Therapy Workloads in Pediatric Health: Preliminary Findings and Relevance for Defining Practice.

PURPOSE: To measure time spent by pediatric physical and occupational therapists in performing daily work activities. METHODS: Physical and occupational therapists at an urban pediatric academic hospital were observed during a standard workday. Time studies recorded total time spent performing patient care and other workplace-specific tasks. Data were analyzed to identify trends. RESULTS: Broad similarities existed in average amounts of time spent in direct patient care, indirect patient care, and nonpatient care tasks. Indirect patient care tasks demonstrated the lowest variability in time spent. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of pediatric physical and occupational therapists' time in performing daily tasks. The metric and tools derived from these findings support managerial decision-making, provide a comparison of actual versus targeted workload, assist with determining appropriate and safe staffing caseloads, and contribute to measurements of a patient's therapy acuity level.Video Abstract: For more insights from the authors, access Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at: http://links.lww.com/PPT/A280.

Occupational therapy and physiotherapy education and workforce in Anglophone sub-Saharan Africa countries.

BACKGROUND: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries are faced with the challenge of educating a critical mass of occupational therapists (OTs) and physiotherapists (PTs) to meet the growing demand for health and rehabilitation services. The World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) and World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT) have argued for the need of graduate-level training for OTs and PTs for decades. However, very few studies have been conducted to determine the availability of OT and PT training programs and practitioners in SSA countries. METHODS: Initial data were collected and compiled from an extensive literature search conducted using MEDLINE and PubMed to examine the availability of OT and PT education and training programs in SSA countries. Additional data were collected, compiled, and collated from academic institutions, ministries of health, health professions associations, and licensing authorities in SSA countries. Secondary data were also collected from the websites of organizations such as the World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), WFOT, and WCPT. RESULTS: This investigation revealed that there are limited number of OT and PT training programs and that these training programs in Anglophone SSA countries are offered at or below the bachelor's level. More than half of the countries do not have OT or PT training programs. The number of qualified OTs and PTs appears to be insufficient to meet the demand for rehabilitation services. Nigeria and South Africa are the only countries offering post-entry-level masters and doctoral-level training programs in physiotherapy and occupational therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Higher learning institutions in SSA countries need to collaborate and partner with other regional and foreign universities to elevate the educational training and increase the supply of PTs and OTs in the region.

Team Members' Roles in Home Healthcare: Evidence From the "AKEΣΩ-1" Project in Greece.

Home healthcare has just recently won the interest of policy decision makers in Greece and there is a lack of knowledge regarding the contributions provided by each team member. The aim of this study was to describe the home care interventions carried out by nurses, physicians, and physiotherapists during the AKEΣΩ-1 project. We examined the data from 1,094 patients who received home healthcare (HHC) from an interdisciplinary team from the Hellenic Red Cross HHC services in three major cities in Greece during a 20-month period. The visits and interventions by nurses, physicians, and physiotherapists were grouped and measured. Patients were mostly older adults (80.73%), women (68.37%) with medical problems (46.8%). Nurses conducted 70.76% of the visits, and provided 21,017 interventions. Physiotherapists conducted 22.83% of the visits and 4,627 interventions, and physicians conducted 6.4% of the visits and 2,117 interventions. Nurses provided a wide range of complex skilled nursing interventions that required knowledge of the community and ability to network. Physiotherapy and educating patients and caregivers were the most frequent interventions of physiotherapists. The main role of physicians was to conduct clinical exams. The Greek healthcare system is hospital- and physician-oriented. We documented that in HHC, nurses take a lead role in providing care, organizing services, and collaborating with other community services. From a health and social policy perspective, proper planning and staffing of HHC services are required. From an academic and licensing perspective, it is important to ensure that nurses working in the community have appropriate preparation.

Satisfação profissional e perfil de egressos em fisioterapia / Job satisfaction and profile of graduates in physical therapy

Introdução: A percepção dos egressos sobre sua situação e satisfação profissional é fundamental para identificar a relação entre a formação profissional e as exigências do mercado de trabalho. Objetivo: Caracterizar o perfil de egressos em fisioterapia e analisar fatores associados com satisfação e formação profissional. Métodos: Foram convidados egressos formados entre 2001 e 2013. Utilizou-se questionário online com questões sobre caracterização do egresso, aprimoramento profissional, mercado de trabalho e satisfação profissional. Resultados: Participaram 149 egressos, 50,5% solteiros e 75,8% mulheres. A qualificação profissional foi verificada em 82,6%. Ingressaram no mercado de trabalho em menos de 1 ano 69,8%. Atuavam com fisioterapia 85,9%. A principal área de atuação foi traumatologia e ortopedia (58,4%). Satisfação profissional foi relatada por 71,8% e satisfação econômica por 17,4%. Conclusão: A maioria dos egressos atuava em fisioterapia e buscou qualificação profissional. Grande parte dos participantes encontrava-se satisfeita profissionalmente, mas insatisfeita economicamente.

