Embracing Change in the Pursuit of Excellence: Transitioning to the Clinical Internship Evaluation Tool for Student Clinical Performance Assessment

Abstract

Background and Purpose. The assessment of physical therapist student competence in the clinical learning environment is valuable and necessary. However, educators and clinicians are becoming increasingly disenchanted with their chosen assessment tools and delivery platforms. The profession recently called for a pursuit of excellence that includes an analysis of performance evaluation practices and consideration of assessment tools. In line with this call, the purpose of this report was to disseminate one academic institution's exploration, implementation, and early outcomes of the transition from the Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI) to the Clinical Internship Evaluation Tool (CIET) for full-time student clinical performance assessment. Case Description. After identification of key stakeholders, the authors completed an initial exploration and comparison of CPI versus CIET, executed a pilot trial of CIET use, and implemented a transition from CPI to CIET for all full-time clinical experiences. Outcomes. This report presents the outcomes of the initial exploration and comparison of assessment tools, the CIET pilot, the academic processes in transitioning to the CIET, and the post-implementation evaluation results, each with consideration of unique stakeholder perspectives. Discussion and Conclusion. The transition from CPI to CIET for full-time student clinical performance assessment was successful in meeting the needs of key stakeholders. This report presents the first known addition to the literature regarding CIET implementation since the original institution's publications. Ongoing use and evaluation of the CIET and other alternative tools for student performance assessment, both within and across institutions, is necessary to address the profession's pursuit of excellence and to better meet the demand for contemporary educational practices in the clinical learning environment.

Evaluation and Modification of the Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument

“…However, the PT CPI: Web continues to be the instrument of choice for the APTA, despite concerns raised by CIs, DPT students, and DPT faculty as to the accuracy, precision, and time needed to complete the PT CPI: Web. 5,[7][8][9][10] Reported Concerns. Since 2003, CIs, DPT students, and DPT faculty have raised concerns about the ongoing use of the PT CPI.…”

“…However, the PT CPI: Web continues to be the instrument of choice for the APTA, despite concerns raised by CIs, DPT students, and DPT faculty as to the accuracy, precision, and time needed to complete the PT CPI: Web. 5,7-10…”

“…Since 2003, CIs, DPT students, and DPT faculty have raised concerns about the ongoing use of the PT CPI. Reported concerns about the PT CPI include: (1) a lack of specificity, 7,9,14,15 (2) redundancy of performance criteria, 8,14,16 (3) poor completion rates, 5,9 (4) the duration and length, 9,10 and (5) increased program costs. 10 Based on these concerns, the clinical education special interest group concluded that there was a need to revise the current three-factor PT CPI (PT CPI: Web) or develop a new and condensed instrument to assess DPT students' clinical learning and performance.…”

“…4,5 Despite the widespread use of the PT CPI, CIs, DPT students, and DPT faculty have raised concerns regarding the reliability, validity, and length of the PT CPI. 5,[7][8][9][10] To address these concerns, an evaluation of the PT CPI is now warranted.…”

Feasibility of Use of the Clinical Internship Evaluation Tool in Full-Time Clinical Education Experiences: A Multi-institutional Study

“…18 A 2020 case report described the transition from the PT CPI to CIET with positive outcomes where most CIs and students completed the CIET in less than an hour and preferred the CIET compared with the PT CPI. 20 The CIET has the potential to provide academic faculty, CIs, and PT students a useful measurement of student performance in clinical education, but the CIET validation study focused on one PTEP and CIs within one academic institution, which limits generalizability. 18 Currently, no published studies have explored the use of the CIET in multiple PTEPs to assess student clinical education performance.…”