Referral networks for pediatric patients with genetic conditions: The perspective of occupational therapists.

Families of children with developmental delays but no diagnosed genetic condition may benefit from connection to genetic systems of care. This work examines the role of occupational therapy as a space for families of pediatric patients to gain access to genetic services. Between September 2021 and February 2022, we interviewed 20 occupational therapists in New England who work primarily with pediatric patients. We transcribed the interviews and used a grounded theory approach to identify and code recurring themes. The data reveal several barriers to linking pediatric patients to genetic systems of care, including lack of insurance coverage, wait times for appointments and test results, hesitant primary care providers, and familial and cultural stigma of disability. We discuss the unique role of occupational therapists as professionals who spend substantial time with patients, often in their everyday environments, to bridge these barriers. We also address challenges associated with occupational therapists facilitating connections to genetics services, including their lack of specialized knowledge of genetics and barriers fully integrating with others on the medical team.

Access to wheelchairs by persons with mobility impairment in a remote rural district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: therapists' perspectives.

INTRODUCTION: The WHO has estimated that 1% of the world's population need a wheelchair, but few have access. Access to wheelchairs for most of the South African poor population is through accessing rehabilitation services at public health facilities. This study explored access to wheelchair services from the perspective of rehabilitation therapists, within the uMkhanyakude district of KwaZulu-Natal. Therapists' perceptions on access, and its impact on service delivery is under-explored in the literature. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 11 rehabilitation therapists in the uMkhanyakude district directly involved with wheelchair services were conducted. Levesque et al's conceptual framework of access to health care was used to analyse the data. Themes consistent with these dimensions - approachability, acceptability, availability and accommodation, affordability and appropriateness - were identified from the data. RESULTS: Access to wheelchairs was perceived to be facilitated by the establishment of meaningful relationships with wheelchairs users, the ability to eventually provide an appropriate wheelchair for all users, the provision of services close to where people live, the training of caregivers and the use of local peer trainers. Perceived barriers were limited outreach by the rehabilitation staff, poor screening of those with mobility impairment by other categories of staff, and limited space and time to provide services. Further barriers linked to the therapists included their uncertainty about their level of competency in the context and lack of peer support for the rehabilitation staff, especially those working alone. Barriers associated with clients were the limited understanding of wheelchairs, and what was perceived to be a lack of responsibility to look after the wheelchairs, which led to poor maintenance. CONCLUSION: The aspects of the five dimensions of access of Levesque et al's framework were identified as both facilitators and barriers.The therapists working in this remote rural area have a a strong sense of responsibility about the wheelchair service delivery process and offered clients the best they could with limited human and financial resources. They have a good understanding of the wheelchair users and the environment they function in, which enabled constant adaptation of the services to meet the needs of that specific community.

Values that influence employment acceptance among physical therapists practicing in primary care shortage and non-urban designation areas.

INTRODUCTION: Physical therapists (PTs) in all United States, DC, and the US Virgin Islands have first-contact direct access privileges to examine and treat patients. Evidence supports the value of PT services in reducing annual healthcare costs, decreasing the need for prescription pain medication, and decreasing the need for outpatient physician care. PTs can play an essential role in managing patient health needs in primary care health professional shortage areas (pcHPSAs), especially in rural areas, which are disproportionately affected by shortage-related health disparities. The current study examined values that differentiated PTs who accept and maintain employment in pcHPSAs and non-urban areas, as a means of advising health agencies within these designation areas. METHODS: A survey invitation was emailed to PTs in six states. The Determinants of Employment Acceptance Survey was used to survey the importance of six factors (attachment to place, community assets, practice environment, professional advancement, relationships, and remuneration) when considering employment. RESULTS: Respondents included 373 PTs (36% pcHPSA; 33% non-urban). Professional advancement was significantly more important to PTs intending to continue their employment in a pcHPSA. Community assets were more important to PTs in non-urban areas who planned to leave their employment within 5 years. The most valued factors for PTs, regardless of practice location, were practice environment and attachment to place. CONCLUSION: Employers in rural areas or pcHPSAs who are interested in recruiting and retaining PTs should consider the importance of professional advancement, practice environment, and workplace relationships, and should use strategic measures to fortify these assets within the workplace.

[The occupational therapist and the assessment of the elderly person's home]. / Évaluation du domicile du sujet âgé par l'ergothérapeute.

The falls of elderly people in their home are frequently related to the environment. Plans and photographs of the home provided by the patient's relatives are useful and constitute relevant assessment tools. The home visit is even more effective as it helps to identify areas which pose a high risk of falling which cannot be picked up by the other tools.

