Search

It has become relatively common practice within health professional education to invite people who have used mental health and social care services (or service user educators) to share their stories with health professional learners and students. This paper reports on findings from a postcritical ethnographic study of the practice of service user involvement (SUI), in which we reflexively inquired into conceptualizations of service user educators' knowledge contributions to health professional education in the accounts of both service user- and health professional educators. This research was conducted in response to recent calls for greater scrutiny surrounding the risks, challenges, and complexities inherent in involving service users in health professional education spaces. 'Story/telling' was identified as a pronounced overarching construct in our analysis, which focuses on participants' reports of both the obvious and more subtle tensions and complexities they experience in relation to storytelling as a predominant tool or approach to SUI. Our findings are presented as three distinct, yet overlapping, themes related to these complexities or tensions: (a) performative expectations; (b) the invisible work of storytelling; and (c) broadening conceptualizations of service user educators' knowledge. Our findings and discussion contribute to a growing body of literature which problematizes the uncritical solicitation of service user educators' stories in health professional education and highlights the need for greater consideration of the emotional and epistemic labour expected of those who are invited to share their stories. This paper concludes with generative recommendations and reflexive prompts for health professional educators seeking to engage service user educators in health professional education through the practice of storytelling.

Numerous qualitative researchers employ the Deleuzoguattarian construct of "rhizome" in their work. In this paper, we consider the ethical affordances made possible by the rhizome's theoretical features to propose "rhizo-ethics": an approach to ethical discernment in qualitative inquiry which engages with the Deleuzoguattarian construct of "rhizome." Across an exploration of Deleuze & Guattari's writing, educational scholarship, and further qualitative work that employs rhizomatic thought, we examine how engaging with a rhizomatic approach affords researchers the means to reconfigure research ethics hierarchies by decentralizing their position in the research context. Such a perspective generates possibilities to: acknowledge fluctuating power relations, enrich representations, embrace a relational onto-epistemology, and consider the interactions between human and nonhuman matter as ethically significant.

This paper reports on a study of student peer mentorship in the context of nursing education in a higher education program in Canada. The study used an embodied hermeneutic phenomenological methodology to investigate student peer mentors' perceptions of teaching during peer mentorship. The data were collected over one calendar year (2019) and involved analysis of 10 participants' interview data and their 'body maps,' produced in response to guided questions. Through the data analysis a core theme of 'commitment to mentee growth' was identified, along with seven interrelated themes: sharing responsibility for learning, moderating stress, mediating power relations, navigating unknown processes, valuing creative approaches, offering generous acceptance, and facilitating confidence. Student peer mentorship has the potential to contribute to health professions education in a number of unique ways including through embodied attunement, trusting intersubjective relations, and dialogic education. This study is innovative in its purposeful design and aim to investigate both cognitive and embodied perceptions of student peer mentors. The findings point to the promise of student peer mentorship for advancing health sciences education. Implications for peer mentorship program development in health professions education are discussed.

Ageism is an age-based form of discrimination that still prevails in our modern society. As other forms of discrimination, older adults may encounter ageist discourses in a variety of contexts, including health care settings. In this paper, we consider critical reflexivity as an approach to challenge ageism within health care contexts. We explore the potential of critical reflexivity to transform the perceptions of older age among students in the health professions who work with older adults. We examine observation, narrative and reflexive writing as fruitful strategies to facilitate dialogue and critically interrogate ageist discourses.

Interdisciplinarity is a pervasive trend in 21st-century knowledge building and innovation. It is predicated on the recognition that creative solutions to the world's increasingly complex problems require the intersection of diverse expertise. Little scholarly attention has been directed towards how the new interdisciplinary (ID) model is influencing the processes and outcomes of graduate research training. In a qualitative study informed by critical narrative analysis and conducted at one institution, we investigate the epistemological, structural, and relational factors that shape ID doctoral research supervision, explore how differing knowledge cultures and values are negotiated in supervisory practices, and consider how established structures and discourses influence the processes and outcomes of these supervisory relationships.

