eS1721
the professional education must be redesigned. Analysis of physiotherapy (PT) competencies and skills in collaboration between clinical PT experts, PT researchers and educators is a possibility to develop a syllabus for PT education that meets future societal needs. A competency-based approach to education specifies the health problems to be addressed, identifies the requisite competencies and allows the student to have an individual learning process. It is also important to focus more on the learning outcomes of PT education. Purpose: In 2013 the Finnish education authorities stated that there should be a nationwide analysis of core competencies assessing and describing future needs for competencies of health care professions. This requires use of various assessment tools as well as a theoretical base for the curriculum. The purpose is to describe a framework that can be used as the basis for developing a competency-based physiotherapy (PT) curriculum in cooperation with universities and experts from working life as well as the professional organization. This is done in order to provide quality and excellence in physiotherapy education and to ensure that the curriculum meets real societal needs. Methods: The model for the framework was developed in cooperation between the Finnish Association of Physiotherapists, PT experts from different fields and PT teachers based on literature with scientific relevance. A literature review exploring standards of PT core competencies was conducted and a survey (an electronic questionnaire) has been sent to physiotherapists, PT managers, teachers and researchers (n = 5700). Finally, the Delphi method will be used to reach a consensus view on the nature of the core competencies required in PT education. Results: The framework includes the concepts of man, movement, health and function. These concepts are considered in a context described on three levels: the individual life situation, the societal level and the actual culture. PT practices are viewed within an evidence based approach also considering ethical aspects. The literature review showed that research about core competencies in PT is scarce. However, there are minimum standards describing the content of the PT curriculum. The results of the survey focus on how PTs evaluate their professional knowledge and skills in assessing health and functioning of patients and the use of evidence based approaches and strategies. The results will furthermore include the view of PT experts from different fields as well as management in developing education for future needs in working life. Conclusion(s): The collaboration between PT experts from various fields is time consuming, but enhances a curriculum design in PT that is based on future needs in society. The theoretical framework supports a common understanding of PT practice. Implications: The framework as well as the used model for redesigning the PT curriculum can be utilized to develop a competence based PT curriculum focusing on future needs in health care and rehabilitation.
eS1645
Keywords: PT core competencies; PT curriculum; Theoretical framework Funding acknowledgements: The survey was funded by The Finnish Association of Physiotherapists. Ethics approval: The Ethical Committee at the University of Jyväskylä. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.036 Special Interest Report Poster Presentation Number: SI-PO-17-16-Sat Saturday 2 May 2015 13:00 Exhibit halls 401–403 MEETING CHALLENGES IN RURAL POSTGRADUATE PAEDIATRIC EDUCATION WHILE BUILDING WORKFORCE CAPACITY – A SPECIAL INTEREST REPORT E. Williams, J. McMeeken The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia Background: The context for this special interest report is challenges in rural postgraduate paediatric physiotherapy education recognised both in global policy and local practice. The global challenge is laid down in the World Health Organization’s first global policy for improving education in rural and remote health workers. It aims to ‘design continuing education and professional development programmes that meet the needs of rural health workers and that are accessible from where they live and work, so as to support their retention . . .’. The local challenge is that of accessibility, leading to a lack of paediatric physiotherapy expertise in rural areas. The result is fragmented local services for families who are forced to travel to metropolitan services, costly in terms of both time and financially. Purpose: The primary purpose was to provide higher education opportunities for rural practitioners and the secondary but more important to improve access to confident and skilled physiotherapists for rural children and families. Meeting those challenges started with a successful postgraduate ‘registrar’ or building capacity project in the rural physiotherapy workforce in Australia in 2008. This was postgraduate paediatric training that provided both clinical and academic training for rural physiotherapists. A corollary to this, the subject of this report, was the development of the Specialist Certificate in Rural Paediatric Practice; an inter-professional, masters’ level, university award course, delivered rural, but in collaboration with a major tertiary children’s teaching hospital. Methods: Evaluation of the building capacity project used purpose-built questionnaires as there were no specific indicators or validated tools to monitor the performance of systems and services that are available to children and families in Australia. The conclusions already reported were that were that partnership should include education providers