African Journal of Health Professions Education, Nov 2013
Background. The Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) is widely recognised as one of ... more Background. The Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) is widely recognised as one of the more objective methods of assessing practical skills in healthcare programmes, including undergraduate physiotherapy curricula.
Objectives. To obtain feedback from both students and staff who were involved in the introduction of an OSPE in 2011, in order to refine and standardise the format throughout the curriculum.
Methods. A qualitative research design was used. Data were gathered through a questionnaire with semi-structured open-ended items and focus group discussion. Participants were all third-year undergraduate physiotherapy students (N=47) and all staff members (N=10) in the 2011 academic year who were exposed to the OSPE format or were involved in the first OSPE.
Results. The main concerns raised by both students and staff were: (i) pressure due to time constraints and how this might affect student performance; and (ii) the question of objectivity during the assessment. However, their initial concerns changed as they experienced the OSPE in a more positive manner owing to the structure and objectivity of the process of implementing the OSPE.
Conclusion. While both students and staff reported positive experiences, the challenges that emerged provided valuable insight in terms of refining the OSPE format in this undergraduate physiotherapy department.
Keeping good quality medical records is an essential yet often
neglected part of a health-care pr... more Keeping good quality medical records is an essential yet often neglected part of a health-care practitioner’s workload. In South Africa, by law all health care facilities are required to retain medical records for a minimum of six years after the cessation of a patient’s treatment. In an archival survey that was attempted in a rural community in South Africa, only 39% of the records that were requested were located. The procedure that was followed in order to obtain the records to be included in the survey is briefly described in this paper, highlighting the challenges experienced in four district hospitals in this community. The phenomenon has serious implications not only for the quality of healthcare, incidence of iatrogenic injuries and the future of the health-care practitioner’s career, but it also impacts on the ability to conduct research to inform practice. An aspect that is not often considered is the impact of poor record keeping on the research and teaching component of the broader medical profession.
African Journal of Health Professions Education, Nov 2013
Background. The Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) is widely recognised as one of ... more Background. The Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) is widely recognised as one of the more objective methods of assessing practical skills in healthcare programmes, including undergraduate physiotherapy curricula.
Objectives. To obtain feedback from both students and staff who were involved in the introduction of an OSPE in 2011, in order to refine and standardise the format throughout the curriculum.
Methods. A qualitative research design was used. Data were gathered through a questionnaire with semi-structured open-ended items and focus group discussion. Participants were all third-year undergraduate physiotherapy students (N=47) and all staff members (N=10) in the 2011 academic year who were exposed to the OSPE format or were involved in the first OSPE.
Results. The main concerns raised by both students and staff were: (i) pressure due to time constraints and how this might affect student performance; and (ii) the question of objectivity during the assessment. However, their initial concerns changed as they experienced the OSPE in a more positive manner owing to the structure and objectivity of the process of implementing the OSPE.
Conclusion. While both students and staff reported positive experiences, the challenges that emerged provided valuable insight in terms of refining the OSPE format in this undergraduate physiotherapy department.
Keeping good quality medical records is an essential yet often
neglected part of a health-care pr... more Keeping good quality medical records is an essential yet often neglected part of a health-care practitioner’s workload. In South Africa, by law all health care facilities are required to retain medical records for a minimum of six years after the cessation of a patient’s treatment. In an archival survey that was attempted in a rural community in South Africa, only 39% of the records that were requested were located. The procedure that was followed in order to obtain the records to be included in the survey is briefly described in this paper, highlighting the challenges experienced in four district hospitals in this community. The phenomenon has serious implications not only for the quality of healthcare, incidence of iatrogenic injuries and the future of the health-care practitioner’s career, but it also impacts on the ability to conduct research to inform practice. An aspect that is not often considered is the impact of poor record keeping on the research and teaching component of the broader medical profession.
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Papers by Liezel Wegner
Objectives. To obtain feedback from both students and staff who were involved in the introduction of an OSPE in 2011, in order to refine and standardise the format throughout the curriculum.
Methods. A qualitative research design was used. Data were gathered through a questionnaire with semi-structured open-ended items and focus group discussion. Participants were all third-year undergraduate physiotherapy students (N=47) and all staff members (N=10) in the 2011 academic year who were exposed to the OSPE format or were involved in the first OSPE.
Results. The main concerns raised by both students and staff were: (i) pressure due to time constraints and how this might affect student performance; and (ii) the question of objectivity during the assessment. However, their initial concerns changed as they experienced the OSPE in a more positive manner owing to the structure and objectivity of the process of implementing the OSPE.
Conclusion. While both students and staff reported positive experiences, the challenges that emerged provided valuable insight in terms of refining the OSPE format in this undergraduate physiotherapy department.
neglected part of a health-care practitioner’s workload. In South Africa, by law
all health care facilities are required to retain medical records for a minimum of
six years after the cessation of a patient’s treatment. In an archival survey that
was attempted in a rural community in South Africa, only 39% of the records
that were requested were located. The procedure that was followed in order to
obtain the records to be included in the survey is briefly described in this paper,
highlighting the challenges experienced in four district hospitals in this community.
The phenomenon has serious implications not only for the quality of healthcare,
incidence of iatrogenic injuries and the future of the health-care practitioner’s career, but it also impacts on the ability to conduct
research to inform practice. An aspect that is not often considered is the impact of poor record keeping on the research and teaching
component of the broader medical profession.
Objectives. To obtain feedback from both students and staff who were involved in the introduction of an OSPE in 2011, in order to refine and standardise the format throughout the curriculum.
Methods. A qualitative research design was used. Data were gathered through a questionnaire with semi-structured open-ended items and focus group discussion. Participants were all third-year undergraduate physiotherapy students (N=47) and all staff members (N=10) in the 2011 academic year who were exposed to the OSPE format or were involved in the first OSPE.
Results. The main concerns raised by both students and staff were: (i) pressure due to time constraints and how this might affect student performance; and (ii) the question of objectivity during the assessment. However, their initial concerns changed as they experienced the OSPE in a more positive manner owing to the structure and objectivity of the process of implementing the OSPE.
Conclusion. While both students and staff reported positive experiences, the challenges that emerged provided valuable insight in terms of refining the OSPE format in this undergraduate physiotherapy department.
neglected part of a health-care practitioner’s workload. In South Africa, by law
all health care facilities are required to retain medical records for a minimum of
six years after the cessation of a patient’s treatment. In an archival survey that
was attempted in a rural community in South Africa, only 39% of the records
that were requested were located. The procedure that was followed in order to
obtain the records to be included in the survey is briefly described in this paper,
highlighting the challenges experienced in four district hospitals in this community.
The phenomenon has serious implications not only for the quality of healthcare,
incidence of iatrogenic injuries and the future of the health-care practitioner’s career, but it also impacts on the ability to conduct
research to inform practice. An aspect that is not often considered is the impact of poor record keeping on the research and teaching
component of the broader medical profession.