A tailored training based on students’ and teachers’ needs to improve palpation skills: A quantitative part of a mixed-method study

Background

Palpation is a fundamental and complex skill for manual practitioners, it is a very difficult task to teach and to learn. Trials suggest that training might increase the reliability of palpation in detection of bony landmarks, nevertheless the poor dependability of the examined tests suggests that teaching methods must be reviewed. Different training methodologies have been implemented to improve learning experience of manual therapists, but none of them were based on students' and teachers’ suggestions.

Objectives

This study aims to find an efficient training, tailored on students' needs, that improve students’ palpatory skills.

Design

Mixed-method study.

Methods

this study was divided in four phases, two quantitative and two qualitative. Pelvis asymmetries were evaluated by 112 students from the Accademia Italiana di Medicina Osteopatica osteopathic Institute using two bony landmarks: the greater trochanter (GT) and the posterior superior iliac spine. The volunteers had a hidden wedge of 2 cm under their heel using a randomization process. Nine students and three teachers were interviewed to explore their lived learning experiences. A tailored training of 1 h was implemented based on their suggestions. Students were then randomly divided into three training groups: tailored training, P.A.L.P.A.T.E. and no training. A second data collection was performed. Students were re-evaluated, asked to make another assessment on another volunteer. Two students and one teacher were then re-interviewed to assess if the tailored training met their expectations. A generalized linear model was used to analyze the data.

Results

76 students completed the trial. Generally, correct detections of higher landmarks increased from the first to the second data collection, except for 5th year students who decreased their performances. Tailored training achieved the best results with a correct detection of the great trochanter by 69% of students and for posterior superior iliac spine by 78% of students. The generalized linear model showed a strong association between correct detection of PSIS and training type (p-value = 0.009) and over time (p-value = 0.01) but no association with year of school (p-value = 0.434). No association between year of study (p-value = 0.228), training types (p-value = 0.267) and correct GT detection over time (p-value = 0.529) was found.

Conclusions

Tailored training was shown to be effective and useful in the improvement of students’ performance, especially for posterior superior iliac spine. Interest levels played an important role in correct detection.