Physical therapy
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Observational Study
Physical Therapists as Primary Practitioners in the Emergency Department: Six-Month Prospective Practice Analysis.
Increasing pressure on the emergency department (ED) throughout the world has meant the introduction of innovative ways of working. One such innovation is the advanced practice physical therapist (APP) acting as a primary contact practitioner. There has been little research into the role beyond identifying patient satisfaction with management, cost-effectiveness, and time efficiency. In order to give further support and assist in development of an APP service in the ED, an increased exploration of patient caseload demographics, resource utilization, and management outcomes is needed. ⋯ This study described in detail the caseload managed by the APP in the ED and identified the role as a valuable asset to an ED, managing a great deal of their caseload independently, safely, and time efficiently.
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Physical therapists often treat older adults with marked deficits in physical function secondary to an acute hospitalization. These deficits are often collectively defined as hospital-associated deconditioning (HAD). ⋯ This perspective article outlines an innovative framework to operationalize and treat older adults with HAD. This framework may help therapists apply emerging exercise strategies to this population and facilitate additional research to support the total value of physical therapy for older adults in postacute care settings-with value measured not only by improvements in physical performance but perhaps also by reduced rates of disability development, rehospitalization, and institutionalization.
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Observational Study
Discordance Between Distance Ambulated as Part of Usual Care and Functional Exercise Capacity in Survivors of Critical Illness Upon Intensive Care Discharge: Observational Study.
People who have had a prolonged admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) commonly have profound debilitation and weakness. For the delivery of effective exercise training, an accurate assessment of exercise capacity is essential. ⋯ Most participants ambulated at a low percentage of their measured exercise capacity. The 6MWT appears to be a safe and useful test for inpatients recently discharged from the ICU.