Identifying radiation therapists' perceptions of potentially triggering aspects of care for survivors of sexual violence undergoing radiotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: Research shows that for survivors of sexual violence (SV), cancer procedures can be retraumatizing due to perceived similarities to the original SV. To date, there is no training program designed specifically for the radiation therapist (RTT) on how to deliver care sensitively to survivors of SV. A key component of sensitive practice is working with patients to identify and develop strategies to manage situations that could be triggering. The goal of this study was to understand the RTT recognition of potential sensory/environmental, relational, and mixed triggers in radiation oncology settings. METHODS: This quantitative research study conducted a secondary analysis on RTT responses to a learning activity from an online cancer education training program. The first section of the activity asked trainees to identify two potential triggers in a brachytherapy video, and the second portion of the activity asked trainees to describe two potential triggers in their own work. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and t tests were used to analyze 50 RTT responses. RTTs tended to identify different types of triggers depending on the question (brachytherapy video vs. self-reflection). Data indicated that despite a lack of formal didactic training in trigger management, RTTs could identify triggers, and were most likely to recognize "mixed" type triggers. DISCUSSION: Triggers identified are consistent with past research on childhood sexual abuse survivors' healthcare retraumatization in obstetrics and gynecology, and cancer care. As in past research, invasive techniques, and situations where the patient was in a submissive position were identified as triggering aspects of care. It is interesting to note when reflecting on their own practice, the least identified triggers all fell under the environmental/sensory trigger category. RTTs may not fully appreciate a variety of potential triggers such as sounds of treatment or silence because they are outside of the room administering the beam when the machine is delivering treatment. Thus, they may not hear certain sounds or silence during their daily routine. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively few trainees identified sensory/ environmental triggers (e.g., restricted visibility and sounds of treatment, including silence) when reflecting on their own practice, which could potentially reduce their likelihood of helping patients minimize the impact of (or avoid) such triggers. Future research should identify a comprehensive list of triggers and then develop a training specific to the RTT focused on identifying environmental/sensory triggers from the perspective of the patient in the often unfamiliar and frightening radiotherapy suite.

Characteristics of US-based physical therapist education programs cited for core faculty deficiencies in 2019-2020.

INTRODUCTION: Changes in the accreditation standards of physical therapist education have added new levels of rigor to core faculty qualifications. This study aims to determine if any program characteristics exist that are common to core faculty deficiency citations in the 2019-2020 review cycle. Recently, more than half of all accredited physical therapist education programs (51.5%) have earned citations in core faculty standards/elements. SUBJECTS: A total of 266 Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited and developing physical therapist education programs were included. METHODS: A review and analysis of programs cited and programs without citation was completed in 2021, to investigate these characteristics in relation to citation status: Campus setting, Regional accreditor, Length of CAPTE accreditation, University control, Carnegie classification, Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service participant, and Program cohort size. RESULTS: A regression model was found to correctly predict with 91.3% accuracy when including common characteristics of campus setting, years of accreditation, university control, and Carnegie class in programs cited for faculty deficiency. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that programs residing in a town or rural setting, accredited for ten years or less, housed in an institution with a Carnegie classification of Master's or Baccalaureate, within private institutions, and enroll cohorts less than 31 are more likely to receive citations related to the qualifications or adequacy of core faculty than their counterparts. The description of characteristics common to programs cited could provide guidance to other programs in factors that might predispose them to core faculty deficiencies in the future.

Assessment of Saudi Physicians and Physical Therapists' Adherence to the Updated Clinical Practice Guideline for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction Variations in clinical practice regarding the management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) among clinicians have been noted in previous studies. Such variations might be related to the different adherence to clinical practice guidelines. Objective To evaluate clinicians' adherence to BPPV guidelines and investigate the variations in the adherence between different specialties and qualifications. Methods This is a cross-sectional study with a vignettes-based survey conducted between June and August, 2020. We included clinicians engaged in managing BPPV that had at least one year of clinical experience. We excluded students, and clinicians who were not involved in the management of individuals with BPPV. Participants were asked to make their management choices based on four hypothetical patient vignettes. The sample ranged from 77 participants for the first vignette to 45 participants for the last vignette. Results We included 77 clinicians in the study, with the majority being Otolaryngologists (31.2%). The respondents' mean adherence to the guideline was of 63.3%. Result showed that Otolaryngologists' adherence was higher than that of clinicians from different specialties ( p = 0.006, d = 0.72). Furthermore, clinicians with a postgraduate degree were more likely to adhere than those with a bachelor's degree only ( p = 0.014, d = 0.58) and participants who were aware of the guideline were more likely to adhere to it ( p < 0.001, d = 1.05). Lastly, regression analysis exhibited that adherence was affected by postgraduate degree and guideline awareness. Conclusion Otolaryngologists were more likely to adhere to the guideline than other specialties. Among all specialties, higher adherence was associated with guideline awareness and postgraduate degrees.

