Integrating people living with pain into pre-licensure pain education: a novel learning activity for health professional students.

Abstract

To explore the experiences of physiotherapy students and people living with pain regarding their participation in a novel partnered learning activity. A concurrent mixed method design integrating quantitative and open-ended survey questions with focus group discussions was used. The activity included a one-on-one interaction between physiotherapy students and people living with chronic pain to explore the multidimensional impact of pain. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using a qualitative description approach. Twenty-five students and 42 people living with pain consented to participate. For students, three overarching themes were identified: (1) the activity was perceived as a transformative learning experience; (2) first-hand interactions, the learning tools, and the environment contributed to learning; and (3) some challenges fostered learning, while others impeded it. For people living with pain, three themes emerged: (1) translating lived experience into an empowering contribution; (2) the complex role of compensation; and (3) engagement driven by purpose and trust. The partnered learning activity served as a transformative learning experience for students and empowered people living with pain through meaningful contributions of their lived experience. Future research should explore the impact of partnered activities on student learning outcomes.