Physiotherapy students’ pre-clinical stress prior to an outpatient placement - triggers and remedies

Introduction/background:
Physiotherapy students frequently report stress prior to an outpatient clinical placement. As stress can have a negative impact on student’s ability to learn and maximise the value of their clinical experience, exploring the factors related to their pre-clinical stress in the outpatient setting would seems important.
Aim/objectives:
This paper explored physiotherapy students’ perceptions of the factors related to pre-clinical stress prior to a musculoskeletal outpatient placement, and possible mitigation strategies.
Methods:
Focus groups with 3rd and final year physiotherapy students undertaking musculoskeletal outpatient clinical placement were used to collect qualitative data. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure students’ perceived stress prior to the outpatient placement.
Results:
There was generally an increase in perceived pre-clinical stress among students. Students viewed outpatients as a complex area that challenges their preparedness for practice as a physiotherapist.
Negotiating a new workplace and aligned environmental stresses were also viewed as contributing factors to induce uncertainty and further pre-clinical stress. Adequate information about, and preparation for, the outpatient settings seem valuable to mitigate the pre-clinical stress.
Discussion:
Pre-clinical stress related to a musculoskeletal outpatient placement for physiotherapy students and appears to be multi-faceted in its origin.
Conclusions:
Much of the pre-clinical stress felt by students prior to an outpatient clinical placement relates to the need to assume a more responsible and independent role as a clinician.