Minimum standards of practice for physiotherapists working in Australasian critical care: a Delphi study

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This project is investigating minimum standards of practice and education for physiotherapists working in Australasian intensive care units. The lack of consistency in professional standards and dedicated training poses a substantial threat to the practice of physiotherapy and the credibility of the profession within the critical care unit. To provide 24 hour, 7 day a week services, many physiotherapy staff are required to contribute to critical care rosters, regardless of their primary discipline or interest (e.g. orthopaedics). Traditionally physiotherapists complete a tailored, in-house intensive care orientation including theory, clinical skills training and clinical practice until deemed competent by another staff physiotherapist. This process is subjective, requires extensive familiarization and additional skills in assessment and treatment. Educational requirements for competency training are not standardized across or within Australia or NZ, and are established by individual networks, with large variability in the content, requirements and duration of the education provided. A panel of participants will be selected to reflect the range of stakeholders who have an interest in the outcomes of the project (Boulkedid, Abdoul, Loustau, Sibony, & Alberti, 2011). Sixty-one participants from across Australia and NZ will be invited on to the panel, including Physiotherapy Specialists/Fellows in critical care, senior physiotherapy critical care clinicians, and physiotherapy academics in cardiorespiratory education. The Delphi survey plan will consist of two or three rounds of surveys.

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