Background. A stay in the Intensive Care Unit can cause long-term problems and physiological changes at the neuromuscular and respiratory levels in critically ill patients. Early physiotherapy in these patients is safe and feasible to avoid or reduce the adverse musculoskeletal and respiratory effects of the stay in this hospital unit. Objective. To identify the strengths and barriers of Physiotherapy in an Intensive Care Unit, according to the vision of different Health Science professionals. Method. Qualitative observational study using individual interviews and focus groups. 18 people (6 doctors, 6 nurses and 6 physiotherapists) will be included in the study. The 18 health professionals will participate in personal interviews and focus groups (3 focus groups with 6 participants each). Participants will be recruited from the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Data will be analysed using the thematic analysis approach according to Braun and Clarke's method. We will use face-to-face interviews and focus groups to collect data and analyse them through thematic analysis. Purposive sampling will be used to recruit our participants. We will continue to recruit participants, if necessary, until saturation of data from the thematic analysis is reached. Expected outcomes. To assess the knowledge, perceptions and expectations of the healthcare staff in the Intensive Care Unit regarding Physiotherapy in the management of patients admitted to this Unit. To identify the strengths of Physiotherapy in the management of these patients.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
21
Following the design of the questionnaire, using open-ended questions based on the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality (AAAQ) framework, qualitative semi-structured personal interviews were used to collect the data. In this way it was possible to collect information in a more detailed way. The subjects included in the study had to answer the questions posed by the main researcher, responding with open or closed answers, through a questionnaire created for this purpose.
University of Oviedo
Oviedo, Principality of Asturias, Spain
Assess the knowledge on Physiotherapy in the Intensive Care Unit
Through open questions focused on the knowledge of physiotherapy in the hospital setting of the Intensive Care Unit: "Are you familiar with the presence of physiotherapists in ICUs?", "Have you previously worked in an ICU that includes physiotherapists?", "Once a patient is admitted to the ICU, when should the physiotherapy intervention start? And when does it actually start?", "What do you think are and should be the functions of physiotherapists in the ICU?", "What do you think are and should be the functions of physiotherapists in the ICU?
Time frame: Screening visit
Assess the benefits on Physiotherapy in the Intensive Care Unit
Through open questions focused on the benefits of physiotherapy in the hospital environment of the Intensive Care Unit: "What do you think are the benefits for patients of having physiotherapists in the ICU?", "From the point of view of the work of the physiotherapist, what benefits do you consider most important for the patients admitted to the ICU?", "From the point of view of the work of the physiotherapist, what benefits do you consider most important to facilitate multidisciplinary work in the ICU?"
Time frame: Screening visit
Assess the collaboration between healthcare professionals in the Intensive Care Unit
Through open questions focused on the collaboration between healthcare professionals in the Intensive Care Unit: "Have you experienced any challenges in the collaboration between the professionals involved in ICU care in relation to physiotherapy?", "How do you think multidisciplinary collaboration between healthcare professionals in the ICU and the physiotherapists working in the ICU could be improved?
Time frame: Screening visit
Assess the needs and recommendations of Physiotherapy in the Intensive Care Unit.
Through open questions focused on the needs and recommendations of Physiotherapy in the Intensive Care Unit: "What additional resources or support do you consider necessary to optimise the presence of physiotherapists in the ICU?", "Do you have any specific recommendations to improve the integration of physiotherapists in the care of patients admitted to the ICU?
Time frame: Screening visit
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