Abstract
This study was designed to measure the level of professional involvement of respondents and to examine the relationship between a high level of professional involvement (eg, membership in the American Physical Therapy Association, attendance at Association conferences, participation in continuing education programs) and the frequency of use of high-complexity procedures. A questionnaire survey of 165 Alabama physical therapists was conducted to establish 1) the ranking of 24 physical therapy procedures according to the perceived level of complexity and 2) the relationship of a procedure's rank to delegation of that procedure to support personnel. The ranking and a cluster analysis of the 24 procedures correlated with similar ranking in other studies (Pearson r = .92). The level of complexity of a procedure influenced delegation to support personnel, with high-complexity procedures being delegated less frequently and requiring greater supervision than moderate- and low-complexity procedures. There was variation in the frequency of use of procedures, but a clear relationship was not found between a high level of professional involvement and use of high-complexity procedures. A relationship existed between professional involvement and both job title and types of referrals received. Those physical therapists with a higher level of professional involvement tended to be directors and supervisors (chi 2 = 28.29, df = 2, p less than .001), and they received autonomous referrals with greater frequency than those physical therapists with a lower level of involvement (chi 2 = 16.25, df = 3, p less than .001). The findings have implications for the continued professionalization of physical therapy and for the role that physical therapy educators and administrators play in this process.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.