Rating of physiotherapy student clinical performance in a paediatric setting: are assessors consistent in their rating of a simulated clinical student performance?

Background: During workplace-based clinical placements, best practice assessment states students should expect consistency between assessors rating their performance. To assist clinical educators (CEs) to provide consistent assessment of physiotherapy student performance, nine paediatric vignettes depicting various standards of simulated student performance, as assessed by the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP), were developed. The APP defines adequate on the global rating scale (GRS) as the minimally acceptable standard for an entry-level physiotherapist.

Rating of physiotherapy student clinical performance: is it possible to gain assessor consistency?

Background: Reliable interpretation of the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) tool is necessary for consistent assessment of physiotherapy students in the clinical setting. However, since the APP was implemented, no study has reassessed how consistently a student performance is evaluated against the threshold standards. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to determine the consistency among physiotherapy educators when assessing a student performance using the APP tool.

Graft tensioning practices in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction amongst orthopaedic surgeons in Australia: a national survey.

Purpose: The application of graft tension during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is considered an important feature of ACLR. However, wide variation exists in relation to graft tensioning practice limiting the ability to determine the best approach. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to describe current clinical practice amongst Australian orthopaedic surgeons with respect to graft tensioning and explore influencing factors.

Initial graft tension and the effect on postoperative patient functional outcomes in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Purpose: The aim of this review was to investigate the effect of initial graft tension on patient-specific functional outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and determine whether a particular tension is associated with superior functional outcome.

Methods: We performed a systematic review of prospective randomized trials with a National Health and Medical Research Council Australia level of evidence of III or higher published between 1950 and July 2012. Studies using a semitendinosus-gracilis or bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft that reported graft tension and postoperative functional outcomes were included.