Physical Therapy Students' Reflective Thinking With Narrative Photography in Heart Transplantation

Students were shown real-life written stories, audio, and videos using a private online platform. The training activity included four modules: i) heart transplantation waiting list; ii) life expectancy, fear of death, and organ rejection; iii) post-transplant physical and functional limitations; and iv) lack of knowledge of physical exercise patients can perform. The students were encouraged to think about how they would feel if they had undergone heart transplantation. Afterward, they had to communicate these feelings using up to three photographs and reflective explanatory text. Two weeks later, the students met a heart transplantation expert patient followed by an educator-guided debate. Students' images were shared and discussed. Moreover, students were encouraged to explain their feelings and their acquired skills (two hours).

A participatory lecture was carried out, in which cardiac rehabilitation in heart transplantation patients was explained. Then, there was an educator-guided debate about protocols and actions (one hour). Second, the students autonomously prepared clinical cases on physical limitations, physical exercise, risk factors, and life after transplantation (two hours). Two weeks later, the clinical session was held among students (2 hours). They adopted the roles of physical therapists or transplant patients to work on: i) post-transplant physical and functional limitations; ii) lack of knowledge of the physical exercise the patient can perform; iii) control of cardiovascular risk factors; iv) life post-transplant.