Early Assurance Model for Physical Therapy Education: A Descriptive Study

Introduction: Various curriculum models for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) education exist across the country. The purpose of this study was to provide an updated description of the Early Assurance (EA) program model, including administrative variables for institutional leaders to consider. This descriptive study may help equip students to choose an educational program that suits their desires and enable institutions to consider models that fit their needs given their typical admission draw, the local environment, student debt, and resources available. Applications to DPT programs are on the decline while there continues to be an expansion of programs. Institutions are looking for innovative models to address the changing landscape of higher education. Methods: An electronic survey was deployed to all Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education accredited DPT programs and contained 33 multiple-choice and free text questions. Responses were received from 30 EA programs and 60 programs without EA (non-EA). Quantitative data were reported in percentages and means, and a thematic analysis was used to determine themes from free text responses. Results: Admission criteria, progression criteria, majors leading to the DPT degree, and management of admissions processes varied across the programs. Four themes emerged from the non-EA programs regarding why they do not offer an EA pathway. Seventeen (28% of respondents) indicated they are now reviewing and considering an EA pathway. Conclusion: A variety of pathways leading into DPT graduate programs exist and may benefit students. Specifically, these variations may allow students to choose a program that fits their particular needs. The results of the study may inform prospective students who can utilize this information to ask more specific questions as they consider DPT programs. Moreover, as many allied health programs have accelerated pathways to the terminal degree, institutions can utilize these findings to inform decisions about EA programs and how these programs may address declines in admissions and retention

An Innovative Interprofessional Simulation: Preparing Students to Tackle the Challenge of Care Transitions

INTRODUCTION Transitions of Care (TOC) are associated with communication breakdowns that contribute to medical errors, medication mistakes, and hospital re-admissions. The purpose of this one-day workshop was to teach interprofessional (IP) skills to healthcare students, focusing on verbal and written communication during a TOC of a standardized patient (SP). METHODS Forty-seven students, representing six healthcare disciplines, worked in IP teams to plan a family meeting for a hospitalized SP who had recently experienced a stroke. Students were to communicate pertinent medical, social, and physical issues to the SP, as well as make discharge recommendations. Discharge summaries were entered into an electronic medical record and transmitted to IP teams simulating either a rehabilitation setting or ambulatory care. IP teams utilized these summaries in their family meeting with the SP. After each scenario, students debriefed, focusing on IP competencies. RESULTS Significant improvements were found in nine of fourteen areas measured by the Attitudes Towards Healthcare Teams Scale. Significant improvements were found for confidence in writing an accurate and concise note as well as gleaning information from a discharge summary. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated the effectiveness of a short workshop on improving IP verbal and written communication and confidence in TOC scenarios in acute care, rehabilitation, and ambulatory care

When Eating Becomes Torturous: Understanding Nutrition-Related Cancer Treatment Side Effects among Individuals with Cancer and Their Caregivers

Individuals living with cancer often experience multiple nutrition-related side effects from cancer treatment, including changes in taste and smell, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and pain during eating. These side effects can profoundly impact nutritional status and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences with nutrition-related cancer treatment side effects among cancer patients and their family caregivers, the way they manage such side effects, and the resulting changes in food preferences and behaviors. Structured surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted. Interviews focused on the presence and management of treatment side effects, how those changes influenced food preferences, and the extent to which they interfered with quality of life. Most patients (72%) reported treatment side effects; 61% reported that these side effects impacted their eating and drinking. Common side effects included fatigue (58%), dry mouth (30%), nausea (24%), constipation (20%) and diarrhea (20%). Six overarching qualitative themes were identified: Spiral of side effects; Pain of eating; Burden of eating; Loss of taste/change in taste; Symptom management; and Solutions. The authors conclude with implications for food and nutrition practice—moving beyond traditional recommendations of what to eat or avoid—to consider the overall patient and caregiver experience

Should the Entire Team Learn Together? Piloting an Interprofessional, Palliative Care Communication Workshop

Learning Objectives To describe the main objective for an effective interprofessional communication workshop To list the essential elements of an effective interprofessional communication worksho

