Introduction: Undergraduate healthcare students on placement abroad can experience challenges that affect their wellbeing, personal and professional development. These challenges may result in students taking a more peripheral role in workplace activities, which negatively impacts learning. We studied how personal and professional challenges affect students’ learning and wellbeing during a clinical placement abroad.Methods: We used the rich pictures drawing method to elicit semi-structured student interviews and capture personal and professional challenges within different contexts. Language, culture, education, and belonging were used as sensitizing concepts, underlying thematic analysis. We conducted a parallel and iterative analysis of the transcripts and rich pictures. Team discussions focused on developing patterns and further conceptualization of results.Results: Based on thirteen student accounts, we identified four main themes: ‘Learning to work in the international context’; ‘Cultural differences shape professional identity’; ‘Deliberate social connections’; and ‘Personal growth through international experiences’. Active participation in local practices was crucial to overcome barriers in language, culture or education, and increase belonging. Local healthcare teams and peers supported students’ wellbeing, personal and professional development by helping them establish their role as a learner, whilst exploring the scope and boundaries of their future profession.Conclusions: Language, cultural and educational challenges can be considered an inevitable part of student placement abroad. Local peers and staff may support this transition and help recognize learning opportunities and challenges in the workplace. Clinical educators can facilitate learning and wellbeing by providing social support and guidance on professional behavior, including communication.
Background and aim – Challenging behaviour, such as aggression towards oneself, others, or objects, arises in interaction with the environment and may prevent individuals from participating in society and enjoying a high quality of life (QoL). Literature suggests that architects can contribute to prevention, by influencing challenging behaviour before rather than after its occurrence. The objective is to explore how architecture can contribute to the quality of life of intellectually impaired (and autistic) individuals showing challenging behaviour (CB). Methods – The case study is based on interviews with residents and care providers, and direct observations of their daily life. Results – Residents turn out to be dependent on the (visual) connection with the care provider and may experience stress from the behaviour of fellow residents. They also may experience stress when faced with unexpected situations and by sensory overload. Originality – The relevance of architecture for CB reduction is new to this particular field of healthcare. Practical or social implications – If these preliminary findings can be confirmed, they provide a basis for developing guidelines to design better environments for intellectually impaired individuals showing CB. Architecture might promote choice in interpersonal distance, by generous floorplans, a variety of spaces, and escape possibilities. Predictability might be enhanced by providing visual overview and previews into rooms. Finally, architecture that promotes sensory adjustment might improve the QoL of individuals showing CB by preventing sensory overload, and by doing so, mitigate related behaviours.Type of paper – Research paper.
Recently, there has been an increased interest in the well-being of students in higher education. Despite the widespread consensus on the importance of student well-being, a clear definition continues to be lacking. This study qualitatively examined the student perspective on the topic through semi-structured interviews at a university of applied sciences in the Netherlands (n = 27). A major recurring theme was well-being as a balance in the interplay between efforts directed towards studies and life beyond studies. This method of perceiving well- being deviates from theoretical definitions. Students mentioned various factors that influence their well-being. Responses ranged from personal and university related factors to external factors beyond their educational institution. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on the well-being of students in higher education and provides suggestions for educational institutions, such as incorporating a holistic perspective on students and learning; and focus points for the development of policies and practices.
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