Implementing pain competencies in Canadian physiotherapy education: Challenges, barriers, and opportunities

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Physiotherapy Curriculum Development
• Pain Management Training

Background:

• The Pain Education in Physiotherapy (PEP) competency profile aims to standardize pain management education in Canadian physiotherapy (PT) curricula.
• Despite endorsement, consistent integration of these competencies into PT programs remains a significant challenge.
• Understanding barriers and enablers is crucial for effective implementation and student competency development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore factors influencing the implementation of the PEP competency profile in Canadian PT programs.
• To identify key challenges and opportunities for enhancing the integration of pain management competencies.
• To inform strategies for successful adoption of the PEP profile.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative description study design was employed.
• Data were collected through five focus groups involving 23 participants (pain educators, program directors) from 13 Canadian PT programs.
• The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research guided the analysis of multilevel barriers and facilitators.

Main Results:

• Participants acknowledged the PEP profile's value but identified key challenges: insufficient structured guidance for teaching/assessment, reliance on individual champions over systemic support, and lack of rigorous assessment methods.
• Uncertainty exists regarding curriculum integration, highlighting needs for national collaboration, faculty development, and resource sharing.
• The decentralized nature of curriculum change complicates consistent implementation.

Conclusions:

• Sustainable integration of PEP competencies necessitates structured guidance, institutional commitment, and refined assessment strategies.
• National collaboration, alignment with accreditation standards, and robust faculty support are critical for successful implementation.
• Ensuring PT graduates possess high-quality pain management competencies requires addressing identified barriers.