Intensive Care Physiotherapy — Medical Staff Perceptions

Abstract

Abstract A questionnaire was sent to directors of intensive care units (ICUs) in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Hong Kong, to gather regional perceptions of each ICU's physiotherapy service. A second questionnaire was sent to the ICU physiotherapist-in-charge to profile their experience and any demarcation disputes. Fifty-four of 101 ICU directors and 100% of the physiotherapists returned a completed questionnaire. While 79% of the directors rated the service provided by their physiotherapists as either ‘outstanding’ or ‘very good’, nearly 60% of them also considered that the physiotherapist's work could be performed by other disciplines. It is suggested that ICU physiotherapists broaden their research base to promote evidence-based practice, and develop a precise marketing strategy to preserve customer (ICU director) reliance on their product and to maintain ‘market share’, especially where ‘doctor-referrals’ impacts on their practice.