ABSTRACT
Background: Clinical education placements for students enrolled in healthcare programs were abruptly upended in March 2020 due to COVID-19. Programs were faced with decisions of how to mitigate substantive challenges due to an unforeseen pandemic within timeframes that would align with curricular sequences and graduation dates. Schools quickly modified curriculum formats, implemented alternative teaching and learning instruction and developed safety protocols to protect students, clinical faculty, and patients. Purpose: The aim of this study explored the strategies employed by one physical therapy school's clinical education team, which resulted in successful completion of clinical course requirements and on-time graduation. Method: Data was collected on a single cohort of eighty (n=80) students who experienced changes in the timing, location, and/or progression of their clinical experiences due to COVID-19 related complications. The use of innovative clinically-oriented teaching strategies including web-based patient case simulation, virtual grand rounds, and other creative learning activities effectively supported student engagement both in and outside of clinical settings. Alternative learning strategies provided students the opportunity to progress through the clinical education curriculum, meet educational objectives, and satisfy the standard requirements by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Performance on the Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI) for the cohort of students affected by COVID-19 was compared to a cohort from 2019 who were not affected by COVID-19 related issues. Results: Analysis using Mann Whitney U statistics showed there were no significant differences in performance on the CPI between the groups (p=0.874). Conclusion: Looking forward, there is an opportunity for schools to build on what was learned during the pandemic and apply those strategies to other non-pandemic related situations with successful outcomes. Innovative teaching and learning strategies can help to bridge the gap of time out of clinic for any student who may experience an interruption in clinical education due to injury, illness, or other situation, and can provide a way for students to progress successfully through their physical therapy education.
ABSTRACT
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic places older adults at increased risk for hospitalization and mortality. It also involves social isolation and negative effects of limited mental, social and physical activity. Holocaust survivors could be especially vulnerable to such effects due to their early life traumas. Previous research suggests that in times of life crises, Holocaust survivors may be both most vulnerable (i.e., wear-and-tear hypothesis);yet they may also demonstrate resilience.ObjectivesThus, the current study examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and well-being of Holocaust survivors in Israel, compared to adults who did not experience the Holocaust.MethodsWe collected data from 305 older adults aged 75 and above in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of these, 114 were Holocaust survivors and 191 did not experience the Holocaust. Participants were asked about their worries of COVID-19 infections, will to live, loneliness and depression and how these changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsHolocaust survivors were worried to a greater extent from COVID-19 infection and from close others becoming infected, compared to older adults who did not experience the Holocaust. Moreover, survivors reported greater loneliness and depression overall and also reported that these measures became worse during the pandemic. On the other hand, despite these differences, the two groups were similar in their will to live.ConclusionsHolocaust survivors seem to be more vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening the vulnerability hypothesis. Policy makers and practitioners should pay special attention to this particularly vulnerable population during these difficult times.DisclosureNo significant relationships.