Introduction: Graduates' perception about their situation and professional satisfaction, which are fundamental to identify the relation between a professional formation and some demands of job market. Objective: To describe the characteristics of physical therapy graduates' profiles and to analyze factors associated with satisfaction and professional training. Methods: It was invited graduates from 2001 to 2013. An online questionnaire about the characterization of graduates, professional improvement, job market and professional satisfaction was used. Results: There were 149 graduates, singles (50.5%) and women (75.8%). About 82.6% were verified professional qualification. In less than one year 69.8% entered the labour market and 85.9% worked with physiotherapy. The main areas of practice were traumatology and orthopedics (58.4%). Professional satisfaction was reported by 71.8% people and economic satisfaction only by 17.4%. Conclusion: The majority of the graduates worked in physiotherapy and sought professional qualification. Most of them were professionally satisfied but economically insatisfied.

Análisis de la movilidad de los fisioterapeutas españoles en el contexto de la Unión Europea / Analysis of the mobility of Spanish physiotherapists in the context of the European Union

Objetivo: Analizar la movilidad de los fisioterapeutas españoles en el contexto de la UE entre los años 1997-2012 al amparo de la Directiva 2005/36/EC. Material y métodos: Búsqueda de información en la base de datos de la Comisión Europea (CE) en el mes de enero de 2014. Se han incluido en el análisis los países pertenecientes a la UE, centrándonos en el reconocimiento profesional, excluyendo los datos relativos a la movilidad temporal. Resultados: La fisioterapia en España es la cuarta profesión más móvil a países europeos entre el año 1997 y el 2012. Los países que más solicitudes de reconocimiento profesional acumulan por parte de nuestros profesionales son Francia, Italia, Reino Unido, Portugal e Irlanda, seguidos de Bélgica y Alemania. Las solicitudes realizadas por años muestran un pico máximo de solicitudes de reconocimiento profesional en el año 2011. Los países que emiten un mayor número de reconocimientos positivos son Portugal, Italia y Bélgica y los que menos Irlanda, Francia y Alemania. Irlanda concentra también el mayor porcentaje de situaciones neutrales de reconocimiento, seguida de Francia. Conclusiones: La fisioterapia española presenta una alta movilidad hacia Europa. Los 7 países de mayor demanda son Francia, Italia, Reino Unido, Portugal, Irlanda, Bélgica y Alemania. Los países que más fácilmente reconocen las cualificaciones profesionales de los fisioterapeutas españoles son Portugal, Italia y Bélgica. Los países que más dificultan esta movilidad son Irlanda y Alemania. La medida complementaria más adoptada para otorgar un reconocimiento positivo es la realización de un periodo de adaptación

Objective: To analyze the mobility applications of Spanish physiotherapists in the context of the European Union between 1997 and 2011, according to Directive 2005/36/EC. Material and methods: The research has been carried out with the database of the European Commission (EC) in January of 2014. All countries belonging to the EU have been included, focusing on professional recognition and excluding data concerning temporary mobility. Results: Physiotherapy is the fourth most mobile profession in Spain between 1997 and 2012. The most demanding host countries for professional recognition were France, Italy, United Kingdom, Portugal and Ireland, followed by Belgium and Germany. The peak of maximal applications for professional recognition occurs in 2011. Hosted countries with a greater number of positive recognitions were Portugal, Italy and Belgium. On the other hand, Ireland and Germany have the highest rate of negative recognitions. Ireland also has the largest number of neutral recognition situations. Conclusions: Spanish Physiotherapy demonstrates a high mobility through Europe. The seven most demanded host countries were France, Italy, United Kingdom, Portugal, Ireland, Belgium and Germany. Countries where the professional qualifications recognition is easiest to achieve are Portugal, Italy and Belgium. Countries where it is more difficult are Ireland and Germany. The complementary requirement more frequently adopted to give the positive recognition is the development of an adaptation period in the host country