McGivern Elaine, Mandrusiak Allison, Rahmann Ann, Forbes Roma
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
Community and Oral Health, Innovation and Research Centre, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Brighton, Queensland, Australia.
Physiother Theory Pract. 2025 Mar;41(3):617-632. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2024.2355243. Epub 2024 May 15.
Clinical practice placements play an important role in preparing students for challenging areas of clinical practice. Little is known about student learning needs for working with patients with complex needs during clinical practice placements, and clinical educator decision-making that underpins this exposure.
To explore the perspectives of physiotherapy students and clinical educators on exposing students to working with and learning from patients with complex needs during clinical practice placements across Queensland and New South Wales, Australia.
Six semi-structured focus groups with pre-registration physiotherapy students undertaking clinical practice placements ( = 19) and semi-structured one-on-one interviews with clinical educators ( = 20). Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Four overarching themes were generated following analysis: 1) Complexity is challenging; 2) Tension between student exposure and patient care; 3) Variance in expectations; and 4) Readiness for complexity.
Physiotherapy students and clinical educators recognize the challenges and importance of exposure to patients with complex needs. Student learning experiences are influenced by clinical educator decision-making, which is often unclear, leading to varying opportunities. This study highlights the need for enhanced support from clinical educators to prepare students for working with patients with complex needs.
临床实习在帮助学生为具有挑战性的临床实践领域做好准备方面发挥着重要作用。对于学生在临床实习期间与有复杂需求的患者合作的学习需求，以及支撑这种接触的临床教育工作者的决策，我们了解甚少。
探讨澳大利亚昆士兰州和新南威尔士州物理治疗专业学生和临床教育工作者对于在临床实习期间让学生接触有复杂需求的患者并向其学习的看法。
对正在进行临床实习的预注册物理治疗专业学生进行了6个半结构化焦点小组访谈（n = 19），并对临床教育工作者进行了半结构化一对一访谈（n = 20）。使用反思性主题分析法对数据进行分析。
分析后得出四个总体主题：1）复杂性具有挑战性；2）学生接触与患者护理之间的紧张关系；3）期望的差异；4）对复杂性的准备情况。
物理治疗专业学生和临床教育工作者认识到接触有复杂需求患者的挑战和重要性。学生的学习经历受到临床教育工作者决策的影响，而这种决策往往不明确，导致机会各不相同。本研究强调临床教育工作者需要加强支持，以使学生为与有复杂需求的患者合作做好准备。
