Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

2018

DOI

10.4085/1304377

Publication Title

Athletic Training Education Journal

Volume

13

Issue

4

Pages

392-393

Conference Name

Athletic Training Educators' Conference, February 15-17, 2019, Grapevine, Texas

Abstract

Context: A component of quality improvement (QI) is the ability to reflect on the effectiveness of one's practice. Past research has demonstrated that QI is more frequently implemented in patient encounters (PEs) in which athletic training students (ATSs) are assisting the preceptor. As one of the core competencies, QI will be a required curricular content component in all professional athletic training programs in 2020.

Objective: To assess whether ATSs are integrating concepts of QI during PEs as a part of their clinical experiences.

Design: Multisite, panel design.

Setting: Three Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education-accredited professional athletic training programs (2 baccalaureate, 1 postbaccalaureate) via convenience sampling.

Patients or Other Participants: Fifty-eight ATSs (39 females, 18 males, 1 missing) entered 1319 PEs (539 pediatric patients, 775 adult patients, 5 missing) at 53 clinical sites (28 college/university, 25 secondary school).

Data Collection and Analysis: ATSs used E*Value software to track PEs during their clinical experiences in the 2018 spring semester. ATSs were asked to report whether, as a result of the PE, they reflected on their experience to identify potential areas for improvement and success. Other variables collected per PE included student role (observed, assisted, performed), setting (college/university, secondary school), body region of diagnosis (upper extremity, lower extremity, head/face, trunk, general medical, nonspecific). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize characteristics of the PEs. Chi-square tests, pair-wise comparisons with Bonferroni corrections, and Mann Whitney U tests (P < .05) were used to assess group differences. Phi correlations (Φ) were used to estimate the strength of relationships between the inclusion of components of core competencies during PEs.

Results: ATSs reported they reflected on their experience to identify areas for improvement and successes after 47% of PEs (620/1319). ATSs reported the use of QI more frequently if the encounter occurred in the collegiate setting (54.6%) as compared with the high school setting (36.2%, P < .01). There were no significant differences by body region (P = .48) regarding the use of QI. ATSs reported the use of QI more frequently when they assisted with the encounter (60.7%) as compared with when they performed the encounter (45.9%, P = .03). There were positive, weak correlations between the use of QI and the other core competencies. ATSs who reported the use of QI during a PE also reported the use of patient-centered care (Φ = 0.37, P < .01), interprofessional education (Φ = 0.20, P < .01), evidence-based practice (Φ = 0.45, P < .01), and health information technology (Φ = 0.36, P < .01).

Conclusions: Inclusion of QI by ATSs in clinical experiences occurred in less than half of reported PEs, and was most likely to be included in PEs that occurred at the collegiate setting during which the ATS assisted the preceptor. Faculty and preceptors should be encouraging ATSs to reflect on the effectiveness of their practice during clinical education. QI is most frequently implemented during PEs in which the ATS assists the preceptor, so the preceptor's understanding and use of QI is vital to the ATS adopting the practice.

Rights

© 2025 National Athletic Trainers' Association. All Rights reserved.

Included with the kind written permission of the copyright holder and the author.

Comments

A part of: "Athletic Training Educators' Conference, February 15-17, 2019, Grapevine, TX." Available at: https://doi.org/10.4085/1304377

ORCID

0000-0003-3171-9141 (Cavallario), 0000-0002-6754-7938 (Van Lunen)

Original Publication Citation

Jones, B. C., Welch Bacon, C. E., Cavallario, J. M., Walker, S. E., Bay, R. C., & Van Lunen, B. L. (2018). 8917: Athletic training student application of quality improvement during clinical education: A report from the Athletic Training Clinical Education Network. Athletic Training Education Journal, 13(4), 392-393. https://doi.org/10.4085/1304377

Download

Share

COinS