Introducing palliative care into physiotherapy education: an active-learning seminar

Abstract

Introducing palliative care into undergraduate health professions education is increasingly recognised as important, yet its presence across curricula remains uneven. This paper presents an active-learning seminar developed within a Physiotherapy degree programme and uses it as an opportunity to explore which educational dimensions of palliative care become visible when students and professionals engage with the same narrative stimulus. The online seminar was built around the documentary Quando sei con me and was followed by small-group discussion, brainstorming, and a final plenary debriefing. Fifty-eight participants took part, including 34 students and 24 professionals. The content generated during the group discussions and plenary session was documented through notes independently taken by two notetakers and then examined through a descriptive-exploratory thematic analysis. The findings showed several themes shared by both groups, particularly the centrality of the person and family, the importance of teamwork, and the relational and communicative dimensions of care. At the same time, meaningful differences emerged. Students paid greater attention to the care setting, the presence of family members, and ways of communicating with patients and relatives, whereas professionals more often highlighted the emotional burden of palliative care work, the sustainability of practice, and the importance of mutual support within the team. Overall, the seminar appears to offer a useful entry point for introducing palliative care within physiotherapy education, especially when embedded in broader and more structured curricular pathways.