While research into mindfulness practices is on the rise across populations, there is evidence to suggest that clinical practice has outpaced the literature with regard to mindfulness in pediatric rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of occupational therapists who opt to incorporate mindfulness into their clinical practices with children and youth. Hermeneutic phenomenology was the methodology of the study. The theoretical framework employed a Heideggerian-informed phenomenology of practice. Eight occupational therapists practicing in Canada and the United States participated in 90–120 min semi-structured interviews that elicited first-hand accounts of mindfulness in pediatric occupational therapy practice. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Finlay's four-step approach. Six salient themes were identified in the data: drawing from personal practice, enhancing participation, fostering healthy habits, adapting for children, keeping it playful, and doing with. The findings of this study offer insights for therapists who are considering incorporating mindfulness into their practices with children and youth. Further, this research highlights a number of research priorities that require further inquiry. Mindfulness is growing in popularity and may support occupational engagement in children and youth receiving rehabilitation services. Mindfulness practices may support rehabilitation providers in approaching their work with children and youth from a critical perspective. Further development of the child- and youth-centred mindfulness approaches may be warranted to enhance engagement and appropriateness for a range of ages and conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping literature review examines the topic of interdisciplinary doctoral research supervision. Interdisciplinary doctoral research programs are expanding in response to encouragement from funding agencies and enthusiasm from faculty and students. In an acknowledgement that the search for creative and innovative solutions to complex problems is best addressed through interdisciplinary collaborations, research-intensive universities are increasingly encouraging interdisciplinary projects and programs. The expansion of interdisciplinary research to the context of doctoral research may impact several core components of the doctorate: the enactment of the student-supervisor relationship, the process of forming and working with a supervisory committee, and the process and outcomes of doctoral research. In order to ensure that interdisciplinary doctoral supervision occurs in a positive and effective way, it is necessary to understand the distinct needs and challenges of interdisciplinary students and their supervisors, through scholarship about this phenomenon. (Contains 2 tables.)

