Authors: (including presenting author): :
Wong TYB(1), Lam YH(1), Mok HK(1), Tsai HC(1), Wong SL(1), Wong SW(1), Yu Wong SKI(1), Yu TKT(1), Choi CMT(1)
Affiliation: :
(1) Saint Francis University
Keyword 1: :
clinical education
Keyword 2: :
physiotherapy
Keyword 3: :
qualitative research
Keyword 4: :
simulation-based learning
Keyword 6: :
bilingual education
Introduction: :
SBL is an education technique that immerses learners into a realistic environment and scenario, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge into real practice in a safe and well-controlled environment. Within healthcare education, SBL has already been implemented in nursing and medical education for decades, although there is a rapid development of adopting SBL in physiotherapy education in recent years, its implementation in Asian regions like Hong Kong is still premature (Choi, 2024; Dairo et al., 2024). Current scientific literature observed a significant improvement in learners’ clinical decision-making ability and self-efficacy when a well-prepared SBL session with proper pre-briefing and debriefing is provided, with some research even suggesting that up to 25% of clinical placement could be completed using SBL without affecting learning outcomes (Mori et al., 2015; Sandoval-Cuellar et al., 2021). Hong Kong has a bilingual culture using both English and Chinese as its official language with equal status (Li, 2021; Li, 2022). Therefore, learners must adapt that, physiotherapy education is delivered in English and clinical practices operating in Cantonese. Effective debriefing protocols, faculty development and proper equipment facilitates the implementation of SBL, while limited resources, time restrictions and opposition by stakeholders acts as impediment when implementing SBL (O'Shea et al., 2023; Dairo et al., 2024). With consideration to these factors, the physiotherapy programme in SFU used a progressive approach with emphasis on task-oriented skills in the Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy (CP) I course, with CP II offering realistic, scenario-based SBL sessions for learners to experience life-like patient management.
Objectives: :
1. To explore how Year 3 physiotherapy students perceive and value SBL within the CP II curriculum. 2. To examine whether, and in what ways, SBL activities influence students’ clinical reasoning, practical skills, confidence, and readiness for clinical placement. 3. To identify key facilitators and barriers to the implementation of SBL in the existing curriculum, with particular attention to resources, staff support, and technology.
Methodology: :
Semi‑structured interviews were used to interview participants. This covers key topics, while still able to elaborate on things that were meaningful to them. Two interview guides were developed, for Year 3 physiotherapy students and for members of the simulation team respectively. The guides were piloted and then refined to improve clarity and ensure close alignment with the research aims. All interviews took place in ZOOM meetings, each lasting approximately 60 minutes. Each interview has two researchers, with one acting as the lead interviewer and the other as the co‑interviewer and note‑taker, enhancing precision and reducing interviewer bias. Interviewer pairings were rotated according to a pre‑planned schedule to distribute workload and minimise bias. Interviews were carried out in Cantonese therefore participants could respond naturally and express subtle views or experiences that might be lost in a second language. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants who were directly involved in the CP II SBL at SFU. Two groups were targeted: Year 3 BScPT students from the 2022 cohort who completed both CP I and II. Simulation team members who were directly and actively participated in planning, delivering or running the CP II simulation sessions. Six BScPT students and three simulation team members took part in the study. The population size aligned with cited ranges for qualitative studies, achieving thematic saturation with around 9–17 participants (Hennink & Kaiser, 2022). Align with Malterud et al. (2016), this study has a narrow aim, with high sample specificity, use of established theory, a 60-minute semi-structured interview, and thematic analysis with a clear objective; the research power is high enough to allow a smaller sample, with nine participants. Opt‑in basis had been chosen for recruitment to promote voluntary participation and reduce obligation or coercion as much as possible.
Result & Outcome: :
Students perceive SBL as an authentic learning experience with immersive environment, bridging the theoretical knowledge and clinical practice through realistic ward-like environments and integrated case management. Students reported gains in clinical reasoning, practical skills, confidence, and placement readiness. Moreover, success factors include dedicated leadership, adequate strategic funding, faculty clinical currency, and structured training, which are introduced by the simulation team. Simultaneously, challenges, including limited physical space and difficulties in fully replicating a real‑world environment to ensure authenticity, were shown.