Study on the Rehabilitation Therapist Estimation Under Institutional Perspective by Applying the Workload Indicators of Staffing Needs in the Aging Context.

Background: The need for rehabilitation therapy has increased dramatically with the aging of the population, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, and the increase in the number of disabilities. Rehabilitation therapists are crucial to provide high quality rehabilitation therapy; however, there is a significant shortage of these professionals in China. One of the effective strategies to address this challenge is using the norm of the workforce for rehabilitation therapy, which is an index for assessing the personnel required in a facility. This research aimed to create a rehabilitation therapist-required norm under institutional perspective in Shandong Province, China, based on the Workload Indicators of Staffing Needs (WISN) method, which was created by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1998 to analyse staff utilization at various levels of the health care system. Methods: We conducted descriptive and quantitative research from October to November 2020 in the rehabilitation department of a tertiary hospital in Weifang City, China. Focus groups, online interviews, and document reviews were conducted to gather data and calculations of the WISN method performed. Results: Admission assessment, pre-treatment evaluation, rehabilitation therapy, post-treatment evaluation, and health education for patients were identified as the main priority group activities. Interviews and analysis of documents summarized five factors related to rehabilitation therapists' health service activities. In this study, the annual working time of each therapist was 1,776 h per year. The WISN method calculations showed that the norm of rehabilitation therapists in this tertiary hospital was 23 therapists. As the department had 13 therapists, there was a shortage of 10 therapists based on the WISN calculation, with a ratio of 0.57, which represented the actual compared to the ideal number of therapists. Conclusion: Workload pressure was high for therapists in this tertiary hospital. This model revealed a demand for ten more therapists in the rehabilitation department. The WISN method can help hospital administrators in therapist workforce monitoring, including in regard to therapists. Therefore, the WISN method should be embraced as part of hospital human resource planning and recruitment strategies to meet increasing rehabilitation needs.

Establishing a Comprehensive Wound Care Team and Program.

A comprehensive, interdisciplinary wound care team is of great importance to the management of acute, chronic, and recurrent wounds. This management functions best for the patient when all members of the team are in regular discussion regarding the wound care plan, providing more efficient and timelier patient-centered care. This article reviews the roles of different disciplines in the management of wounds. These disciplines include rehabilitation physicians, wound care nurses, registered nurses and certified nursing assistants, surgical teams, specialists of infectious diseases and mental health, dieticians, and patients and caregivers. A case study is also provided.

Bridging Allied Health Professional Roles to Improve Patient Outcomes in Rural and Remote Australia: A Descriptive Qualitative Study.

Purpose: Australia's rural and remote populations experience inequality of access to healthcare, with demand exceeding capacity for delivery of health services, often due to a maldistribution of the health workforce. A strategy which may overcome barriers to accessing adequate healthcare includes implementation of interdisciplinary collaborative teams, identified as a successful method of healthcare delivery. This study thus aimed to explore interdisciplinary allied health collaborative practice in a rural community. Methods: Role theory, as a philosophical perspective, was used to explore role perceptions and the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration between pharmacists and allied health professionals including dieticians/public health nutritionists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists, by conducting 29 interviews in a rural community. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and categorised into emerging themes. Results: Five constructs of role theory were used to describe the data: role identity, role overload, role sufficiency, role conflict, and role ambiguity. Participants identified as rural generalists and health promoters, who work within innovative and adaptive healthcare settings. Role overload was reported as considerable due to high demand for services and a lack of resources in rural and remote regions, resulting in poor role sufficiency. Overall, there was a low level of role conflict, and participants were highly in favor of interprofessional collaboration; however, uncertainty of the pharmacist's role (role ambiguity) was a major barrier identified. Health professionals with more years in practice provided few examples of how they would utilise a pharmacist in their practice, although these gave valuable insight into the potential integration of a pharmacist into an interdisciplinary health team, with allied health professionals. Conclusion: This study has applied role theory providing a greater understanding of the enablers and barriers of pharmacists working within interdisciplinary allied health teams and highlighting opportunities to bridge interprofessional roles to improve patient outcomes, especially in rural and remote communities.

