Development, Implementation and Evaluation of an Acute Care Physical Therapy ‘Float’ Placement during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Report

Jasdeep Dhir (), Amy Connell, Magda McCaughan, Diana Hatzoglou, Daana Ajami, Andrea Fursman, Sarah Wojkowski and Michelle E. Kho
Additional contact information
Jasdeep Dhir: School of Rehabilitation Science, Physiotherapy, McMaster University, Institute of Applied Health Science, Room 406, 1400 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON L8S 1C7, Canada
Amy Connell: School of Rehabilitation Science, Physiotherapy, McMaster University, Institute of Applied Health Science, Room 406, 1400 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON L8S 1C7, Canada
Magda McCaughan: Department of Physiotherapy, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, 50 Charlton Ave. E, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
Diana Hatzoglou: Department of Physiotherapy, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, 50 Charlton Ave. E, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
Daana Ajami: Department of Physiotherapy, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, 50 Charlton Ave. E, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
Andrea Fursman: Department of Physiotherapy, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, 50 Charlton Ave. E, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
Sarah Wojkowski: School of Rehabilitation Science, Physiotherapy, McMaster University, Institute of Applied Health Science, Room 406, 1400 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON L8S 1C7, Canada
Michelle E. Kho: School of Rehabilitation Science, Physiotherapy, McMaster University, Institute of Applied Health Science, Room 406, 1400 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON L8S 1C7, Canada

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 11, 1-11

Abstract: Clinical education is a mandatory component of physical therapy curricula globally. COVID-19 disrupted clinical education, jeopardizing students’ abilities to meet graduation requirements. The objective of this case report is to outline the development, implementation and evaluation of a multiple clinical instructor (CI), multiple unit, acute care float clinical placement for a final year, entry-level physical therapy student and offer implementation recommendations. This placement included an eight-week, multiple CI (one primary, four supporting), multiple (five) unit clinical placement which was developed between St. Joseph’s Healthcare and the McMaster University Masters of Science (Physiotherapy) Program between 10 August and 2 October 2020. Student evaluations and reflections by the student and CIs were collected and analyzed using interpretive description. Analysis from the reflections revealed six themes: (1) CI and student attributes; (2) increased feasibility; (3) varied exposure; (4) central communication and resources; (5) organization; and (6) managing expectations. An acute care clinical experience is required for students in Canadian entry-to-practice physical therapy programs. Due to COVID-19, placement opportunities were limited. The float placement allowed clinicians to offer supervision despite staff re-deployment and increased organizational and work–life pressures during the pandemic. This model provides an approach to extenuating circumstances and may also increase acute care placements during non-pandemic times for physical therapy and other similarly structured healthcare professions.

Keywords: health professions education; clinical education; work integrated learning; physical therapy; curricula (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/11/6038/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/11/6038/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:11:p:6038-:d:1162894

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().