Journal of Allied Health最新文献

Aims: Individuals with herniated discs can have a wide variety of clinical presentations, ranging from asymptomatic to severe spinal cord compression and pain. Perceptions the general public hold regarding the consequences of disc herniation are currently unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the general population's current views regarding lumbar disc herniations in order to better understand patient perceptions regarding herniated discs and the factors that may influence them.

Design: A hybrid survey of original questions and existing scales was developed for this study. Questions included demographic, medical history, and perceptions of disc herniation inquiries, as well as the entirety of the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) and Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) scales. Data analysis was performed via JASP.

Results: A key finding of this study was that resilience plays a major role in participant's views on herniated intervertebral discs (p=0.040). Participants with greater resilience levels had views on disc herniations that were more consistent with the findings in the literature (p=0.018).

Conclusion: This may implicate low resilience levels in negative catastrophizing, which can impair the recovery process for patients. Due to this, healthcare providers should further consider a patient's mental characteristics such as resilience and coping style when discussing implications of this potential diagnosis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe concerns experienced among persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PALS) and their partners regarding sexual intimacy, as well as preferences regarding discussion of the topic with healthcare providers.

Methods: A total of 27 survey responses including 13 PALS and 14 partners were received. Surveys included both quantitative and qualitative data addressing the importance of sexual intimacy to quality of life, assistance required to participate in sexual intimacy, concerns for safety, and preferred timing and method of discussing/receiving information from healthcare professionals.

Results: 100% of respondents stated they had never been asked about sexual intimacy by any healthcare provider. 92% of participants agreed ALS had affected their ability to express sexual intimacy. Participants discussed loss of intimacy as due to muscle weakness, respiratory concerns, and role change among other contributors to the overall experienced change in expression of sexual intimacy. With regards to their preferred method of receiving/discussing information on the effect of ALS on sexual intimacy, 48% of participants preferred use of an online video series, 44% chose a pamphlet, 24% chose a one-on-one discussion with a healthcare provider, and 12% chose a private conversation with their partner and healthcare provider.

Conclusions: The findings greatly illustrate the difficulties and concerns experienced with sexual intimacy among PALS and their partners as well as the preferred methods for receiving information on the topic.

The COVID-19 pandemic created a shift in interprofessional education (IPE) courses, causing programs to change pedagogical approaches. We sought to examine student preferences for taking IPE simulations. On post-simulation surveys from two courses (n=844 students, 2020-2022 academic years), we asked students if they preferred to take the simulation through a synchronous in-person or virtual format. More students preferred a virtual platform in academic year 2021-2022 than the previous year (p<0.001). Students who chose the virtual format believed it was more convenient, reduced COVID-19 transmission, and eased interprofessional collaboration. The downsides to in-person simulations included travel logistics and technical challenges in the simulation lab. Students suggested that in-person simulations more closely resembled 'real life' and that communication and body language are easier to convey in person.

Objective: Today's healthcare system requires interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) to improve health outcomes. IPCP often begins with interprofessional education (IPE), which should stimulate meaningful idea exchange. This study's purpose was to assess the impact of a photovoice-based IPE experience on the attitudes and beliefs of students in two health professions programs.

Methods: Forty-two Doctor of Physical Therapy students and 13 Radiation Therapy students created photovoice slides representing the most significant "thing" in their professional education. Students discussed their slides in small groups followed by a large-group discussion. A pretest-posttest survey containing researcher-generated questions and the Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised (SPICE-R2) and a post-activity evaluation were administered.

Results: Forty-two students completed the pretest survey; 35 completed the posttest survey. A statistically significant difference was found between pretest (M=4.07, SD=0.91) and posttest (M=4.45, SD=0.70) SPICE-R2 total scores, t(928)=7.22, p<0.001. Statistically significant differences were found for all SPICE-R2 factor scores. Thematic analysis revealed three themes: 1) students learned about the other profession, 2) the IPE experience was meaningful, and 3) the IPE experience could be improved.

Conclusions: The photovoice IPE experience stimulated student reflection, interprofessional collaboration, and new perceptions about the other health profession. Future studies should focus on similar activities offered earlier in the education program.

In the Summer 2024 issue, in the paper by Esani et al. (p130), one of the listed authors was included incorrectly. Due to a conflict of interest, author Vicki S. Freeman chose to withdraw from the project and as an author of the paper, but this change had been overlooked. The corrected version of the paper was posted on the journal website on 17-September-2024.

Introduction: Interprofessional collaborative practice is linked to decreased medical errors. Previously, we published that large-scale in-person simulations can teach interprofessional teamwork skills. To prove that virtual instruction in these skills produces similar learning outcomes, we compared virtual and in-person learning outcomes from delivery of a workshop based on TeamSTEPPS.

Methods: Students were assigned by their school faculty and attendance was mandatory. After completing an online learning module on TeamSTEPPS techniques, pre-clinical students (n = 1,158) from 10 professions practiced these skills in two virtual interprofessional simulations lasting 75 minutes including debriefings. Pre-post surveys were administered to learners. We compared findings with in-person results previously reported from simulations using the same cases.

