Wanvik A.1, Shijagrurumayum R.2, Søderstrøm S.1
1Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Health Science, Trondheim, Norway, 2Kathmandu University, School of Medical Science, Physiotherapy Program, Kathmandu, Nepal
Background: The background for this study is a cooperation between the bachelor education in physiotherapy at one Norwegian University, and the bachelor education in physiotherapy at one Nepali University and the physiotherapy department at one Nepali University College. A total of 19 Norwegian physiotherapy students have had their clinical placement at the two cooperating hospitals since 2012, and joint projects are also a goal for the cooperation.
Purpose: This project will explore differences and similarities between Norwegian and Nepali physiotherapy, as practiced and observed by the Norwegian students and by their Nepali supervisors in the two hospitals where the placements were taking place. The outcome was supposed to give a deeper understanding of the differences in physiotherapy practice in Norway and Nepal, which in turm might lead to a better understanding of the differences in physiotherapy in the two countries, and to more joint projects in the future.
Methods: A qualitative design, with focus group interviews, was chosen. The sample consisted of Norwegian students and their Nepali supervisors who worked together at the hospitals where the placement took place. One focus group with students and one group with supervisors from each hospital participated in the study. All together 7 students and 7 supervisors, with 3 and 4 in each group. Themes for discussion in the focus groups were what the participants had observed while working together, like physiotherapy examination and treament of patients, tests, exercises, communication and ethical issues and follow up. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed according to Giorgis phenomenological method.
Results: The observed differences in physiotherapy practice were the main focus in the group discussions. The Norwegian physiotherapy students had more focus on communication with patients, ethical issues and patients compliance and patients rights than the Nepali physiotherapists. This was reflected in the way they communicated with the patients, how they took care of patient complicity and well-being, and the ethical considerations they practiced in their work.The Nepali physiotherapists had great knowledge about hospital procedures, in handeling critically ill patients, and how to evaluate intensive care patients, and training after sugery patients. They had great procedural knowledge and comprehensive competence in detailed biomedical examinations like testing cranial nerves and all the motoric and sensory nerves.
Conclusion(s): The differences between Nepali and Norwegian physiotherapy were the most apparent results.
The Nepali supervisors had an overweight of actions based on biomedical knowledge and natural science, like procedural knowledge and propositional knowledge. while the Norwegian students had more actions based on knoweldge from humanistic and social sciences, like empathy and communicative actions and patients compliance.
Implications: Physiotherapy practice is of such a complex nature that no single paradigm is enough to describe it. Physiotherapists need knowledge traditions both from natural science and the humanistic and social sciences to do a good job with patients. The students should be trained in reflecting on which knowledge paradigms they draw on in their practical work, and to evaluate what kind of knowledge is needed to help each patient they treat.
Funding acknowledgements: The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Physiotherapy program, Research area; Movement and Physical Activity
Topic: Research methodology & knowledge translation
Ethics approval:
Aproval was given by the ethical commitees in the two hospitals in Nepal. Ethical approval was not required in Norway.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
