Marit Fougner

If I had a rich picture…: Insights into the use of “soft” methodological tools to support the development of interprofessional education

This paper describes a methodological experiment that aimed to test a small number of tools borrowed from Soft Systems Methodology. Those tools were intended to support action research for a project in interprofessional educational development. The intention with using those tools was two-fold: first, they were expected to help structure the analysis of the problem situation that the project was to address; second, they were to facilitate and document the project management process itself, by allowing for the different voices within the interprofessional project team to be heard. The paper relates how the tools functioned relatively successfully as analytical devices for the action researcher, but did not significantly contribute to further interprofessional collaboration or enhance dialogue between the action researcher and the project members. Issues of how to use the tools to support more effectively the existing dialogue across professional cultures and traditions are discussed.

Professional roles in physiotherapy practice: Educating for self-management, relational matching, and coaching for everyday life

ABSTRACT The patient’s active participation in treatment and rehabilitation represents a cultural change in clinical practice as well as a major change in physiotherapist and patient roles. This article presents findings from a study aimed at gaining a better understanding of how physiotherapists in actual practice understand their interactions with patients during the treatment process. This article reports on the findings from focus-group interviews with physiotherapists working in three different settings. Analyses of the interview data identified three modes of physiotherapy practice. In one, physiotherapists educate their patients to be self-managing in conducting exercise programs based on sound evidence. Educational films available on the Internet are included in these efforts to teach patients. In another, physiotherapists emphasize the importance of a close relationship to the patient. A good personal chemistry is believed to improve the treatment process. And finally, what physiotherapists learn about the living conditions and the biographies of their patients was shown to be very important. Understanding the importance of the life-world and taking this into consideration in the treatment process were factors considered to be central to good practice. The article concludes with a discussion linking these findings to those of other studies identifying those factors contributing to our knowledge of what is involved in biopsychosocial practice in physiotherapy.

Facilitating awareness of philosophy of science, ethics and communication through manual skills training in undergraduate education

ABSTRACT Background: Professional health science education includes a common theoretical basis concerning the theory of science, ethics and communication. Former evaluations by first-year students of the bachelor physiotherapy program at Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA) show that they find it hard to understand the relation between these particular topics and future professional practice. This challenge is the starting point for a pedagogical development project that aims to develop learning contexts that highlight the relevance of these theoretical concepts. Aim: The aim of the study is to explore and present findings on the value of using Sykegrep manual skills classes as an arena in which students can be encouraged to think about, reflect on and appreciate the role and value of the philosophical perspectives that inform their practice and contributes to practise knowledge. Method: A qualitative study with data collection through focus groups was performed and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Eighteen first-year undergraduate students, who had completed the manual skills course, participated in the study. Findings: Analysis of the data yielded three categories of findings that can be associated with aspects of philosophy of science, ethics and communication. These are as follows: 1) preconceived understanding of physiotherapy; 2) body knowledge perspectives; and 3) relational aspects of interactions. Undergraduate students’ understanding and experience of philosophy of science, ethics and communication may be facilitated by peer collaboration, reflection on intimacy and touch and the ethical aspects of interaction during manual skills training. Conclusion: Practical classes in Sykegrep provide a basis for students’ discussions about the body as well as their experiences with the body in the collaborative learning context. The students’ reflections on their expectations of manual skills in physiotherapy and experiences of touch and being touched can facilitate an awareness of philosophy of science, ethics and communication. Implications: Our study will be an incitement to further develop a manual skills teaching program that incorporates philosophy of science, ethics and communication in undergraduate education.

Hva slags caseoppgaver inviterer til studentaktivitet og interaksjon

Artikkelen omhandler bruk av ulike caseoppgaver som utgangspunkt for studentaktive laeringsformer. Caseoppgaver har vaert relatert til fysioterapiteori, et av kjernefagene i andre studiear. Artikkelen belyser hvilke oppgavetyper som er benyttet til a skrive seg inn pa det fysioterapifaglige territorium. I den sammenheng droftes hvilke typer oppgaver som synes a gi det beste grunnlaget for faglig diskusjon og klinisk resonnering.

Critical incidents and cultural relativism - tools for survival in foreign context?

The aim of this study is to examine how physiotherapy students manage to convert and employ their intrinsic and extrinsic knowledge and skills in clinical contexts abroad outside Europe. The study is based on a qualitative a content analysis of 10 Bachelor theses in the form of case studies written in pairs of Norwegian Bachelor students. Findings that emerged in the document analysis were the students’ uncertainty concerning types of roles and knowledge discourses involved in the interaction. The students who managed to identify critical incidents and apply a cultural relativistic approach managed the converting process. A conscious attitude towards own cultural norms and values opened up for integrating these in the new context. Theory and tools introduced as part of the preparations were shown to be functional when applied in practice. The importance of using critical incidents and culture relativism as methods for the students going abroad will be emphasized in the preparation courses.

Physical activity and overweight: Experiences of children and youth in a Norwegian project

Abstract Physiotherapists have paid great attention to the problems associated with overweight among children and youth. Clinicians have started programs to support the target group in their efforts to become more physically active, thus preventing such problems from arising. The aim of the study has been to investigate the experiences of the participants in these programs. A phenomenological research design was chosen. Fourteen children and youth in one of these programs volunteered as informants. Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were interpreted using a multistep thematic analysis model. The participants considered the inclusion of a friend in the group as one of their requirements for participating in the program. Most of the participants enjoyed and coped with the physical activities, although a few disliked some of the ball games. The participants concluded that their endurance had improved and they had become physically stronger. Most of them were also engaged in a variety of activities outside the program. The children and youth asserted that they had benefited from participating in this physical activity program, which they experienced as enjoyable. The best long-term result is probably achieved when child, parents, school, voluntary organizations and community collaborate in order to strengthen the physical and social skills of children.

Studentenes kritiske vurdering av egen fysioterapipraksis - en relevant metode for bacheloroppgaven

Artikkelen belyser og argumenterer for a bruke caserapporter som et alternativ til de forskningsmetoder som tradisjonelt har vaert benyttet i bacheloroppgaven i fysioterapi i tredje studiear. Caserapportens relevans beskrives i lys av kunnskap om klinisk resonnering. Metoden gir fysioterapistudenter mulighet til a videreutvikle ferdigheter og forstaelse i utovelse av pasient-/klientrettet arbeid som er forankret i egen praksis. Artikkelen lofter fram problemstillinger knyttet til studenters vurderinger av ulike valg og prioriteringer i utovelsen av kunnskapsbasert praksis. Med utgangspunkt i en caserapport illustreres noen utfordringer med a forene forskningsbasert kunnskap, erfaringskunnskap og pasientkunnskap pa en konstruktiv mate. Artikkelen beskriver ogsa et eksempel pa en caserapport som er et samarbeidsprosjekt mellom to studenter. Den ene har behandlet en pasient med kroniske smerter, mens den andre har fungert som en ”kritisk venn” som har diskutert og stilt flere kritiske sporsmal som gir grunnlag for refleksjon over praksis og utvikling av okt kunnskap om klinisk resonnering.