Advanced practice roles of therapeutic radiographers/radiation therapists: A systematic literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Advances in Radiotherapy (RT) technology and increase of complexity in cancer care have enabled the implementation of new treatment techniques. Subsequently, a greater level of autonomy, responsibility, and accountability in the practice of Therapeutic Radiographers/Radiation Therapists (TR/RTTs) has led to Advanced Practice (AP) roles. The published evidence of this role is scattered with confusing terminology and divergence regarding the perception of whether a specific role represents AP internationally. This study aims to establish an international baseline of evidence on AP roles in RT to identify roles and activities performed by TR/RTTs at advanced level practice and to summarise the impact. METHODS: A systematic PRISMA review of the literature was undertaken. Thematic analysis was used to synthesise the roles and associated activities. Six RT external experts validated the list. The impact was scrutinised in terms of clinical, organisational, and professional outcomes. RESULTS: Studies (n = 87) were included and categorised into four groups. AP roles were listed by clinical area, site-specific, and scope of practice, and advanced activities were organised into seven dimensions and 27 sub-dimensions. Three most-reported outcomes were: enhanced service capacity, higher patient satisfaction, and safety maintenance. CONCLUSION: Evidence-based AP amongst TR/RTTs show how AP roles were conceptualised, implemented, and evaluated. Congruence studies have shown that TR/RTTs are at par with the gold-standard across the various AP roles. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This is the first systematic literature review synthetisising AP roles and activities of TR/RTTs. This study also identified the main areas of AP that can be used to develop professional frameworks and education guiding policy by professional bodies, educators and other stakeholders.

A Stage 1 Pilot Cohort Exploring the Use of EMDR Therapy as a Videoconference Psychotherapy During COVID-19 With Frontline Mental Health Workers: A Proof of Concept Study Utilising a Virtual Blind 2 Therapist Protocol.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the delivery of psychological treatment. Due to social distancing requirements, the provision moved to videoconferencing psychotherapy (VCP). There is a paucity of empirical data supporting the efficacy of EMDR therapy as a VCP. This stage 1 pilot study tested an EMDR therapy scripted protocol, such as Virtual Blind 2 Therapist (VB2Tr), on frontline mental health workers as a VCP regarding fitness for purpose, distinctiveness, relevance, and efficiency. Methods: A total of 24 participants were recruited for the study. The design included a one-session treatment intervention with pre, post, 1-month, and 6-month follow-up (FU) measurements. This treatment session used a "Blind 2 Therapist" EMDR therapy scripted protocol as videoconference psychotherapy that involves non-disclosure of traumatic memory. The research explored the treatment effect on the core characteristics of trauma memory, including subjective disturbance, belief systems, memory intensity (MI), vividness, and levels of emotionality. Additionally, the research explored participants' experiences of adverse and benevolent childhood experiences (ACEs/BCEs) during their childhood. Results: Regarding the four tests, namely, fitness for purpose, distinctiveness, relevance, and efficiency, results are favourably suggesting potential clinical benefits of using EMDR as videoconference psychotherapy. Although this is a proof-of-concept study showing positive results, no clinical population or control group was used. The purpose of the study is to explore the potential for scalability toward a larger clinical trial. The treatment intervention was achieved irrespective of either ACEs/BCEs during childhood. Conclusion: The research tentatively supports the case for EMDR therapy as a credible treatment when used as video conference psychotherapy and in using the Blind 2 Therapist protocol. However, more research is needed to scale toward a clinical trial. Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN12099530, identifier ISRCTN12099530.

Teaching Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Postgraduate Health Care Professionals in Times of COVID 19 - An Asynchronous Blended Learning Environment Proved to Be Non-inferior to In-Person Training.

