A.G. Brader1, A.J. Alves Lopes2
1Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Physiotherapy, Groningen, Netherlands, 2Alcoitão School of Health Sciences, Physiotherapy, Alcabideche, Portugal
Background: To meet the ongoing needs of society, physiotherapy students should have competences to intervene in all conditions and contexts throughout the life cycle of their clients/patients. Competencies pertaining to the care in an acute setting are not part of the entry level requirements of physiotherapists. Training physiotherapy students in the knowledge and skills required to operate in this setting both expands and improves their entry level capabilities as well as preparing them to work with patients in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Developing the possibility for physiotherapists to be trained in delivering care in this setting is therefore necessary.
Purpose: In 2015 the Alcoitão School of Health Sciences, Portugal and The Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands took the initiative to develop an International Minor Physiotherapy on Intensive Care. In order to address the ongoing demand of society for physiotherapists to be able to deliver care for this patient category. The Minor uses the opportunities given by the ERASMUS+, namely student and teachers mobility programs.
Methods: The contents of the Minor was developed using the international competences descriptors of an Acute Care Physiotherapist. The pedagogical and assessment strategies were chosen to reflect the competences to be achieved; with a strong focus on active learning. The Minor was implemented as a pilot in the spring semester of 2018 with the collaboration of teachers from both institutions. Since then the Minor has developed and been offered to students throughout Europe. In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic forced the team to provide the learning experience online. In addition knowledge related to the context and care of COVID-19 patients became paramount and was included.
Results: At the end of each Minor edition the students answered an online questionnaire about administrative and pedagogical aspects. The student's satisfaction survey revealed a very favourable opinion regarding the topics discussed (91% Agree/ Strongly agreed), pedagogical approaches used, such as Blended-Learning (87,5% Agree/ Strongly agreed), the amount of student work (79% Agree/ Strongly Agreed), teacher support (91% Agree/ Strongly Agreed). Students were also pleased with the flexibility shown in adapting the Minor to the COVID-19 situation, enabling them to obtain skills necessary to work with this patient category.
Conclusion(s): Based on the positive input by both the students and institutions involved, we consider the implementation to have been successful. Next steps are to expand the blended-Learning methodologies as well as to upscale the minor: including more students, the collaboration of additional teachers and institutions.
Implications: Providing entry level physiotherapists the competencies and knowledge necessary to work in acute care meets the increased demand for professionals able to work in this setting as well as with this patient category; particularly in light of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding, acknowledgements: Funding provided by Escola Superior de Saúde do Alcoitão, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, the Erasmus+ Programme.
Keywords: Physiotherapy in Acute Care, Educational Development - Minor, COVID-19
Topic: Education: methods of teaching & learning
Did this work require ethics approval? No
Institution: Escola Superior de Alcoitao
Committee: Escola Superior de Alcoitao
Reason: Educational Development.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
