Harrington Shana E, Wilson Christopher M, Rinehart-Ayres Margaret E, Westlake Frances, VanHoose Lisa
Department of Exercise Science, Physical Therapy Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
Human Movement Science Department, Physical Therapy Program, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA.
Phys Ther. 2025 Jan 8;105(1). doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzae146.
The objective was to establish consensus-based competencies for oncology within physical therapist professional education programs in the United States.
A mixed-methods approach implementing a sequential exploratory design that included 3 phases was used to establish oncology competencies for physical therapist professional education programs. Participants in each phase were physical therapists representing diverse practice settings, experience levels, and geographical regions. Student physical therapists were included in phases 2 and 3. Three online focus groups were followed by an in-person group discussion to establish cancer-related themes, domains of practice, and competencies. Participants evaluated the competencies in a 3-round modified Delphi study for relevance and clarity. Each competency required 80% consensus using a Likert scale (1 = not at all relevant/clear, 5 = extremely relevant/clear). It was not accepted if a competency did not meet the 80% threshold by the end of round 3.
Six domains of practice and 28 competencies were developed and evaluated. Within the 6 domains, 21 competencies were accepted: general cancer concepts (n = 4), musculoskeletal system (n = 3), neurologic system (n = 5), integumentary system (n = 2), cardiovascular and pulmonary system (n = 5), and involvement of multiple systems across the lifespan (n = 2). Along with the 21 competencies, participants also recommended 11 overarching oncology themes to incorporate into physical therapist professional education programs. Delivering cancer content using a body systems approach was recommended.
As the number of survivors of cancer continues to grow, integration of these essential competencies within physical therapist professional education programs will improve the profession's capacity to provide quality care to meet the societal need of persons living with and beyond cancer.
Academic and clinical educators should integrate these competencies to ensure that physical therapist professional education programs appropriately prepare physical therapists for providing care for persons living with and beyond cancer across the lifespan.
本研究旨在为美国物理治疗师专业教育项目建立基于共识的肿瘤学能力标准。
采用混合方法，实施包含三个阶段的序贯探索性设计，以确定物理治疗师专业教育项目的肿瘤学能力标准。每个阶段的参与者均为来自不同实践环境、经验水平和地理区域的物理治疗师。学生物理治疗师参与了第二和第三阶段。在进行了三次在线焦点小组讨论后，开展了一次面对面的小组讨论，以确定与癌症相关的主题、实践领域和能力标准。参与者在三轮改进的德尔菲研究中对这些能力标准的相关性和清晰度进行评估。每项能力标准需使用李克特量表（1 = 完全不相关/不清楚，5 = 极其相关/清楚）达成80%的共识。如果某项能力标准在第三轮结束时未达到80%的阈值，则不予接受。
制定并评估了六个实践领域和28项能力标准。在这六个领域中，21项能力标准获得认可：一般癌症概念（4项）、肌肉骨骼系统（3项）、神经系统（5项）、皮肤系统（2项）、心血管和肺部系统（5项）以及全生命周期多系统受累（2项）。除了这21项能力标准外，参与者还推荐了11个总体肿瘤学主题纳入物理治疗师专业教育项目。建议采用身体系统方法传授癌症相关内容。
随着癌症幸存者数量的持续增加，将这些基本能力标准纳入物理治疗师专业教育项目将提高该专业提供优质护理的能力，以满足癌症患者及康复者的社会需求。
学术和临床教育工作者应整合这些能力标准，以确保物理治疗师专业教育项目能够适当地培养物理治疗师，使其在全生命周期为癌症患者及康复者提供护理。
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