Clinical Instructors' Experiences Working with and Assessing Students Who Perform below Expectations in Physical...

Area of Science:

• Physical Therapy Education
• Clinical Supervision
• Healthcare Professional Training

Background:

• Clinical education is crucial for Canadian physical therapy (PT) programs.
• Assessing students performing below expectations (SPBE) presents procedural and emotional difficulties for clinical instructors (CIs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of CIs supervising SPBE in PT.
• To understand the decision-making process CIs use when assessing SPBE.

Main Methods:

• 19 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with CIs.
• Qualitative thematic analysis of transcribed interviews.

Main Results:

• Four key factors influence CI assessment of SPBE: student performance, CI factors, academic/facility influences, and available resources.
• Concerns regarding safety, professional behavior, clinical reasoning, and lack of progression significantly impact grading decisions.
• Repeated incidents, rather than isolated ones, increase the likelihood of a failing grade recommendation.

Conclusions:

• Recommendations are provided for students, CIs, and facilities to improve support for SPBE in PT clinical education.
• Addressing specific performance issues, instructor support, and resource availability are vital for effective SPBE management.