PLATO – A PRACTICE EDUCATION TOOL TO ENHANCE PHYSIOTHERAPY STUDENTS’ LEARNING

C. Hamshire¹, K. Jack¹, D. O'Connor¹

Background: The goal of undergraduate Physiotherapy programmes is to prepare students to be competent to practice throughout their career. Clinical practice learning is central to these programmes; providing a real-world environment in which students can contextualise the theory and skills learnt within the academic stating and enhance their understanding. 
Fundamental to a successful placement is a positive relationship with the Practice Educator, however placement learning has been previously identified as problematic and a source of stress for students (Jack et al. 2018, Jack et al. 2017, Hamshire and Wibberley 2017). It is therefore essential that students are adequately supported during their clinical practice placements in order to promote effective learning and student wellbeing.

Purpose: Practice educators have an important role in facilitating students’ development and this project offers an interactive model, 'PLATO', (The Practice Learning and Teaching Orientations Tool) to support them to meaningfully engage with students within the practice setting. To facilitate this engagement, four personal orientations are presented, (role model, advocate, legitimiser and respecter) which enable educators to explore their role, across both local and wider contexts. PLATO recognises the multiple and varied influences on practice education and supports educators to develop their practice in a positive way.

Methods: Drawing on the findings of a repeat regional study (Hamshire et al. 2016) a tiered model of mentorship was further developed in 2018 into the Practice Learning and Teaching orientations model (PLATO) for use by Practice Educators (Jack and Hamshire 2019). The model is designed to be used by educators either alone or in groups with the focus on enhancing their understanding of practice education through identification of the potential challenges within the practice setting. It is underpinned by the theory of Mezirow (2003) who described transformative learning as that which transforms assumptions and existing ways of thinking to make them more inclusive and open to change.

Results: Recognising the importance of meaningful learning experiences, this interactive model demonstrates the importance of the educator, team and wider orientations as well as the dynamic interplay between each of these. The PLATO model supports educators to consider themselves, the immediate environment and the wider influences on their practice as an educator with a focus on positive potential. It is designed to be used by educators either alone or in groups and the focus is on developing an enhanced understanding of practice education through identification of the barriers and facilitators within the practice setting.

Conclusion(s): The clinical placement environment can be challenging for some students as they join unfamiliar workplace teams and have to develop new working practices within a short timeframe. Exploring the multiple orientations presented in the model, as a process of positive change, enables educators to explore, discuss and review their role and how it can be developed.

Implications: Whilst acknowledging that there will be institutional variations both Educators and learners need to work together to identify transformational opportunities for student support within the clinical environment.
Findings of this project provide valuable insights to inform future student support on placement and in safe healthcare practice.

Funding, acknowledgements: This work was funded by Manchester Metropolitan University.

Keywords: Educator, Placement, Learning

Topic: Education: clinical

Did this work require ethics approval? No

Institution: Manchester Metropolitan University

Committee: Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care

Reason: The work addresses new and unique developments in practice, theory and education