Occupational health and safety activities undertaken by physiotherapy students: A retrospective review of industry placement reports

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The University of South Australia’s Bachelor of Physiotherapy course, ‘Work Health and Safety (WHS) Practice’, provides students with introductory practical WHS experience. Students undertake 80-hour effort WHS projects for industry, culminating in a report for hosts. OBJECTIVE: To establish types of industry that host WHS undergraduate physiotherapy placements and the nature of activities that students conduct. METHODS: Reports were retrospectively, systematically classified using a descriptive, document content analysis approach. Demographic data were collected: report and student numbers, placement locations and industry types. Selected reports were used as a subset for further analysis with definitions created to classify the nature of placement activities. RESULTS: Most reports were written by a pair of students (88%, n = 269), with placements based in metropolitan YY (91%, n = 284). Various industries hosted students, including healthcare and social assistance (40%, n = 117) and manufacturing (30%, n = 89). Reports primarily included risk management activities as required by WHS legislation (97%, n = 229). CONCLUSION: Physiotherapy student WHS activities maintain close links with industry, a goal of the University of South Australia as a university of enterprise; involving stakeholders (workforce, students, University of South Australia and academics). At an entry-level standard, the student WHS activities align well with some criteria set as key competencies for Australian Occupational Health and Safety practitioners.