Addressing the blind spot: the development of an assessment tool to evaluate a physiotherapy clinical education programme
Date
2021
Authors
Naidoo, Vaneshveri
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Abstract
Background: Clinical education is a core component of a physiotherapy undergraduate curriculum.
It provides a unique opportunity for students to learn technical (assessment and treatment skills) and
non-technical skills (reflection; critical analysis, attitudes, and professional behaviour) in the real
milieu, where theoretical knowledge and skills are applied and mastered. The evaluation of the
quality and effectiveness of physiotherapy clinical education has been unsuccessful due to its
complexity, and the lack of a standardised evaluation tool. This gap has led to the development of
this study.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop, validate and test the reliability an assessment tool
that evaluates the effectiveness of a physiotherapy undergraduate clinical education programme.
Method: A mixed-method study of four phases. The first phase determined the items and domains
that needed to be included in the tool. Focus group discussions (FGD) were held nationally in South
Africa with physiotherapy academics; clinical supervisors/educators; clinical managers and newly
qualified physiotherapists. Phases two-four determined the face, content and construct validity of the
tool, via the Delphi method and a survey, respectively. Additionally, exploratory factor analysis was
used for item reduction and reordering the final tool.
Results: Three themes emerged from the FGD: Governance; Structure and Experience, with
domains and items relating to: Governance; Academic Processes; Learning Exposure; Clinical
Orientation; Clinical Supervision and Quality Assurance & Monitoring and Evaluation. The
Vaneshveri Naidoo Clinical Programme Evaluation Tool (VN-CPET) of 58 items, and six categories
was developed. VN-CPET was found to be valid and reliable (α=0.75).
Conclusion: VN-CPET, a validated and reliable standardised monitoring and evaluation tool – the
first of its kind, can be used to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of a physiotherapy
undergraduate clinical education programme
Description
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021