FIRST PHYSIOTHERAPY STUDENTS’ OPINION ON THE PROTOTYPE OF THE ELETROTHERAPY SIMULATOR E-LECTROSIM

The conversion of the Diploma in Physiotherapy to Degree in Physiotherapy, although it signified its increasing duration in one year studies, such increase did not deem the same increase to all of the courses integrated in the degree. Particularly, to the course of Electrotherapy and Ultrasound Therapy, located in the second semester of the second year academic course, the in-person dedication suffered a diminishment. Based on that situation, the responsible for the course proposed the development of an informatics electrotherapy simulator (e-LectroSim) in order to compensate the diminishment of practical hours in the course and to allow students to deal with virtual equipment. This project on learning innovation received the funding of University of Vigo. Before concluding the first phase of its project, a first test was carried out to test the first prototype of the simulator and collect information on the first students’ impressions. The objective of this communication was to present the students’ opinion on different aspects of the prototype of the simulator e-ElectroSim.

The evaluation of the prototype had been carried out in the informatics laboratory of the Faculty of Physiotherapy at University of Vigo. After a short explanation given by the project responsible, the students had 1 hour to sail in the simulator in order to test the functioning. Before concluding the evaluation, all the participants filled a questionnaire on the different aspects of the simulator. 17 students from third and fourth years Physiotherapy studies participated in the study.

The main results included a positive assessment on the adequate presentation of the panel referent to software design, how intuitive it seemed referent to software works, the clear redaction of the clinical cases and the information given to each case easily understandable, that the simulator seems to facilitate knowledge acquisition on electrotherapy, and that the simulator seems to be useful for electrotherapy practical knowledge acquisition. The least valued aspects were the lack of a final feedback on the answers to each clinical case, and the absence of videos and a time controller.

In conclusion, we would note that this first test of the prototype of the electrotherapy simulator e-LectroSim had a positive general impression by the students, especially referent to the fact that the simulator seems to facilitate theoretical and practical knowledge about electrotherapy. It is also important to stress that, as it was only a first prototype, it presented functioning errors, which will be corrected and more clinical cases will be added to the final version of the simulator, based on the prototype in itself and the obtained students’ opinion.