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Abstract Background During clinical placements, clinical educators facilitate student learning. Previous research has defined the skills, attitudes and practices that pertain to an ideal clinical educator. However, less attention has been paid to the role of student readiness in terms of foundational knowledge and attitudes at the commencement of practice education. Therefore, the aim of this study was to ascertain clinical educators’ views on the characteristics that they perceive demonstrate that a student is well prepared for clinical learning. Methods A two round on-line Delphi study was conducted. The first questionnaire was emailed to a total of 636 expert clinical educators from the disciplines of occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology. Expert clinical educators were asked to describe the key characteristics that indicate a student is prepared for a clinical placement and ready to learn. Open-ended responses received from the first round were subject to a thematic analysis and resulted in six themes with 62 characteristics. In the second round, participants were asked to rate each characteristic on a 7 point Likert Scale. Results A total of 258 (40.56%) responded to the first round of the Delphi survey while 161 clinical educators completed the second (62.40% retention rate). Consensus was reached on 57 characteristics (six themes) using a cut off of greater than 70% positive respondents and an interquartile deviation IQD of equal or less than 1. Conclusions This study identified 57 characteristics (six themes) perceived by clinical educators as indicators of a student who is prepared and ready for clinical learning. A list of characteristics relating to behaviours has been compiled and could be provided to students to aid their preparation for clinical learning and to universities to incorporate within curricula. In addition, the list provides a platform for discussions by professional bodies about the role of placement education.

This study aimed to investigate if a single, early learning experience in an aged care setting could influence speech-language pathology students': (1) attitudes towards older people; (2) confidence in communicating with older people; and (3) career aspirations in aged care. Ninety first-year undergraduate speech-language pathology students participated in a single visit to an aged care community centre. Students participated in recreational activities alongside older people and engaged in conversation. Before and after the visit, students completed surveys which examined their attitudes towards older people (UCLA Geriatrics Attitudes Scale) and self-perceived communication confidence. A Learning Reactionnaire, examining satisfaction with the experience and career aspirations, was completed post-visit. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests. Qualitative data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Students demonstrated positive changes in their attitudes towards older people and increased communication confidence. Students reported increased interest in future employment in aged care. High satisfaction towards the learning experience was reported. These preliminary findings indicate that a single, early learning experience in an aged care setting can positively shape the attitudes and self-perceived communication skills of first-year speech-language pathology students and help foster interest in pursuing a career in aged care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student-led interprofessional health clinics offer valuable opportunities for student learning and meeting the health care needs of the community. This case study describes the operation of a new interprofessional student-led community health service over its initial 13-month period of operation. This case study also presents an overview of the service provision, student placement opportunities and focuses on the challenges associated with the service and the impact on future planning. What is known about the topic?: Interprofessional student-led clinics offer an opportunity to meet clinical placement demands and interprofessional training needs while also providing a community service. What does this paper add?: This case study adds to the limited literature around knowledge of service delivery and challenges in the operation of community-based student-led interprofessional health services; future planning to streamline processes is also addressed. What are the implications?: There may be relevance to other university–industry partnerships that intend to explore student-led interprofessional service operations designed to address placement shortages, student training and community needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore barriers and enablers to community walking perceived by people with lower limb amputation. Materials and methods: Three focus groups (n = 14 participants), using purposive sampling, were conducted with people with lower limb amputation who used a prosthesis to walk in the community. Three investigators analyzed transcripts using thematic content analysis. Results: Themes aligned with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health domains. Barriers related to body function and structure included prosthetic function, residual limb integrity, phantom limb pain and other medical issues, with optimal prosthetic function and adequate fitness identified as enablers. Personal barriers included challenges adjusting to change, whereas personal enablers included being able to adjust to change, having a positive attitude, goal setting and a purpose for community walking. Environmental barriers included physical (e.g., terrain, crowds, climate) and social (e.g., unwanted attention and finances). Environmental enablers included aids, transport, preparation, social support and finances. Community walking was essential to participation in work, leisure, social activities and family roles. Conclusion: Walking in the community for people with a lower limb amputation presents many barriers, but enablers have also been identified. Targeted assessments and interventions, and appropriate environmental planning may assist in minimizing barriers to community walking. Although rehabilitation for people with lower limb amputation should continue to optimise body function and structure (such as strength, fitness, pain and prosthetic function) to help prepare individuals for walking in the community, personal and environmental factors should also be addressed. Optimising an individual's personal enablers may facilitate community walking; this may include strategies to assist with adjusting to change, setting goals, instilling a positive attitude towards walking, and seeing a purpose for walking in the community. Enhancing environmental (physical and social) enablers and minimising environmental barriers to walking in the community may be possible through environmental planning (e.g. infrastructure such as lifts), social awareness and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GLO:1C4K/01jun20:tct13036-fig-0003.jpg PHOTO (COLOR): . gl Introduction This article is written from the perspectives of two teaching-focused academics with expertise in the patient education skills training of health professional students. Using simulation for training in patient education skills Training should use innovative, efficient, evidence-based pedagogies that allow learners to explicitly practise patient education skills. Creating a dialogue about the role of patient education within the curriculum, enabling specific patient education encounters and advocating for the authentic practise of skills imparts to our future health professionals the tenet that effective patient education is vital. