PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Physical Therapists”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1979

Continuing education: an attitudinal survey of physical therapists.

A descriptive study of 903 physical therapists located primarily in southeastern United States was undertaken to determine their attitudes toward continuing education and the types of course offerings they desired. A majority of physical therapists kept themselves up-to-date in professional practice, mainly through discussion with colleagues, study groups, and inservice training sessions. The continuing education courses they preferred were comparatively recent topics in physical therapy education--such as musculoskeletal assessment and mobilization--specific neurophysiological approaches to treatment of adults and children, and administration. The study also revealed the preferred schedule, length, type, and cost of continuing education courses, as well as the amount of advance notice preferred and willingness to complete preassigned readings. The main problem that respondents had in participating in continuing education was that courses did not fit into their schedules. A majority of respondents favored mandatory continuing education for relicensure.

Attitude↗
PubMed1975

Expanded role for the physical therapist. Screening musculoskeletal disorders.

The primary purpose of this study conducted at two army hospitals was to evaluate the feasibility of using the physical therapist as the primary 'screener' for patients presenting with a complaint of low back pain. The study was organized into two phases. A base line phase consisted of a data collection period under standard operating conditions. Patient waiting times, treatment times, and total care times were measured for patients presenting to various clinics with a complaint of low back pain. The same data were collected during a screeing phase in which all patients presenting with a complaint of low back pain were referred directly to the physical therapist for primary evaluation. An assessment of physical therapist and patient satisfaction and acceptance was made. The quality of care rendered in the screeing clinic was assessed through patient interviews, physician interviews, and record reviews. This concept and the quality of care rendered were found to be acceptable to the patient, the physician, and the physical therapist.

Back Pain↗
PubMed1977

Job satisfaction-dissatisfaction. A comparison of private practitioners and organizational physical therapists.

Job factors which results in feelings of satisfaction or dissatisfaction were studied in a sample of 25 physical therapists engaged in private practice and 25 physical therapists employed as chiefs of departments. Our purpose was to determine the meaningfulness of work for physical therapists and to compare private practitioners with therapists who work within an organization. Ten factors of the sixteen studied were found to be significantly satisfying or dissatisfying for all therapists. In addition, organizational therapists were satisfied with the work itself and valued recognition for their efforts, whereas private practitioners were more concerned with personal responsibility. Organizational therapists experienced periods of unhappiness with some aspects of interpersonal relationships and with some policies of the organization, and private practitioners were unhappy with long working hours. There was no significant difference in salaries, achievement, possibilities for growth, status, or security.

Achievement↗
PubMed1979

Salary and status differences between male and female physical therapists.

The purpose of this study was to compare employment profiles of men and women employed as physical therapists. A survey on salary and on demographic and professional characteristics was mailed to 500 male and 500 female physical therapists throughout the United States, and 658 (65.8%) were used in the data analysis. Several striking differences between the employment profiles of male and female physical therapists were identified, including: 1) men were more likely to be self-employed, 2) men were more likely to hold supervisory positions, and 3) men tended to have significantly higher incomes even when compared to women with similar employment characteristics. The salary and status differences between men and women in physical therapy approximate those found in other occupations in which women are in the majority. The findings of this study constitute strong evidence that sex discrimination exists in the physical therapy profession.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMed1979

A prospective study of the rehabilitation of the above-knee amputee with rigid dressing. Comparison of immediate and delayed ambulation and the role of physical therapists and prosthetists.

Twenty-four above-knee amputees (AKA) treated with rigid plaster dressings were randomized to receive ambulation on pylon within 24 hours of surgery or at time of suture removal. Casts were applied by physical therapists in half of each group, and by a prosthesist in the other half. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups with respect to age, sex, stump length, gait characteristics and wound healing. Time to prescription of final prosthetis was similar in all groups. Specifically, there was no delay in the group ambulated immediately. The immediate ambulators did have significantly greater stump pain requiring more analgesia than the group ambulated after suture removal. Patients with case applied by physical therapists used their prostheses more than patients with cases applied by prosthetists. There was no detectable difference among treatment groups with regard to participation in therapy, acceptance of prosthesis, and psychological status. Recommendation for management of AKA's include: use of rigid dressing; ambulation on pylon after suture removal; utilization of physical therapist for application of rigid dressings and alignment of pylon.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Patient compliance: practical implications for physical therapists. A review of the literature.