Practitioners' perspectives of what constitutes a 'good' physiotherapist have not been explicitly examined despite their potential implications for the future practice of physiotherapy. Physiotherapists' perceptions may inform professional priorities including education curricula, professional practices, competency profiles, and patient interactions. The purpose of this research was to examine physiotherapists' perceptions of what constitutes a 'good' physiotherapist. The context of the study was musculoskeletal practice (MSK). A hermeneutic phenomenological investigation was undertaken. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve experienced MSK physiotherapists to examine their perceptions of what constitutes a 'good' physiotherapist. Seven themes were identified. Good physiotherapists were depicted as: 1) oriented to care; 2) integrating knowledge sources; 3) competent; 4) responsive; 5) reflective; 6) communicative; and 7) reasoning. To deepen the understanding of these themes, we discuss the findings in relation to Joan Tronto's ethic of care theory. Physiotherapists' perceptions of what constitutes a 'good' physiotherapist highlight practices that may underpin an ethic of care including the pivotal role of person-centered and relational dimensions of practice. The findings call into question the profession's emphasis on a technical rationalist approach to education and clinical practice and invites conversation about future directions that balance technical competence with relational dimensions of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundPurposeMethodsFindingsConclusionsReflection is promoted in health professional education as a way to learn in and on practice. ‘Being reflective’ is considered important to ‘good’ and ‘expert’ physiotherapy practice, yet there is limited research on reflective practices of experienced physiotherapists. For Aristotle, a good person reasons and acts in ways to promote human flourishing. Physiotherapists’ perspectives on the place of reflection in good practice has the potential to advance professional understandings of how it may be enacted. Such knowledge may inform health professions education, regulatory guidelines, professional practices, and patient interactions.The purpose of this research was to examine experienced musculoskeletal (MSK) practitioners’ perceptions of reflection in the practice of a ‘good’ physiotherapist.A secondary analysis of data arising from a hermeneutic phenomenological study into physiotherapists’ perceptions of the qualities and practices that constitutes a ‘good’ physiotherapist was undertaken. The secondary analysis focused on ways of ‘being reflective’, which emerged as a major theme in the original study.Six themes were identified related to ‘being reflective’ in a ‘good’ physiotherapist: 1) learning from experience; 2) integrating multiple perspectives; 3) navigating indeterminate zones; 4) developing embodied knowledge; 5) questioning assumptions; and 6) cultivating wisdom.Findings support the notion that ‘good’ physiotherapy involves a disposition toward making wise judgments through reflection. This practice-based knowledge can inform educational initiatives that nurture practices that foster attention to reflective processes that inform phronesis in professional life. Through reflexivity on what the profession takes for granted, physiotherapists may be better prepared when navigating the indeterminate zones of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being 'responsive' is named as an element of ethic of care theories, yet how it is enacted is not clearly described in health professional practice. Being 'responsive' is implied within patient-centered approaches and promoted as important to health care practices, including physiotherapy. However, ways of being a responsive practitioner have not been explicitly examined. Practitioners' perspectives about how a 'good' physiotherapist enacts responsiveness have potential implications for the future practice of physiotherapy. Physiotherapists' perceptions may inform professional priorities including education curricula, professional practices, and patient interactions. The purpose of this research was to explore experienced musculoskeletal (MSK) practitioners' perceptions of 'responsiveness' in the practice of a 'good' physiotherapist. A secondary analysis of data arising from a hermeneutic phenomenological study into physiotherapists' perceptions of what constitutes a 'good' physiotherapist was undertaken. The secondary analysis focused on 'responsiveness,' which emerged as a major theme in the original study. Six themes were identified related to 'Being responsive' in a 'good' physiotherapist: Being person-centered, Being attentive, Being open, Being a listener, Being validating, and Being positive. As a relational way of practicing, being responsive may facilitate person-centered approaches including a relational understanding of autonomy, inviting dialogue, and sharing power and decision-making with patients. Pivotal to the practice of a 'good' physiotherapist, being responsive in the ways underscored by participants suggests researchers, educators, and practitioners consider relational ways of practicing as a balance to the technical aspects of physiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the Master of Physical Therapy program at a Canadian University, Understanding Pain in Rehabilitation (PT9551b) has been an elective option for physical therapy students with the final submission based on a reflective diary. The primary intention of the course is to introduce a critical social science perspective of pain and pain management. A secondary intention is to facilitate student reflection on how they see themselves as 'providers of pain management' or 'providers of physical therapy for people in pain' although at this point, the students' experiences of learning in this way has not been rigorously explored. There has yet to be a systemic examination of how physical therapy students experience learning about pain through such a course, and how the course has impacted their perspectives. This study followed an interpretive phenomenological research design. Single semi-structured in-depth 45–90-minute interviews of recent students were audio recorded and transcribed. In addition, the reflective diaries of students were included in the data set with students' permission. The analysis process followed a detailed reading approach to analysis by reading transcriptions line by line and engaging in critical reflection. Six major themes were identified including: 