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: What are the characteristics of people with lower limb amputation at admission to, and discharge from, subacute rehabilitation? Have these characteristics changed over time? Methods: A total of 425 lower limb amputation inpatient rehabilitation admissions (335 individuals) from 2005 to 2011 were examined. Admission characteristics, including aetiology, gender, age, amputation level, cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)), indoor mobility aid, motor function (Functional Independence Measure motor subscale) and number and type of comorbidities, and discharge characteristics, including prosthetic prescription, motor function, discharge mobility aid, and destination were compared by admission date and year. Results: Proportion of people with lower limb amputation with nonvascular aetiology increased over time (2004, 15% to 2011, 24%) (ß = −181.836, p < 0.001). Admission cognition increased over time (ß = 9.296, p < 0.001). Motor function worsened over time; median admission (IQR) Functional Independence Measure motor 70 (59–77) in 2005 to 67 (51.5–73.25) in 2011 (ß = −1.937, p < 0.001) and discharge from 81 in 2005 to 79 in 2011 (ß = −1.267, p < 0.001). Prosthetic prescription rates were highest in 2005 (68%) decreasing to 47% in 2010 (ß = −200.473, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Total numbers of people with lower limb amputation did not change over the seven-year study period. Changes were observed in aetiology, cognition and motor function. Prosthetic prescription rates decreased over time. Rehabilitation should account for the changing characteristics of people with lower limb amputation. Motor function should be addressed as part of rehabilitation to optimise the patient's ability to return home and to the community. Prescription rates for lower limb prostheses reduced across time, indicating more specific selection processes and refined clinical decision making; this decision is best informed by a multi-disciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims:The influence of infant positioning on the development of head orientation and plagiocephaly is not clear. This study explored the relationship between infant body and head positioning, with the development of asymmetrical head orientation and/or positional plagiocephaly. Methods:Clinician measurement of head orientation profile and parent-reported infant positioning data were collected for 94 healthy term infants at 3, 6, and 9 weeks of age. Plagiocephaly was measured at 9 weeks with the modified Cranial Vault Asymmetry Index.Results:More severe plagiocephaly was associated with longersupine-sleep-maximum(p= 0.001) and longer supine-lying-total(p= 0.014) at 6 weeks. Prone positioning was not associated with plagiocephaly. Parent-reported head asymmetry during awake and sleep time at 3 weeks identified infants with clinician-measured head asymmetry at 9 weeks. Better symmetry in head turning was associated with more side-lying-totaltime by 9 weeks (p= 0.013).Conclusions:Our results showed that infant positioning is associated with early head orientation and plagiocephaly development. Early parent-reported asymmetry during awake and sleep time is an important indicator for the need for professional assessment and advice. APlagiocephaly Prevention StrategyandPlagiocephaly Screening Pathwayare provided for clinicians and parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of video-based telerehabilitation assessments in patients with heart failure. Methods Seventeen consecutive participants (mean age 69 years, SD 12 years and 88% males) undertook assessments of three functional tests via both telerehabilitation and face-to-face approaches, on the same day. The assessment order was randomised and conducted by independent assessors. Outcome measures included functional tests: timed up and go (time), six-minute walk (distance), grip strength (kilograms); system usability scale to rate participant experience with telerehabilitation assessment; and number of technical issues encountered. Validity and inter- and intra-rater reliability of telerehabilitation assessments were examined using limits of agreement, intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), and paired t-tests. Results The limits of agreement for telerehabilitation assessments were within the clinically acceptable limits for timed up and go and grip strength. Telerehabilitation assessments for all functional tests were strongly associated with face-to-face assessments, with ICCs of between 0.85 and 0.96. Inter- and intra-rater reliability of telerehabilitation assessments for all functional tests were excellent (all ICC > 0.95). The mean (SD) system usability scale score was 85 (15)/100. Some incidences of Internet drop-outs, video freezing and auditory fading occurred. Discussion The use of telehealth for the assessment of functional exercise capacity appears to be valid and reliable in patients with heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Purpose Methods Results Conclusion Social media offer opportunities for informal learning and are increasingly adopted by health professionals as learning tools. However, little is known of how new graduate physiotherapists engage with social media for learning.This study aimed to explore new graduate physiotherapists’ perceptions and use of social media as learning tools during their transition into professional practice.This study used a qualitative general inductive approach. New graduate physiotherapists (n = 16) were recruited through purposive snowball sampling and participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were subjected to a general inductive analytical method.Four themes were generated: 1) social media as tools for learning; 2) navigating and engaging with social media as a learner; 3) thinking critically about social media; and 4) relevance to practice.New graduate physiotherapists use social media as adjunct learning tools which can be positioned within several frameworks, including the Situated Learning Theory. However, new graduates voice uncertainties regarding information credibility, the importance of critical thinking skills in navigating information, and concerns regarding blurred work-life boundaries. Recommendations are made for research to further understand social media as emerging learning tools, especially for new graduates who are experiencing insufficient workplace support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]