Simulation in physiotherapy students for clinical decisions during interaction with people with low back pain: randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Background Low back pain (LBP) is a condition with a high global prevalence, which is getting health professionals’ attention, including physiotherapists as they must have the skills to provide treatment that increases the patient’s quality of life. Clinical simulations could be a pedagogic strategy that facilitates adequate training for students to acquire skills to improve their professional reasoning in this clinical situation. Objective This study sought to determine the effects of clinical simulations with simulated patients (SP) on the physiotherapy students’ clinical decision-making within a role-playing (RP) scenario while caring of LBP patients. Methods This experimental study included 42 participants from two Colombian universities, randomized into two groups (SP, n = 21; RP, n = 21). The clinical skill of performing the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE-LBP) was evaluated while students cared for patients with LBP; after that, a pedagogical method was conducted that included clinical simulation and, finally, the OSCE-LBP was applied again to compare both groups. Results Changes occurred in the OSCE-LBP among both groups of students: the scores increased (0.66 and 0.59 in RP and SP, respectively), and neither of the two was superior (p value 0.01; 95%CI − 0.21 to 0.23). Conclusion Both types of simulation favor decision-making in professional reasoning in physiotherapy students during interactions with individuals with LBP. Trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04428892 Identifying number: NCT04428892. It was retrospectively registered.

Validity and Reliability of an Osce for Clinical Reasoning in Physiotherapy

“…In the first moment, there were six stations (12), from which the fourth and fifth, were joined, they became apart for getting seven stations (13), based on the care model proposed by the APTA (10): 1) anamnesis, 2) information analysis through the selection of categories to examine, 3) application of tests and measurements, 4) registry (diagnosis, prognosis and intervention plan) 5) intervention, 6) evidence-based physiotherapy, and 7) education in physiotherapy. The instrument must be valid and reliable to guarantee objective and generalizable measurements.…”

Simulación clínica como estrategia educativa para el desarrollo del razonamiento clínico en estudiantes de kinesiología

“…Así la simulación en la actividad del proceso pedagógico ha logrado una mejor toma de decisiones por parte de los estudiantes durante el proceso de razonamiento profesional. Además, ambos tipos de simulaciones generan cambios positivos en la exploración, evaluación, diagnóstico, pronóstico e intervención fisioterapéutica 20 .…”

Correction to: Simulation in physiotherapy students for clinical decisions during interaction with people with low back pain: randomized controlled trial

“…Following publication of the original article [ 1 ], we have been informed that the author Elisa Andrea Cobo-Mejía has been incorrectly affiliated.…”