Use of the Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument as a Grading Tool as Reported by Academic Coordinators of Clinical Education

Journal of Physical Therapy Education, Spring 2004 by English, M Lynn, Wurth, Renee Otte, Ponsler, Michelle, Milam, Andrea

Data Analysis

Using SPSS version 10.0* for data analysis, descriptive statistics for demographic data were computed as means and percentages. If an item was left blank, this was entered as a missing data point. This accounts for percentages in the results that do not equal 100%. Cross-tabulations were calculated to determine the co-occurrence of multiple responses on items in which more than one choice could apply to a program. Pearsou chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to find correlations between demographic data and the use of the CPI as a grading tool. The significance level was set at P

RESULTS

The response rate for the final questionnaire was 75% (134 of the 179 PT programs). The questionnaire revealed that 89.6% (n=120) of respondents use the CPI as a tool for measuring students' performance during clinical education. The use of the CPl was significantly (P=.000) dependent on the region in which the program is located (Table). Neither the terminal degree offered nor the numhers of students per class were significantly correlated to the program's use of the CPl.

Results also indicated that the determination of clinical education grades varied. Sixty-one percent of respondents' programs use the mark on the 100mm line converted to a percentage to determine a grade (n=82), 12.7% use quartiles (n=17), and 17.9% use other grading methods (n=24) (Figure). Additionally, 53% of all respondents use CI comments to assist in assigning student grades (n=71). None of the respondents checked "only Cl comments" as the method of grade assignment. Of those programs using Cl comments to determine a grade, 72.4% (n=51) use the comments to clarify the mark on the visual analog scale (VAS), 6% (n=4) use CI comments only when the mark on the VAS is low, and 31.3% (n=22) stated that the comments heavily influence the student's grade regardless of VAS mark. The first five items of the CPI, known as the "red-flag" items, address safety, professionalism, and legal and ethical practice, areas that often cause CIs to question the clinical competence of students.8 Fifty-three percent of the respondents (n=71) required that certain criteria on the CPI (most often items 1-5) be at 100 mm (entry level) on all internships in order for the student to successfully complete the clinical course. 85.1% of the respondents (n=H4) require students to complete a self-assessment copy of the CPI in addition to the CPI completed by the CI. 82.8% of the respondents indicated that students had other requirements to fulfill during clinical education, the most common being an in-service presentation (59% of respondents). Using Fisher exact test and Pearson chisquare correlation methods, only one grading method was statistically significant when related to demographic data. The method of dividing the VAS into quartiles was significantly (P=.041) dependent on the region in which the program was located.

This survey further investigated the question of dissatisfaction with the CPI among the ACCEs. When analyzing data regarding ACCE satisfaction with the CPI, any responses marked other than "yes" only were recorded as "not satisfied" for statistical analysis. Of the returned questionnaires, 58.2% (n=78) indicated satisfaction with the CPI as a grading tool, 34.3% (n=46) indicated the respondents were not satisfied with the CPI, and 7.5% of the ACCEs did not respond to that item on the final questionnaire. The years as an ACCE, APTA membership, and highest degree held by the ACCE did not significantly correlate with CPI grading method or satisfaction with the tool.