Nurses valued the role and contribution of physiotherapists, but identified areas in which barriers existed to effective interprofessional working, particularly in relation to organizational factors and interprofessional relationships.

The authors work as online tutors for a BSc (Hons) physiotherapy programme at Coventry University in the United Kingdom. This paper represents a stage in our developing understanding, over a 3 year period, of the impact of group dynamics on online interaction among physiotherapy students engaged in sharing with their peers their first experiences of clinical practice. The literature exploring online interaction tends to situate meaning either in theories borrowed from conventional face-to-face interaction or on virtual interaction. Research focusing on 'blended learning' that combines face-to-face and online interaction is limited in terms of considering how group dynamics impact groups that are constituted and reconstituted in the two very different learning contexts. Using a case study approach, the authors consider how group dynamics change as groups move from face-to-face to online collaboration in pursuit of learning objectives. We characterize typical features of the cases and draw conclusions based on similarities and differences. Findings suggest that group learning is linked to group cohesion, which appears to be mediated by social and cognitive factors that students bring with them. Social presence appears vital to positive group dynamics and is a precursor to cognitive presence, which develops when groups rise above their desire to be sociable and supportive. Group dynamics, whether positive or negative, and their consequent impact on interaction appear to be relatively stable across contexts once the group scene is set through face-to-face interaction. Engagement and interaction of individual students, however, can alter when face-to-face interaction moves online.

Objectives Reflection has been cited as an effective method of providing evidence of professional development, learning and continued competence. Reflection in teams is thought to develop trust within the team and greater understanding of other team members' roles and responsibilities. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe the experiences and perceptions of reflection by members of an intermediate care team. Design Phenomenological design, consisting of individual semi-structured audiotaped interviews. The interviews were transcribed and read to gain understanding. Themes were identified and grouped into categories. Participants Ten members of a multidisciplinary intermediate care team were interviewed. Findings Team reflection had not been developed formally in the intermediate care team, although many of the prerequisites for team reflection were present. Team members primarily used dialogical reflection in clinical practice as a problem-solving tool. Written reflection was limited, with its use being dependent on the skills, level of training and postqualification support of the participants. Conclusion A formal structure and managerial support is necessary to facilitate team reflection. Additional postgraduate support is required to enable team members to utilise written reflection effectively. Further research to investigate reflection in health and social care teams is warranted.

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It is increasingly imperative that professional courses produce graduates who are fit for purpose. However, there is evidence that some junior staff within the allied health professions feel ill‐prepared for the demands of contemporary professional practice, especially with respect to their management capabilities. Adverse criticism of new graduates by employers has prompted a variety of curricular innovations. This paper presents the findings of a small evaluative study of the impact of introducing a work‐based ‘caseload management module’ during the final weeks of an undergraduate physiotherapy course. The module is designed to offer students the opportunity to further develop management skills, essential to the competent junior therapist, that are transferable across the clinical specialties. Evaluation on point of completion of the module and several months into employment highlights several factors perceived to have been helpful in facilitating progression into practice. The module provides a transition period and a means of ‘bridging the gap’ between student and employee. Being given increased responsibility for a caseload of patients while still operating with a ‘safety net’ in place, where the practice educator retains overall responsibility, is a key factor in developing confidence in managing the demands of a junior therapist post and being perceived as competent to do so. Students also feel accepted and valued by colleagues to a greater extent than in earlier placements, thus strengthening their professional identity. Students recognize that management skills, such as prioritization or delegation, are transferable, and enable them to enter into a variety of junior therapist posts with increased levels of self‐confidence. Thus, the evaluation evidence suggests that the caseload management module not only prepares students for managing their future workload but also ensures that they enter professional practice with realistic expectations of its demands.