ADDRESSING THE BLIND SPOT: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ASSESSMENT TOOL TO EVALUATE A PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME

V. Naidoo1, A. Stewart1, D. Maleka2
1University of the Witwatersrand, Physiotherapy, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Physiotherapy, Pretoria, South Africa

Background: Clinical education is a core component of a physiotherapy undergraduate curriculum. The evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of physiotherapy clinical education has been unsuccessful due to its complexity, and the lack of a standardised evaluation tool. This gap has led to the development of this study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop, validate and test the reliability an assessment tool that evaluates the effectiveness of a physiotherapy undergraduate clinical education programme.

Methods: A mixed-method study of four phases.The first phase determined the items and domains that needed to be included in the tool. Focus group discussions (FGD) were held nationally in South Africa with physiotherapy academics; clinical supervisors/educators; clinical managers and newly qualified physiotherapists. Phases two-four determined the face, content and construct validity of the tool, via the Delphi method and a survey, respectively. Additionally, exploratory factor analysis was used for item reduction.

Results: Three themes emerged from the FGD: Governance; Structure and Experience, with domains and items relating to: Governance; Academic Processes; Learning Exposure; Clinical Orientation; Clinical Supervision and General section. TheVaneshveri Naidoo Clinical Programme Evaluation Tool (VNCPET) of 58 items, and six categories was developed. VNCPET was found to be valid and reliable (α=0.75).

Conclusions: VNCPET, a valid and reliable standardised tool, can be used to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of a physiotherapy undergraduate clinical education programme.

Implications: This validated and standardised monitoring and evaluation and quality assurance tool can be used to evaluate the length, breadth, and depth of a physiotherapy clinical education programme.

Funding acknowledgements: Funders:
  • NRF Thuthuka,
  • Wits Faculty Research Funds, and the
  • South African Society of Physiotherapy,

Keywords:
Clinical Education
Monitoring and Evaluation
Quality Assurance

Topics:
Education: clinical
Education

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: University of the Witwatersrand
Committee: Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of the Witwatersrand
Ethics number: M140706

All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.

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