Sarigiovannis P, Foster N E, Jowett S, Saunders B
Primary Care Centre Versus Arthritis, School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom; Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1QG, United Kingdom.
Primary Care Centre Versus Arthritis, School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom; STARS Education and Research Alliance, Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS), The University of Queensland and Metro North Health, Herston, Brisbane, Australia.
Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2022 Dec;62:102631. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2022.102631. Epub 2022 Aug 9.
There are approximately 9000 physiotherapy assistants/support workers in the UK. Many of them work in NHS physiotherapy outpatient services treating patients with musculoskeletal conditions, but their role(s) are relatively undefined and as such there is considerable variation in the duties and tasks they undertake. This study aimed to explore current practice of UK musculoskeletal physiotherapists in relation to delegation to physiotherapy assistants/support workers.
An online cross-sectional descriptive survey was designed and collected data on delegation practice and training in delegation. The survey was piloted with 10 physiotherapists. The final questionnaire was distributed via the interactive Chartered Society of Physiotherapy's website and the authors' professional networks via Twitter. Responses were collected over a five-week-period from October to November 2020.
Of 302 survey responses, 232 were analysed (46 incomplete, 24 ineligible). The majority of respondents (66.3%, 154/232) had worked as physiotherapists for over 10 years. Most respondents indicated they had neither formal training (84%, 195/232) nor informal training (60.3%, 140/232) regarding how to delegate tasks. The clinical tasks most commonly delegated by physiotherapists were supervision of exercises (81.0%, 188/232) and walking aid provision (78.5%, 182/232) whereas the least delegated clinical task was the application of electrotherapy (19.8%, 46/232).
These survey results provide evidence for the need to improve training in delegation for both physiotherapists and physiotherapy assistants, and to ensure clearer delegation processes to facilitate good delegation practice in the musculoskeletal setting.
英国约有9000名物理治疗助理/辅助人员。他们中的许多人在国民健康服务体系（NHS）的物理治疗门诊服务中工作，治疗肌肉骨骼疾病患者，但他们的角色相对不明确，因此他们承担的职责和任务存在很大差异。本研究旨在探讨英国肌肉骨骼物理治疗师在向物理治疗助理/辅助人员授权方面的当前做法。
设计了一项在线横断面描述性调查，收集有关授权实践和授权培训的数据。该调查在10名物理治疗师中进行了预试验。最终问卷通过物理治疗师特许协会的互动网站以及作者通过推特的专业网络进行分发。在2020年10月至11月的五周时间内收集了回复。
在302份调查回复中，分析了232份（46份不完整，24份不合格）。大多数受访者（66.3%，154/232）担任物理治疗师超过10年。大多数受访者表示他们没有关于如何分配任务的正式培训（84%，195/232），也没有非正式培训（60.3%，140/232）。物理治疗师最常分配的临床任务是运动监督（81.0%，188/232）和提供助行器（78.5%，182/232），而最少分配的临床任务是电疗法的应用（19.8%，46/232）。
这些调查结果证明有必要改善物理治疗师和物理治疗助理在授权方面的培训，并确保更清晰的授权流程，以促进肌肉骨骼环境中的良好授权实践。