Patients do not always follow medical advice. This literature review describes the extent to which patients fail to comply, methods of measuring compliance, factors affecting compliance, and programs to obtain maximal compliance. Although most of the literature on patient compliance stems from drug studies, physical therapists can gain valuable information from these studies. Some of the practical implications for physical therapists are presented.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1979

Epidemiology of hip fracture. A review with implications for the physical therapist.

Patient variables associated with the occurrence of hip fracture are reviewed, with advanced age, the female sex, and the white race being the most notable variables. Findings from studies relating patient variables to treatment results are also presented. The strongest predictors of poor treatment results are 1) age greater than 75 years, 2) cerebral dysfunction, 3) multiple secondary problems, and 4) low prefracture functional status. Relevance of this knowledge for physical therapists engaged in education, research, and clinical practice is discussed, concluding that knowledge of epidemiology is important to physical therapists' general information on hip fracture.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1977

Attitudes of physical therapists toward cancer: a pilot study.

Two instruments developed to measure attitudes of physical therapists toward cancer patients are described: the Attitude Toward Cancer Scale which provides an overall index of a person's attitude toward cancer patients, and the Story Completion Form for Cancer Care which measures more distinct and subtle attitudes. Results of a pilot study using both instruments suggest that students have strong emotional reactions to cancer and demonstrate needs for information and guidance in the treatment of cancer patients.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1979

Employment of physical therapist assistants in a residential state school.

Development of a job description for physical therapist assistants in a residential center serving persons with developmental disabilities is presented. Academic preparation and ethical guidelines for the assistant were reviewed to determine appropriate job responsibilities. Assistants had sufficient academic preparation in modalities and bronchial drainage to function effectively and partial academic preparation in other areas related to treating developmental disabilities. Substantial on-the-job training was necessary for the assistant to perform specific tasks competently. Need for additional training was not considered a deterrent to hiring the assistant.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMed1976

Slide-tape versus lecture demonstration presentation of thermal agents in a physical therapist assistant program.

A slide-tape individualized method and a conventional lecture-demonstration method of teaching thermal agents to physical therapist assistant students were compared. Performance measures included clinical procedures, written tests, attitudes toward the method used, and time spent in the learning center and in the classroom laboratory. No significant differences were found between the groups on performance of clinical procedures, written tests, or attitudes. The group using the slide-tape individualized method, however, spent significantly less time in achieving satisfactory performance on written tests and in clinical procedures.

Audiovisual Aids↗
PubMed1979

Physical therapists' knowledge of sexuality of adults with spinal cord injury.

Helping the adult with spinal cord injury to adjust to sexual limitations is an important and neglected part of his rehabilitation. Health professionals of all fields have been perceived to be deficient in their knowledge of the sexuality of the adult with spinal cord injury. A test with 40 statements reflecting myths, misconceptions, and truths about the effect of spinal cord injury on sexual function was administered to 30 physical therapists responsible for rehabilitating these adults. At least 28 of the 40 items were missed by 10 percent or more of the therapists. Experience and participation in educational programs appeared to contribute to the respondents' knowledge, as reflected by the test, but only experience was a statistically significant variable.

Attitude↗
PubMed1979

National Health Insurance. Physical therapists' attitudes.

APTA members living in New England were surveyed by a mail questionnaire to assess their attitudes toward National Health Insurance. Respondents' strata included educators, private practitioners, and clinicians. Generally, respondents believed that National Health Insurance was inevitable, would not cause unnecessary use of physical therapy services, and would not affect the individual therapist's professional freedom. The majority of the respondents judged themselves not well informed about the health plan. Respondents' perceptions of their peers' views of National Health Insurance were inaccurate. Options favored by the respondents under a hypothetical health plan are reported. Results indicate that the physical therapists surveyed generally favored National Health Insurance and thought the APTA should represent them in planning such a program. No significant differences in attitude toward National Health Insurance could be attributed to respondent strata or any of the personal data collected.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