1) Therapeutic Power of Words; 2) Learning through Reflection; 3) Lived Experience with Pain; 4) Patient Partnership; 5) Conceptualizations of Pain; and 6) Pain and Physiotherapy Practice. It is recommended that researchers and educators encourage a continuation of reflective practice to conceptualize new information and as a means for participants to reflect on their personal and professional experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examined the lived experience of older adult Alpine skiers in their continued participation in competitive ski racing. The aim was to gain an understanding of the meaning of the experiences for older adults as they continued to compete in Alpine ski racing. Masters skiers between the ages of 69 and 82 years participated in individual interviews. Data collection and analysis were iterative processes informed by phenomenological methods and visual mind mapping. The overarching theme identified in participants' accounts was the significance of the identity of "Being" a Ski Racer. Supporting subthemes were Enjoying the Feeling of Ski Racing, Adapting in the Sport, and Skiing as a Lifestyle. These insights offer the opportunity to encourage and support the holistic experiences of older adults who maintain their athletic identity as they age. This research highlights how inclusion of older adults' stories may foster critical reflexivity and challenge assumptions about aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous qualitative researchers employ the Deleuzoguattarian construct of rhizome in their work. In this paper, we consider the ethical affordances made possible by the rhizome's theoretical features to propose rhizo-ethics: an approach to ethical discernment in qualitative inquiry which engages with the Deleuzoguattarian construct of rhizome. Across an exploration of Deleuze & Guattari's writing, educational scholarship, and further qualitative work that employs rhizomatic thought, we examine how engaging with a rhizomatic approach affords researchers the means to reconfigure research ethics hierarchies by decentralizing their position in the research context. Such a perspective generates possibilities to: acknowledge fluctuating power relations, enrich representations, embrace a relational onto-epistemology, and consider the interactions between human and nonhuman matter as ethically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Metaphors are commonly used linguistic devices that can encourage deep reflection and offer new insight. Metaphors have been used within the both the occupational therapy and mindfulness literature to describe complex phenomena. The aim of this phenomenological study was to identify, analyze, and interpret metaphors used by pediatric occupational therapists to describe mindfulness in their clinical practices with children and youth. Method: Eight North American Occupational Therapists participated in semi-structured interviews which were transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were read to identify idiographic or naturally occurring metaphors used by participants. Metaphors of mindfulness were also elicited from participants as an interview question. Findings: Three themes were identified within participants' idiographic metaphors of mindfulness: mindfulness as a tool, mindfulness as exploration, and mindfulness as a support. Two additional themes were identified within participants' idiographic metaphors of themselves as facilitators of mindfulness: therapist as a guide, and therapist as a gardener. Elicited metaphors generally aligned with the themes identified for idiographic metaphors while some offered additional unique insights. Conclusion: The findings open conversations about therapists' framing of the use of mindfulness within the context of pediatric occupational therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a study of an arts informed approach to ethics education in a health professions education context. The purpose of this study was to investigate students' reported learning experiences as a result of engagement with an arts-informed project in a health professions' ethics course. A hermeneutic phenomenological methodological approach was adopted for the study. The data were collected over 5 years, and involved analysis of 234 occupational therapy students' written reflections on learning. Phenomenological methods were used. Five key themes were identified with respect to students' reported learning including: becoming aware of values, (re) discovering creativity, coming to value reflection in professional life, deepening self-awareness, and developing capacities to imagine future practices. There appear to be a number of unique ways in which arts-informed approaches can contribute to health professions education including: activating imaginative engagement, fostering interpretive capacity, inspiring transformative understandings, offering new ways of knowing, deepening reflection, and heightening consciousness, while also enriching the inner life of practitioners. Innovative approaches are being used to introduce arts-informed practices in health professions curricula programs. The findings point to the promise of arts-informed approaches for advancing health sciences education.

The ethical climate in which occupational therapists, and other health practitioners, currently practice is increasingly complex. There have been a number of calls for greater attention to ethics education within health science curricula. This study investigated occupational therapy students' perceptions of the meaning of ethical practice as a means of engaging in a dialogue about the aims of ethics education in contemporary health science contexts. A phenomenological methodological approach was adopted for the study. Interviews were conducted over 2 years with 25 student participants. The data were analyzed using phenomenological methods of analysis. Seven themes depict students' views about the meaning of ethical practice and include: being faithful to the tenets of your practice, being communicative, being in tune with your values, understanding the client's needs, weighing the pros and cons, negotiating the grey zones, and taking time to reflect. The findings contribute to understanding students' conceptions of the meaning of ethical practice that include and move beyond traditional codes, principles, and professional standards to encompass a range of dimensions of ethical practice. These additional dimensions raise insights of relevance to those who design and facilitate ethics education with health professionals.