Allied health students’ experience of a rapid transition to telerehabilitation clinical placements as a result of COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction: This study explores allied health students' experience with and perceptions of telerehabilitation prior to and following the rapid transition of university clinical placements to telerehabilitation due to COVID-19.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with allied health students who had completed a clinical placement (between March and September 2020) at the University of Queensland that was rapidly transitioned to telerehabilitation due to COVID-19. Students were asked to report on their pre-conceptions, lived experience and post placement reflections of delivering consultations via telerehabilitation rather than in-person. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis.Results: 18 students (72% female, 20 to 31 years of age) from speech pathology (39%), physiotherapy (39%), occupational therapy (11%) and audiology (11%) conducted telerehabilitation consultations. Reflections on preconceptions of telerehabilitation nested under four themes: clinical effectiveness, interacting/communicating via telerehabilitation, technology and anticipation about a telerehabilitation placement. Experiences during placement clustered under similar topics of clinical effectiveness, interacting/communicating, practical aspects and technology. Reflections upon completion of placements related to experience in a global pandemic, benefits of combining technology and telerehabilitation, convenience, future use and knowledge, skills, and confidence with telerehabilitation.Conclusion: Despite initial concerns, students were able to rapidly transition to telerehabilitation and effectively deliver quality care, modify techniques, and achieve positive client outcomes. Student skills, knowledge and confidence improved with rapid exposure through learning "on the go", and many indicated willingness to continue to use telerehabilitation in the future.

While allied health students prefer face-to-face clinical placement, telehealth can support competency development: results from a mixed-methods study

“…As found by other researchers ( 16 , 22–24 ), some of our participants expressed concern that telehealth did not support their development in all areas of practice, particularly for ‘hands-on’ tasks. Yet, telehealth also offered some unique advantages.…”

“…Our study provides evidence for allied health courses across a range of disciplines (exercise physiology, nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech pathology) for the use of telehealth to develop and assess students’ professional competence as part of an overall placement program. As concluded by other researchers ( 22 , 24 ), telehealth is an ‘ important tool in the toolkit’ [Ross et al ( 22 ), p. 14] in student clinical placement education. This research calls for the integration of telehealth into the health curricula including the development of communication skills and interprofessional experiences specifically for telehealth, and onsite support and training with telehealth technologies.…”

“…A 2021 review on telemedicine in the medical curricula identified that students would benefit from additional time to become familiar with and practice using telehealth technologies ( 44 ). Given the rapid rollout of telehealth during COVID-19, like other students, students and the clinical educators implemented telehealth on the run and learned how to prepare students on subsequent placements ( 17 , 19 , 22 , 45 ).…”

Telehealth education and training in entry‐to‐practice physiotherapy programs in Australian universities: A qualitative study with university educators

“…Given that a lack of knowledge, education, and skills in delivering care in a digital environment have been identified as common barriers to the adoption of telehealth amongst clinicians (Gilhooly & Alexander, 2020; Kruse et al., 2018; Wade et al., 2014), providing entry‐to‐practice training specifically in telehealth delivery of care is important. Indeed, providing telehealth training to clinicians has been shown to improve their confidence, acceptance, and adoption of this mode of service delivery into clinical practice (Brewster et al., 2014; Cottrell et al., 2018; Ross et al., 2022).…”