A Multiple Single Case Experimental Design Investigating the Maitland Concept Approach to Treatment of Patients with Probable Cervicogenic Headache

Abstract

Some physiotherapists specialising in cardiopulmonary care have been identified as ‘experts’ within their field. However, the concept of ‘expertise’ has not been clearly defined in cardiopulmonary care. Consequently, there is little evidence t o inform appropriate undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities for facilitation of ‘expertise’. Also, studies into physiotherapy efficacy have failed to take account of possible notions of expertise in cardiopulmonary care. This study aims to help in attempts to define ‘expertise’ in cardiopulmonary care by eliciting clinicians’ perceptions of elements which may characterise expert behaviour using the Delphi technique (Walker and Selfe, 1996). Opinion was sought from an expert panel comprising three groups of physiotherapists: 18 ‘national experts’, 230 senior Is, and 99 senior 11s. Each was sent a selfadministered questionnaire requesting 10-20 adjectives which characterised expert behaviour in physiotherapists specialising in cardiopulmonary care. Round 1 returned 155 forms (15 from national experts, 108 from Senior Is, and 32 from Senior 11s). Content analysis produced a list of categories (31 from experts and senior 11s and 36 from senior Is). Twenty-seven categories were common to all three groups. The round 2 questionnaire was distributed to respondents for ranking in order of preference. Subjects selected and rank ordered 20 categories from those supplied. Round 2 returned 122 forms (12 from national experts, 83 from senior Is (2 spoilt), and 27 from senior 11s (1 spoilt).