Educational Lessons from a Pandemic: Lecture Recording and Learning Outcomes

Purpose: The use of lecture capture (LC) in higher education classrooms has increased, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, its effectiveness as a learning strategy is largely untested in graduate students. In undergraduate students, the use of LC has mixed findings related to academic performance. Some studies show no improvement in assessment or course grades while others show small gains. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of LC on academic performance in graduate doctor of physical therapy students (DPT). Methods: In module 1, students received two virtual synchronous lectures which were recorded and uploaded to the learning management system (LMS). A sample of convenience of second year DPT students enrolled in a cardiovascular and pulmonary course. Scores on quizzes and exams and viewing data were extracted from the LMS, and students completed a survey about their experience with LC. A Mann-Whitney U was performed to compare grades amongst students who watched recordings versus those who didn’t. A linear regression was performed to determine if a duration of video viewing was associated with better performance. A similarity test was used to compare the quiz and exam scores for module 1 and module 2 for those students who watched one video or two videos. Results: Fifty-eight students met inclusion criteria (58/67). No duration of video viewing was associated with better performance on the quiz (p= 0.423) or unit exam (p=0.754). There were no significant differences between students who watched the recorded lectures and those who did not on either quiz (p=0.732; Table 3) or exam performance (p=0.773; Table 3). Lastly, the similarity scores for those who watched both videos were a 0.98 for the quizzes and 0.92 for the exams, again showing similar performance whether or not students viewed the videos. Conclusions and Recommendations: No performance advantage was found for viewing recordings despite students\u27 positive perception of their utility. Professors should recommend the best-fit learning modality for each student, as LC may not be of benefit

Early Assurance Model for Physical Therapy Education: A Descriptive Study

Introduction: Various curriculum models for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) education exist across the country. The purpose of this study was to provide an updated description of the Early Assurance (EA) program model, including administrative variables for institutional leaders to consider. This descriptive study may help equip students to choose an educational program that suits their desires and enable institutions to consider models that fit their needs given their typical admission draw, the local environment, student debt, and resources available. Applications to DPT programs are on the decline while there continues to be an expansion of programs. Institutions are looking for innovative models to address the changing landscape of higher education. Methods: An electronic survey was deployed to all Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education accredited DPT programs and contained 33 multiple-choice and free text questions. Responses were received from 30 EA programs and 60 programs without EA (non-EA). Quantitative data were reported in percentages and means, and a thematic analysis was used to determine themes from free text responses. Results: Admission criteria, progression criteria, majors leading to the DPT degree, and management of admissions processes varied across the programs. Four themes emerged from the non-EA programs regarding why they do not offer an EA pathway. Seventeen (28% of respondents) indicated they are now reviewing and considering an EA pathway. Conclusion: A variety of pathways leading into DPT graduate programs exist and may benefit students. Specifically, these variations may allow students to choose a program that fits their particular needs. The results of the study may inform prospective students who can utilize this information to ask more specific questions as they consider DPT programs. Moreover, as many allied health programs have accelerated pathways to the terminal degree, institutions can utilize these findings to inform decisions about EA programs and how these programs may address declines in admissions and retentio

When Eating Becomes Torturous: Understanding Nutrition-Related Cancer Treatment Side Effects among Individuals with Cancer and Their Caregivers

Individuals living with cancer often experience multiple nutrition-related side effects from cancer treatment, including changes in taste and smell, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and pain during eating. These side effects can profoundly impact nutritional status and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences with nutrition-related cancer treatment side effects among cancer patients and their family caregivers, the way they manage such side effects, and the resulting changes in food preferences and behaviors. Structured surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted. Interviews focused on the presence and management of treatment side effects, how those changes influenced food preferences, and the extent to which they interfered with quality of life. Most patients (72%) reported treatment side effects; 61% reported that these side effects impacted their eating and drinking. Common side effects included fatigue (58%), dry mouth (30%), nausea (24%), constipation (20%) and diarrhea (20%). Six overarching qualitative themes were identified: Spiral of side effects; Pain of eating; Burden of eating; Loss of taste/change in taste; Symptom management; and Solutions. The authors conclude with implications for food and nutrition practice—moving beyond traditional recommendations of what to eat or avoid—to consider the overall patient and caregiver experience