Alone on unknown grounds. Physiotherapy students as physical activity mentors for patients with mental disorders

Abstract

Purpose: Examine students’ experiences of being a physical activity mentor for patients with mental disorders, and assess if student experiences can contribute to professional competence. Method: Thematic analysis of three focus group interviews with 16 students who had completed their student practice.. Findings: The student practice takes place in the span of a medical and everyday context, and the students reflected on the dilemmas they met as an independent physical activity mentor. Meeting the patients’ psychiatric symptoms, the students experienced that their knowledge of standardized tests and training had to be adapted to the individual patient. Individual adaptation required assessment ability and creative solutions, as well as a good relationship with the patient. Conclusion: The study shows that the practice as a physical activity mentor gives students practical knowledge and initial professional competence. The practice provides the opportunity to integrate theoretical and practical knowledge into practical synthesis.

Keywords

• physical activity mentor
• mental disorders
• discretion
• practical knowledge
• professional development
• practical syntheses