Simulation-based education improves student self-efficacy in physiotherapy assessment and management of paediatric patients

Abstract

The Australian Physiotherapy Council mandates that physiotherapy clinical education be sufficient to produce graduates who are competent to practice across the lifespan. Due to a lack of opportunities for paediatric clinical placements, there is a risk of graduates not having the opportunity to develop competency in paediatric physiotherapy. To address this risk, simulation-based education (SBE) has been proposed as an educational strategy to address the placement shortfall. Despite encouraging evidence for its use in physiotherapy education, there is limited evidence supporting its use specifically in paediatric populations. The aims of this research were to investigate the effect of SBE on student self-efficacy in the physiotherapy assessment and management of paediatric clients, and to determine student satisfaction with SBE as a learning strategy. Three interactive SBE sessions were run during the undergraduate paediatric physiotherapy unit at the campus of one Australian university. Self-efficacy was surveyed before and after each session, to determine confidence in clinical skills, clinical decision-making, treatment preparation and planning, communication skills; evaluating and modifying interventions, and interprofessional practice. Student satisfaction with SBE as a learning strategy was surveyed after the final SBE session. For the 164 participants included in this study, self-efficacy survey response rate varied from 77-96% for each session. Significant increases in mean student self-efficacy were recorded for all questions (p<0.001). A total of 139 (85%) responded to the learning reactionnaire with 78.6% indicating they were very satisfied with SBE as a learning strategy. Written comments from 41 participants identified ‘experience’ as the primary theme. Conclusion: SBE had a significant positive effect on student self-efficacy in the physiotherapy assessment and management of paediatric patients. Students also perceived SBE to be a valuable learning experience. Future research is needed to investigate whether the improvement in self-efficacy achieved through SBE translates into improved student performance during workplace-based clinical placements.

Relationships between objective structured clinical examination, computer-based testing, and clinical clerkship performance in Japanese medical students

“…To overcome this problem, we believe that simulation-based education (SBE) can be a powerful solution to compensate for the lack of opportunities to exercise these skills [22]. As SBE methods have been developed and are widely used to acquire both technical and non-technical skills in medical education [23] [24], combination of SBE and CC could potentially maximize the competency of medical students.…”

Computerized Simulation Education on Physiotherapy Students’ Skills and Knowledge: A Systematic Review

“…It seems that developed countries face time constraints in face-to-face clinical education courses. In medical systems, reducing patients' length of hospital stay to reduce the risk of nosocomial infections is also considered [11]. These issues can reduce the emphasis on face-to-face education for medical students.…”

“…Therefore, the existence of tools that can, in addition to active student learning, allow repetition of exercises in a fun environment and create ongoing education will improve the quality of medical services furnished by students to patients [10]. Computer simulations can improve physiotherapy students' skills in patient assessment, treatment, and clinical decision-making [9,11]. One of the new techniques is simulation-based education, which is widely operated in various areas of the healthcare system [12].…”

The perceived value and impact of virtual simulation-based education on students’ learning: a mixed methods study

“…Virtual simulation allows customization of clinical learning experiences that are directly related to a professional setting and patient population. This learning strategy has become a key feature in healthcare programs that aim to prepare students for their future workplace and professional roles, with evidence showing that virtual simulations can help medical and nursing students, as well as healthcare professionals, develop crucial skills required for clinical practice [11][12][13][14][15]. With these advantages, the inclusion of realistic virtual simulated experiences to produce work-ready and work-safe graduates has become a resource used in healthcare education.…”