title: Exploring the experiences and implementing strategies for physiotherapy students who perceive they have been bullied or harassed on clinical placements: participatory action research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore and empower physiotherapy students who reported being bullied or harassed on clinical placements by co-developing, implementing and evaluating strategies that could be adopted by the university.
  
  
  METHODS
  A participatory action research design was employed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two focus groups were carried out involving 5 final year physiotherapy students. In the first focus group negative experiences were discussed and coping strategies suggested for their penultimate placement. A second focus group was held following the students' final placement when these strategies were evaluated and further ones proposed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A thematic analysis of the data was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four themes and sub-themes emerged from the analysis. The four themes were negative experiences on placement, coping strategies, the role of the visiting tutor and the assessment. The students' highlighted various degrees of threat to their efficacy and in most cases could draw upon a suggested 'tool box' of coping strategies. They all agreed that serious cases of harassment require wider support from the University senior management team which should be clearly documented. The role of the visiting tutor was deemed to be critical in these situations and recommendations were made regarding this role and the assessment of placements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Students understand that they are going to be assessed before achieving their professional qualification and in essence they will always find themselves in a hierarchical position but equally fairness must prevail and it is important and that there are clear avenues for them to seek support.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Kingston & St. George's Joint Faculty, St. George's Hospital Campus, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom. Electronic address: d.thomson@sgul.kingston.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Kingston & St. George's Joint Faculty, St. George's Hospital Campus, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Kingston & St. George's Joint Faculty, St. George's Hospital Campus, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Kingston & St. George's Joint Faculty, St. George's Hospital Campus, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Kingston & St. George's Joint Faculty, St. George's Hospital Campus, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Maeve
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toner
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Kingston & St. George's Joint Faculty, St. George's Hospital Campus, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hassenkamp
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D058445:Bullying; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000193:education*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Bullying; Coping strategies; Harassment; Participation action research; Practice education; Visiting tutor