Physical Therapy Students' Reflective Thinking With Narrative Photography in Heart Transplantation
Condition: Students
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Physical therapy students must learn about heart transplantation, and must be able to
      communicate with patients using empathy and moral sensitivity. The aim of the study is to
      compare the narrative photography (NP) and traditional learning (TL) methods applied to heart
      transplantation physical therapy, as they relate to physical therapy students' knowledge,
      empathy, satisfaction, and moral sensitivity.
    

Detailed description: 
      Physical therapy students must learn about heart transplantation. They need to know how to
      attend to the needs and emotions of these patients using empathy and moral sensitivity. The
      aim of the study is to compare the narrative photography (NP) and traditional learning (TL)
      methods applied to heart transplantation physical therapy, as they relate to physical therapy
      students' knowledge, empathy, satisfaction, and moral sensitivity.

      This is a randomized contorlled trial with 117 participants of third year of Physiotherapy
      Degree. Students were divided into two groups: i) NP group (n = 56), and ii) TL group (n =
      61).

      Physical therapy knowledge in heart transplantation, empathy, and moral sensitivity were
      measured pre-intervention and post-intervention in both groups. Satisfaction was measured
      post-intervention in the NP group.
    

Intervention name(s): Narrative photography; Traditional learning
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Students were shown real-life written stories, audio, and videos using a private online platform. The training activity included four modules: i) heart transplantation waiting list; ii) life expectancy, fear of death, and organ rejection; iii) post-transplant physical and functional limitations; and iv) lack of knowledge of physical exercise patients can perform.
The students were encouraged to think about how they would feel if they had undergone heart transplantation. Afterward, they had to communicate these feelings using up to three photographs and reflective explanatory text.
Two weeks later, the students met a heart transplantation expert patient followed by an educator-guided debate. Students' images were shared and discussed. Moreover, students were encouraged to explain their feelings and their acquired skills (two hours).; A participatory lecture was carried out, in which cardiac rehabilitation in heart transplantation patients was explained. Then, there was an educator-guided debate about protocols and actions (one hour).
Second, the students autonomously prepared clinical cases on physical limitations, physical exercise, risk factors, and life after transplantation (two hours).
Two weeks later, the clinical session was held among students (2 hours). They adopted the roles of physical therapists or transplant patients to work on: i) post-transplant physical and functional limitations; ii) lack of knowledge of the physical exercise the patient can perform; iii) control of cardiovascular risk factors; iv) life post-transplant.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Other
Keywords: Physiotherapy; Education; Heart transplantation