Preliminary investigation into the role of physiotherapists in disaster response.

INTRODUCTION: Increasingly, disasters and disaster response have become prominent issues in recent years. Despite their involvement, there have been almost no investigations into the roles of physiotherapists in emergency disaster responses. Additionally, physiotherapists are not employed in emergency disaster response by many of the principal non-governmental organizations supplying such care, although they are included in military responses in the United States and United Kingdom, and in Disaster Medical Assistance Teams in the US. This paper, based on a small qualitative study, focuses on the potential role and nature of input of physiotherapists in disaster response. METHODS: A qualitative approach was chosen due to the emergent nature of the phenomenon. Four physiotherapists, all of whom had been involved in some type of disaster response, agreed to participate. Semi-structured telephone interviews were used to explore participants' experiences following disaster response, and to gain ideas about future roles for physiotherapists. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and later analyzed using coding and categorization of data. RESULTS: Four main themes emerged: (1) descriptions of disasters; (2) current roles of the physiotherapist; (3) future roles of physiotherapists; and (4) overcoming barriers. Although all four physiotherapists had been ill-prepared for disaster response, they took on multiple roles, primarily in organization and treatment. However, participants identified several barriers to future involvement, including organizational and professional barriers, and gave suggestions for overcoming these. CONCLUSIONS: The participants had participated in disaster response, but in ill-defined roles, indicating a need for a greater understanding of disaster response among the physiotherapy community and by organizations supplying such care. The findings of this study have implications for such organizations in terms of employing skilled physiotherapists in order to improve disaster response. In future disasters, physiotherapy will be of benefit in treating and preventing rescue worker injury and treating musculoskeletal, critical, respiratory, and burn patients.

Using outcomes-based methodology for the education, training and assessment of competence of healthcare professionals.

This paper outlines the job competence/functional analysis methodology that is used widely within the UK workforce and throughout the world. This outcomes-based approach to competence focuses on the description of the outcomes of work performance and is not concerned with job or professional titles. The four stages of functional analysis are outlined and illustrated with a functional map developed for the ophthalmic sector. The nature, purpose and format of occupational standards are described and illustrated, along with common errors in developing occupational standards. The knowledge and understanding of requirements that are described with the occupational standards can be used for curriculum development, but the de-linking of standards, learning and assessment means that qualifications can be awarded that are independent of any one learning process, and formal learning programmes are no longer the only access route to the qualification. This approach to competence can support meaningful discussions about how work may be shared between healthcare professions without compromising standards.

Annular pigment band on the posterior capsule following blunt ocular trauma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: To report an unusual case of annular pigment band on the posterior capsule following blunt ocular trauma. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe an annular pigment band on the posterior capsule following blunt ocular trauma in a 28-year old male patient. Repeat examinations revealed no evidence of other signs of blunt ocular trauma or pigment dispersion syndrome in either eye. CONCLUSION: The annular pigment band in this case corresponds to the adherence of the hyaloideocapsulare ligament to the posterior capsule and reconfirms its rare visualization in the living eye. This finding may be an isolated sign of blunt ocular trauma and a compromised integrity of the vitreolenticular interface should be strongly suspected. We recommend careful documentation in context of future cataract surgery in these eyes.

Ocular injury with high-pressure paint: a case report.

Chemical injury to the eye is an ophthalmic emergency that can be caused by a work-related accident or common household products. Uradil SZ261 G3Z-65 is a resin containing butyl gycol (2-butoxyethanol) and ethyl ethanol amine (2-dimethyaminoethanol). It is used in stoving enamels for interior and exterior use. The authors report a case of ocular surface injury with a highpressure industrial spray paint-Waterborne Stoving Gentian Blue containing Uradil.