Training of postgraduate health professionals on their way to becoming licensed therapists for Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) came to a halt in Germany in March 2020 when social distancing regulations came into effect. Since the German healthcare system almost exclusively relies on this profession when it comes to the implementation of CBT and 80% of those therapists active in 2010 will have retired at the end of 2030, it is critical to assess whether online CBT training is as satisfactory as classroom on-site CBT training. An asynchronous, blended, inverted-classroom online learning environment for CBT training (CBT for psychosis) was developed as an emergency solution. It consisted of pre-recorded CBT video lectures, exercises to train interventions in online role-plays, and regular web conferences. Training was provided at five different training institutes in Germany (duration 8-16 h). Postgraduate health care professionals (psychiatrists and psychologists) (n = 43) who received the online CBT training filled out standard self-report evaluations that assessed satisfaction and didactic quality. These evaluations were compared to those evaluations of students (n = 142) who had received in-person CBT training with identical content offered by the same CBT trainer at the same training institutes before the COVID-19 crisis. Both groups were comparable with respect to interest in the subject and prior knowledge. We tested non-inferiority hypotheses using Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney ROC-curve analyses with an equivalence margin corresponding to a small-to-medium effect size (d = 0.35). The online training evaluations were non-inferior concerning information content, conception of content, didactic presentation, assessment of the trainer as a suitable role-model, working atmosphere, own commitment, and practical relevance. In contrast, we could not exclude a small effect in favor of in-person training in professional benefit and room for active participation. Our results suggest that delivering substantial CBT knowledge online to postgraduate health-professionals is sufficient, and at most incurs minimal loss to the learning experience. These encouraging findings indicate that integrating online elements in CBT teaching is an acceptable option even beyond social distancing requirements.

Healthcare professionals' perspectives on a blended care program in primary care; A qualitative study.

Increasingly, healthcare policies have changed focus from cure and care to behaviour and health. Prevention is becoming more important, which requires a change in the role of healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals' role is changing from being a therapist to taking on the role of a coach. To prevent chronicity in Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUPS), an integrated blended care program was developed. To apply this new program in daily practice, it is important to gain insight into the usability. From the healthcare professionals' point of view the concept of usability consists of performance, satisfaction and acceptability. In this qualitative study participants were recruited after participating in the PARASOL program. Demographics were collected. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. Ten healthcare professionals (six physical therapists and four mental health nurses) were interviewed. Four themes on usability were identified: (1) Who fits in the program, (2) preparation, (3) experience with the program and (4) interprofessional collaboration. This study gathered healthcare professionals' experiences with and attitudes towards integrating healthcare and offering blended care programs. An integrated blended care program offers the possibility to personalize treatment. Findings show attention should be given to the new responsibilities of healthcare professionals, and their role in integrated and blended care. This new approach of delivering healthcare can facilitate interprofessional collaboration. Achieving sustainable change in patients however still requires instruction and support for healthcare professionals implementing behavioural change techniques.

Assessing health worker competence to deliver a brief psychological treatment for depression: development and validation of a scalable measure.

Increased interest in disseminating and implementing psychological treatments has focused on the need for evidence-based training programs for providers, especially those without specialized training. To evaluate provider-training programs, validated outcome measures are necessary; however, the scalable measurement of training outcomes has been largely overlooked. Current methods of assessing providers' ability to deliver psychological treatments are generally time-consuming and costly, representing a major bottleneck in scaling up mental health care for commonly occurring disorders such as depression. The present study describes the development and initial validation of a scalable measure for assessing provider competence in delivering a brief behavioral activation treatment for depression, called the Healthy Activity Program, adapted for primary care settings. The measure focuses on testing knowledge about the treatment and applied knowledge regarding how to skillfully deliver the treatment, both essential features of competence. The measure was tested on a sample of 531 respondents with a variety of educational levels and professional backgrounds and found to meet the requirements of the Rasch model. Three versions of the measure each of equal difficulty were derived to allow repeat testing of training outcomes over time. A scalable measure of provider competence is an essential first step towards supporting the wider dissemination and implementation of brief psychological interventions for depression, especially in low-resource settings.

Competencies of therapeutic radiographers working in the linear accelerator across Europe: A systematic search of the literature and thematic analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The literature identifies various competences required for therapy radiographers (TR), however, these are varied and scattered among different publications. The aim of this study was to identify the competences required by therapy radiographers practising on the linear accelerator in the European setting, according to published literature. METHODS: A systematic approach was performed to find relevant literature. The literature was then scrutinised for competences practised by linac TRs. Thematic analysis was performed to organise the competences according to themes. RESULTS: A list of 170 competences were generated based on the assessment of 28 publications. The competences were organised in themes, including "delivery of treatment", "verification of patient setup", "patient care" and "teamwork and multidisciplinarity". The competences of the therapeutic radiographers encompass multiple themes, evidence of the complexity of the role of these professionals. CONCLUSION: Radiographers across Europe must be trained to the highest standards to ensure the best care possible is given to patients, irrespective of the country the radiographer trained in. This will also promote for free movement of professionals across countries. The competences identified can be used as reference for the design of academic curriculum for TRs practising across Europe.

