Upskilling physiotherapists in evidence-based assessment and management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a single-blind randomised controlled trial

The Rheumatoid Arthritis for Physiotherapist eLearning package is a series of four web-based learning modules (disease and recognition; early stages; chronic stages and extra-articular features and co-morbid conditions) and two case studies. Each module consists of text content, videos of people with rheumatoid arthritis; practice points and clinical resources. The two case studies provide case histories and clinically related questions with answers. It is expected that each module and case study should take no more than 30 minutes to complete. So in total the whole package could be completed in three hours. During this study, physiotherapists will be give a period of four weeks in which to complete the modules and case studies. All learning modules will be made available at the one time so that the physiotherapist can work through it at his/her own pace. The total time of intervention and follow up for the intervention group is 12 weeks while for the control group it is 17 weeks. This is because after the randomised controlled trial the study will continue as a cohort study to the eight week follow up period for each group. Because the control group will get access to the intervention at the end of week 5, the four weeks intervention for them plus the 8 week follow up period finishes at 17 weeks.