The transition from preclinical to clinical education can provoke stress in students. This paper describes the nature of stress and outlines the use of a 'clinical coping workshop' at the University of Queensland, to identify and examine the particular stresses on physiotherapy students facing this transitional experience. Much of the stress experienced by students relates to the new behavioural responses required of them. It is suggested that negotiating an acceptable contract, related to student and tutor behaviour as much as to educational outcomes, can be helpful and is applicable in the clinical environment. Mutual expectations need to be openly shared in this process.
During the XII Commonwealth Games held in Brisbane in 1982, Australian physiotherapists provided a host service which treated nearly one thousand competitors and officials. This service, which was offered at both the Games Villages and Sporting Venues, required extensive planning over a two and a half year period. Appropriate staffing, equipment and space allocation was needed to cater for the wide variety of expected injuries. The services were well utilized which justified the efforts of the organizers and physiotherapists involved in the host team.
At the XII Commonwealth Games held in Brisbane in 1982, Australian physiotherapists as members of the host nation's medical division, treated the injuries of competitors from the ten sports contested. The nature and incidence of the injuries treated by the host physiotherapists is tabulated and comment is made regarding several significant features. Implications for the management skills of physiotherapists required either to travel with teams or work as host physiotherapists are made. Furthermore, the utilization of equipment is indicated. Overall the paper provides a resource to assist in future planning for such events in respect to physiotherapy manpower, expertise and equipment needs.
Some communication skills adopted by 30 Australian and 27 Hong Kong final year physiotherapy students were observed by their clinical supervisor, while delivering treatment to an acute post-surgical patient in their country of origin. In each case, patient and student were racially similar and verbal communication was in their first language. The results showed that Australian students used more explanation, eye contact, verbal reinforcement, facial expression, variation of tone and response with interest, compared with Hong Kong students. Female students from both cultures used more verbal skills, such as information finding and response with interest, compared with male students; Australian female students responded with interest more frequently with female patients. When treating male patients, Hong Kong male students applied more non-therapeutic touch but less response with interest, compared with Australian male students. This study suggests that, regardless of the cultural setting, more physiotherapy student teaching resources should be channelled towards development of communication skills during undergraduate training, with particular emphasis given to verbal communication skills for male students.
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