The nature of youth in the eyes of mental-health care workers: therapists' conceptualization of adolescents coming to therapy at others' initiative.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent clients often come to therapy at the initiative of others and show a higher drop-out rate compared to adult clients. Therapeutic relationships are critical for preventing drop-outs and attaining good outcomes, yet few empirical studies have investigated how therapists conceptualize and meet adolescent clients who come reluctantly to therapy. METHODS: We conducted ten focus-group interviews in this study with a total of 51 therapists at different Norwegian specialist outpatient clinics for children and adolescents with mental-health problems to explore how therapists view and understand adolescents who come to therapy at the initiative of someone else. We used a reflexive approach to thematic analysis to analyze the transcripts. RESULTS: We found five main themes, expressing variations in participants' understanding: The hurt and distrustful adolescent; The adolescent lacking hope for the future; The adolescent engulfed in the burden of mental-health suffering; The adolescent as something more than a psychiatric patient; and The adolescent meeting a system with varying flexibility and space for engagement. CONCLUSIONS: Several conceptualizations of the adolescent client coexist within and between clinics, resulting in variability of services for adolescents even within the frames of a strong welfare system.

Characteristics of Professional Physical Therapist Faculty and Doctor of Physical Therapy Programs, 2008-2017: Influences on Graduation Rates and First-Time National Physical Therapy Examination Pass Rates.

OBJECTIVE: Graduation rates and first-time National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) pass rates among Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs have ranged from 30% to 100% and 0% to 100% between 2008 and 2017, respectively. Prior studies on predictors of graduation rates and NPTE pass rates from DPT programs have used cross-sectional data and have not studied faculty data. This study sought to understand how trends in DPT faculty and program characteristics correlated with graduation rates and first-time NPTE pass rates. METHODS: This study was a retrospective panel analysis of yearly data from 231 programs between 2008 and 2017. Random effects models estimated the correlations between faculty and program characteristics regarding graduation rates and first-time NPTE pass rates. RESULTS: Graduation rates peaked when programs devoted 25% of faculty time, on average, to scholarship. The number of peer-reviewed publications was positively correlated with graduation rates; however, the trend was logarithmic, indicating a diminishing rise in graduation rates as the number of publications exceeded 1 per faculty full-time equivalent. Tenure-track status, faculty of color, and part-time faculty were all negatively correlated with first-time NPTE pass rates. However, these 3 trends are likely not meaningful, because the predicted rates of decline in pass rates were minimal. CONCLUSIONS: Faculty engagement in scholarly activities can positively influence graduation rates, but only up to a certain level of faculty time devoted to scholarship. IMPACT: This is the first study to provide data on the influence of faculty on DPT student outcomes and will help education programs develop strategies to improve those outcomes.

ANZAED practice and training standards for mental health professionals providing eating disorder treatment.

INTRODUCTION: The Australia & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED) recently developed general principles and clinical practice standards recommended for mental health clinicians and dietitians providing treatment for people with eating disorders. Separate mental health practice and training standards were then devised as a foundation for strengthening the workforce and providing guidance to professional training programs and service providers on the minimal standards required for practice in the eating disorder field. RECOMMENDATIONS: The present recommendations for mental health professionals providing eating disorder treatment describe the following practice and training standards: eating disorder treatment foundations (including co-ordination of services, establishing a positive therapeutic alliance, professional responsibility and knowledge of levels of care), assessment, diagnosis, intervention (including evidence-based intervention, managing psychiatric risk and managing co-morbid mental health problems), and monitoring and evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Further work is required to disseminate these standards to clinicians providing services across Australia to people with eating disorders, and to support adherence in the clinic room where they can translate to improved outcomes for clients. Pathways to supporting adherence include expert supervision of practice, incorporation in training and supervised practice in university settings, and support with checklists that can be used by consumers and referring professionals.

[The evolving career profile of radiation therapists]. / Évolutions du métier de manipulateur en électroradiologie médicale.

Over the last few years, the radiation therapist profession has undergone major developments. In radiotherapy, the teams, and their organization as well as the techniques have changed, however always with the goal of improving treatment quality for patients. Throughout interviews, this article offers to show three missions that have been assigned to French radiation therapists, such as the initial consultation, the role of the radiation therapist with the linear accelerator with onboard MRI, and paramedical research. The contribution of new technologies, the modification of the types of participants on the patient journey, as well as the thought process about the use of evidence-based practice and radiation therapist research have initiated changes for the job description, the beginning of more advanced practices, and a perspective of evolution within this profession.