Finch E1,2, Lethlean J3, Rose T1, Fleming J1, Theodoros, D1, Cameron A1,3, Coleman A2, Copland D1, McPhail SM2,4
1The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Australia, 2Metro South Hospital and Health Service, Centre for Functioning and Health Research, Brisbane, Australia, 3Metro South Hospital and Health Service, Speech Pathology Department, Brisbane, Australia, 4Queensland University of Technology, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Brisbane, Australia
Background: A salient component of physiotherapy student training is the application of newly acquired theoretical knowledge and practical techniques in the context of a real-world healthcare setting as students interact with patients, while under appropriate supervision. In these early clinical career interactions, the patient may be uniquely positioned to influence the student. However, prior to this systematic review, there was no summary of literature that has investigated the potential impact of patient feedback on student skill development.
Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to provide a narrative synthesis of research literature that has examined the effect of patient feedback to students on clinical skill development and learning.
Methods: A systematic review and narrative synthesis was conducted. Patient feedback was defined as information provided by patients about any aspect of clinical care that they received, including verbal or written information related to clinical skills and professional behaviours. Key search terms used were “student” OR “students” combined with “Consumer feedback” OR “Patient feedback” OR “Client feedback” OR “Customer feedback.”. PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus and the Cochrane Library were searched, along with hand searches of the reference lists of included articles. Screening and quality appraisal was performed by two authors independently. Eligible articles underwent methodological evaluation using the McMaster University Critical Evaluation Forms and data extraction.
Results: A total of 237 articles were retrieved after electronic and reference list searches, and 12 studies inclusive of 709 students were eligible. There was substantial heterogeneity in study design (including 7 quantitative, 2 qualitative, and 3 mixed methods studies) and quality as well as sample size, setting, student discipline, stage of training, feedback type, patient involvement, student perceptions of feedback, and outcome measures. Consequently, a meta-analysis was not appropriate, although in eleven studies the authors reported that patient feedback improved students' clinical skills.
Conclusion(s): No research has explored the impact of patient feedback on physiotherapist student learning. Nonetheless, the limited research that is available from other healthcare disciplines provides a useful starting point and provides some evidence to suggest that direct feedback from patients may be beneficial for the development of students' communication and clinical skills. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution owing to the preliminary nature of research findings in the field.
Implications: Patient feedback for enhancing physiotherapy student development and learning is a promising avenue for enriching the student experience, but there is a dearth of research on this topic. There is much room for further research linking conceptual underpinnings with observed application, as well as pragmatic research that works toward evaluation and optimisation of patient feedback for the benefit of students, patients and the wider community.
Keywords: Feedback, Education, Communication
Funding acknowledgements: SMM is supported by an NHMRC/ MRFF fellowship. Project also supported by a University of Queensland Technology Enhanced Learning Grant.
Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to provide a narrative synthesis of research literature that has examined the effect of patient feedback to students on clinical skill development and learning.
Methods: A systematic review and narrative synthesis was conducted. Patient feedback was defined as information provided by patients about any aspect of clinical care that they received, including verbal or written information related to clinical skills and professional behaviours. Key search terms used were “student” OR “students” combined with “Consumer feedback” OR “Patient feedback” OR “Client feedback” OR “Customer feedback.”. PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus and the Cochrane Library were searched, along with hand searches of the reference lists of included articles. Screening and quality appraisal was performed by two authors independently. Eligible articles underwent methodological evaluation using the McMaster University Critical Evaluation Forms and data extraction.
Results: A total of 237 articles were retrieved after electronic and reference list searches, and 12 studies inclusive of 709 students were eligible. There was substantial heterogeneity in study design (including 7 quantitative, 2 qualitative, and 3 mixed methods studies) and quality as well as sample size, setting, student discipline, stage of training, feedback type, patient involvement, student perceptions of feedback, and outcome measures. Consequently, a meta-analysis was not appropriate, although in eleven studies the authors reported that patient feedback improved students' clinical skills.
Conclusion(s): No research has explored the impact of patient feedback on physiotherapist student learning. Nonetheless, the limited research that is available from other healthcare disciplines provides a useful starting point and provides some evidence to suggest that direct feedback from patients may be beneficial for the development of students' communication and clinical skills. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution owing to the preliminary nature of research findings in the field.
Implications: Patient feedback for enhancing physiotherapy student development and learning is a promising avenue for enriching the student experience, but there is a dearth of research on this topic. There is much room for further research linking conceptual underpinnings with observed application, as well as pragmatic research that works toward evaluation and optimisation of patient feedback for the benefit of students, patients and the wider community.
Keywords: Feedback, Education, Communication
Funding acknowledgements: SMM is supported by an NHMRC/ MRFF fellowship. Project also supported by a University of Queensland Technology Enhanced Learning Grant.
Topic: Education: methods of teaching & learning; Education; Professional issues
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: N/A
Ethics committee: N/A
Reason not required: Systematic review
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
