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BACKGROUND: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) became a significant challenge for the work and personal experience of physiotherapists (PTs). OBJECTIVE: To investigate how the work activities of PTs in a region in Italy have changed, describe the reasons for change, perceived competence, and effectiveness of professional education, and explore their personal experience. METHODS: We adopted a monocentric convergent mixed-methods light-questionnaire variant study. The questionnaire contains both closed-ended and open-ended questions. Quantitative and qualitative data were combined to interpret the results. RESULTS: Among 78 respondents (response rate 24.4%), 87.2% worked during the pandemic, 52.9% treated patients with COVID-19, and 45.6% changed their working activities. Professional competence was perceived as low in intensive and sub-intensive care settings. The major critical aspect of professional education was respiratory rehabilitation. Life-learning education was judged as effective, even if mainly focused on safety. Nine themes emerged from the analysis of the PTs' experiences: 1) Physiotherapy during COVID-19; 2) Fear and negative feelings; 3) Positive aspects; 4) Organization and management; 5) Prevention measures; 6) Patients; 7) Change; 8) Information; and 9) Professional education. CONCLUSIONS: PTs who have direct experience with patients with COVID-19 showed great resilience. They overcame the first phase of disorientation and fear, despite a specific lack of competence in the respiratory field.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To develop the Italian version of the Erasmus MC modifications to the Nottingham Sensory Assessment and to investigate its internal consistency, intra- and inter-rater reliability. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Rehabilitation department. SUBJECTS: A total of 34 patients with acquired brain injury. MAIN MEASURE: The translation and cultural adaptation process was completed, and the testing procedures of the Italian version of the Erasmus MC modifications to the Nottingham Sensory Assessment were standardized. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha index; assessment of intra- and inter-rater reliability was carried out using weighted kappa coefficient. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the tactile sensations and the proprioception items of the Italian version of the Erasmus MC modifications to the Nottingham Sensory Assessment were generally acceptable to excellent with a range of Cronbach's alpha between 0.73 and 0.97. The intra-rater reliability of the tactile sensations and the proprioception items of the Italian version of the Erasmus MC modifications to the Nottingham Sensory Assessment were generally good to excellent with a range of weighted kappa coefficients between 0.47 and 1.00. Likewise, the inter-rater reliabilities of these items were predominantly good to excellent with a range of weighted kappa coefficients between 0.42 and 0.92. CONCLUSION: The Italian version of the Erasmus MC modifications to the Nottingham Sensory Assessment is a reliable screening tool to evaluate primary somatosensory impairments in patients with acquired brain injury. Further research is necessary to consolidate these results and establish the validity and responsiveness of the Italian version of the Erasmus MC modifications to the Nottingham Sensory Assessment.