Employers’ perspectives of competencies and attributes of physiotherapy graduates: An exploratory qualitative study

Abstract

Undergraduate physiotherapy programmes aim to equip graduates with basic skills, knowledge and behaviours to allow them to enter the profession. The aim of this study was to explore employers’ perceptions of key factors in work place preparedness of novice physiotherapists. Four employers of recent graduates participated in a focus group interview. The analysis resulted in three themes: professionalism, perspective and confidence. Professionalism related to the importance of generic skills and attitudes, including enthusiasm, work-ethics, flexibility, empathy and energy. Employers assumed a level of competence in novice physiotherapists as all had met the professional registration criteria. Perspective related to the employers’ perceptions that the graduates had difficulties changing from a focus on their personal and professional needs to an external focus, such as on the needs of patients, colleagues and the workplace. Confidence was seen to be low in new entrants with regard to how they saw the profession and their own skills and knowledge. These results highlight the importance of facilitating these generic skills in the undergraduate programmes to improve the work place preparedness of new physiotherapy graduates. However, time and experience in work will still be needed by graduates to gain broader perspectives and confidence, and situated mentorship could facilitate the required professional formation.