Results: Performance on multiple choice questions and self-reported teamwork ability improved pre- to post-simulation. Participants recommended the simulation be required for subsequent learners (85.6%) and were satisfied with the relevance to their area of study (87.54%). Qualitative comments highlighted the benefits of the teamwork and interprofessional components of the simulation.

Discussion: Outcomes of virtual program delivery were similar to those of in-person delivery. Virtual simulation successfully enabled students to apply skills in an interprofessional environment to improve teamwork and communication skills. These results enable us to offer this course virtually to distance learning students currently.

Inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) are crucial in enhancing the functionality of individuals requiring post-acute care. However, despite modifications in reimbursement systems, IRF admission criteria have remained relatively unchanged since the 1970s. As a result, and despite evidence of functional improvement, IRFs are still not widely used for cancer patients' rehabilitation needs. President Biden relaunched the Cancer Moonshot in 2022 with the aim of enhancing the quality of life for individuals with cancer. To improve the quality of life for cancer patients and meet their rehabilitation needs, it is essential to assess IRF admission and reimbursement procedures. Utilizing Bardach's Eightfold Path for Policy Analysis, the so-called "60% rule," and potential alternatives are evaluated to address the impact on cancer patients' access to IRF-level rehabilitation. Expanding the list of conditions eligible for IRF-level care could significantly increase access for those with a cancer diagnosis with minimal legislative intervention. This approach could also enhance the efficiency of these services by enabling providers to become more attuned to the unique needs of cancer patients. Although this may entail higher costs initially, long-term savings can be realized through reduced disability costs and improved quality of life for patients.

Leadership style is crucial for developing organizational culture, achieving goals, and shaping relationships. The site coordinator of clinical education (SCCE) is an important leader for effective physical therapy clinical education, yet few studies examine the role. This study's purposes were to discern the SCCEs' self-rated leadership styles, utilization patterns, and relationship of leadership effectiveness based on three leadership outcomes. Fifty-eight SCCEs recruited from an APTA listserv answered the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Form-5X (MLQTM-5X) that measures transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire behaviors and outcomes. All SCCEs rated their leadership as primarily transformational. Positive relationships (p <0.05) occurred between transformational leadership (TFL) style and leadership outcomes. ANOVAs indicated utilizing TFL behaviors significantly affected all three leadership outcomes: extra effort (p = 0.01), effectiveness (p <0.001), and satis¬faction (p <0.001). Corrected post hoc Bonferroni analyses indicated SCCEs who most frequently utilized TFL behaviors achieved best outcomes (p <0.001). SCCEs utilized all TFL behaviors as well as one transactional behavior, contingent reward. The TFL style positively correlated with all three outcomes, showing better outcomes with greater utilization of TFL behaviors. These findings elucidate leadership styles of experienced, successful SCCEs and may serve as a pathway for SCCE leadership development.

Students graduating from professional healthcare programs are expected to demonstrate competence in their area of study to enter the workforce and immediately start working with people. High expectations and a fast-paced environment are typical aspects of these professional positions and often result in higher rates of burnout, compassion fatigue, and lack of empathy, leading to an overall decrease in patient satisfaction. As a result, patients who face difficult situations may often feel as though their needs are not being addressed. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a shared educational module and simulated patient encounters on improving student confidence and competence engaging in difficult conversations with patients regarding intimate partner violence, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation. Students in the social work (n=14), athletic training (n=7), and physician assistant degree programs (n=20) participated in a collective learning module focusing on patient-centered care (PCC) skills required for having difficult conversations with patients. After students completed the shared learning module and prior to the simulated experience, students were given the Inter-professional Teams in Difficult Conversations Self-Assessment survey, a self-assessment tool measuring level of competence in engaging in difficult conversations. Students were then assigned to one of three rooms at random and varied in topic from intimate partner violence, substance abuse, or suicidal ideation. After the simulation, students completed the Inter-professional Teams in Difficult Conversations Self-Assessment survey again. Standardized patients (SP) also completed the Patient-Professional Interaction Questionnaire (PPIQ) immediately after the simulated experience. As hypothesized, students self-reported very high confidence in their ability to engage in difficult conversations using PCC, but SPs reported feeling little empathy or understanding of their situation from the students. Findings from this research demonstrate the disconnect in transfer of knowledge from understanding what PCC skills are to implementing them during difficult conversations.

For many decades, academic cheating has been prevalent across many institutions and majors. This problem has been exacerbated by new technology that has increased opportunities for students to access and use information dishonestly. There is fear amongst faculty that dishonesty in the academic world could negatively impact professionals in their future careers. The greater prevalence of cheating may be related to students misunderstanding what constitutes cheating. To better understand students' perceptions of cheating, a group of faculty surveyed students across 11 academic programs at a college of health professions using a slightly modified version of a validated tool via an online platform. Data about cheating perceptions were collected from more than 400 students. Although most respondents agreed that cheating is wrong, some were open to explanations of innocence related to possible cheating scenarios. Also, most respondents did not agree that a person who cheats is an unethical person. These findings suggest that students believe cheating can occur unintentionally. Although the findings support that more education about academic dishonesty would be valuable, this study can inform efforts to develop more targeted education and interventions to reduce cheating behaviors.