Assessing implementation readiness and success of an e-resource to improve prelicensure physical therapy workforce capacity to manage rheumatoid arthritis
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective within-subject, cross-sectional, between-group, nested qualitative designs within an implementation science framework. BACKGROUND: Physical therapy is recommended for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care, yet prelicensure RA curriculum time remains limited. OBJECTIVES: To determi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/58941 |
| _version_ | 1848760382243471360 |
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| author | Fary, Robyn Slater, Helen Jordan, J. Gardner, Peter Chua, Jason Payne, Carly Briggs, Andrew |
| author_facet | Fary, Robyn Slater, Helen Jordan, J. Gardner, Peter Chua, Jason Payne, Carly Briggs, Andrew |
| author_sort | Fary, Robyn |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | STUDY DESIGN: Prospective within-subject, cross-sectional, between-group, nested qualitative designs within an implementation science framework. BACKGROUND: Physical therapy is recommended for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care, yet prelicensure RA curriculum time remains limited. OBJECTIVES: To determine readiness for, and success of, implementing an e-learning tool, Rheumatoid Arthritis for Physiotherapists e-Learning (RAP-eL), within the prelicensure physical therapy curriculum. METHODS: All physical therapy students in a 1-year cohort in 2014 had RAP-eL embedded in their curriculum. Rheumatoid Arthritis for Physiotherapists e-Learning is an online platform that delivers RA disease information with translation to clinical practice. Implementation readiness, determined by acceptability of RAP-eL to students, was evaluated using focus groups (n = 23). Implementation success was measured using quantitative data from a previously validated questionnaire, including changes in students' self-reported confidence in knowledge (out of 45) and skills (out of 40) in managing RA after 4 weeks of access to RAP-eL, retention of learning over 14 months, and differences in workforce readiness between students in the cohort who had access to RAP-eL and a historical control cohort. RESULTS: Acceptability of RAP-eL was confirmed from qualitative data, demonstrating implementation readiness. Short-Term improvements were observed in RA knowledge (mean difference, 16.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.7, 17.6) and RA skills (mean difference, 14.9; 95% CI: 13.9, 15.9; n = 137). Retention was demonstrated after 14 months (P < .001; n = 62). Students in the 1-year cohort who had RAP-eL embedded in the curriculum scored significantly higher on knowledge (mean difference, 3.6; 95% CI: 1.3, 5.9) and skills (mean difference, 3.3; 95% CI: 0.9, 5.7; n = 62) compared to those without RAP-eL (n = 36). Rheumatoid Arthritis for Physiotherapists e-Learning remains embedded in the curriculum. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated both readiness and success of the sustainable imple-mentation of RAP-eL within a prelicensure physical therapy curriculum. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:14:53Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-58941 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:14:53Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-589412018-02-28T08:28:19Z Assessing implementation readiness and success of an e-resource to improve prelicensure physical therapy workforce capacity to manage rheumatoid arthritis Fary, Robyn Slater, Helen Jordan, J. Gardner, Peter Chua, Jason Payne, Carly Briggs, Andrew STUDY DESIGN: Prospective within-subject, cross-sectional, between-group, nested qualitative designs within an implementation science framework. BACKGROUND: Physical therapy is recommended for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care, yet prelicensure RA curriculum time remains limited. OBJECTIVES: To determine readiness for, and success of, implementing an e-learning tool, Rheumatoid Arthritis for Physiotherapists e-Learning (RAP-eL), within the prelicensure physical therapy curriculum. METHODS: All physical therapy students in a 1-year cohort in 2014 had RAP-eL embedded in their curriculum. Rheumatoid Arthritis for Physiotherapists e-Learning is an online platform that delivers RA disease information with translation to clinical practice. Implementation readiness, determined by acceptability of RAP-eL to students, was evaluated using focus groups (n = 23). Implementation success was measured using quantitative data from a previously validated questionnaire, including changes in students' self-reported confidence in knowledge (out of 45) and skills (out of 40) in managing RA after 4 weeks of access to RAP-eL, retention of learning over 14 months, and differences in workforce readiness between students in the cohort who had access to RAP-eL and a historical control cohort. RESULTS: Acceptability of RAP-eL was confirmed from qualitative data, demonstrating implementation readiness. Short-Term improvements were observed in RA knowledge (mean difference, 16.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.7, 17.6) and RA skills (mean difference, 14.9; 95% CI: 13.9, 15.9; n = 137). Retention was demonstrated after 14 months (P < .001; n = 62). Students in the 1-year cohort who had RAP-eL embedded in the curriculum scored significantly higher on knowledge (mean difference, 3.6; 95% CI: 1.3, 5.9) and skills (mean difference, 3.3; 95% CI: 0.9, 5.7; n = 62) compared to those without RAP-eL (n = 36). Rheumatoid Arthritis for Physiotherapists e-Learning remains embedded in the curriculum. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated both readiness and success of the sustainable imple-mentation of RAP-eL within a prelicensure physical therapy curriculum. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/58941 10.2519/jospt.2017.7281 restricted |
| spellingShingle | Fary, Robyn Slater, Helen Jordan, J. Gardner, Peter Chua, Jason Payne, Carly Briggs, Andrew Assessing implementation readiness and success of an e-resource to improve prelicensure physical therapy workforce capacity to manage rheumatoid arthritis |
| title | Assessing implementation readiness and success of an e-resource to improve prelicensure physical therapy workforce capacity to manage rheumatoid arthritis |
| title_full | Assessing implementation readiness and success of an e-resource to improve prelicensure physical therapy workforce capacity to manage rheumatoid arthritis |
| title_fullStr | Assessing implementation readiness and success of an e-resource to improve prelicensure physical therapy workforce capacity to manage rheumatoid arthritis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing implementation readiness and success of an e-resource to improve prelicensure physical therapy workforce capacity to manage rheumatoid arthritis |
| title_short | Assessing implementation readiness and success of an e-resource to improve prelicensure physical therapy workforce capacity to manage rheumatoid arthritis |
| title_sort | assessing implementation readiness and success of an e-resource to improve prelicensure physical therapy workforce capacity to manage rheumatoid arthritis |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/58941 |