An exploration of person-centredness among emergency department physiotherapists: a mixed methods study

Naylor, John; Killingback, Clare; Green, Angela

Abstract

Purpose: There is a growing number of primary contact physiotherapists based in United Kingdom emergency departments (ED) who are expected to deliver person-centred practices. Perceptions of physiotherapists working in these high-pressure environments on person-centredness are currently unknown. A mixed methods exploration of person-centredness among ED physiotherapists targeted this knowledge gap to inform future clinical practice. Methods: Online survey and semi-structured interviews followed a convergent mixed methods design with sequential explanatory features. Data sets were analysed separately using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, respectively, before merged analysis using joint display. Results: Twenty-six surveys and 11 in-depth interviews were completed. The three overarching themes of ED patients, ED physiotherapists, and ED environment were generated. Themes were integrated and analysed alongside quantitative survey findings. This produced three novel contributions that further our understanding of person-centred practices among ED physiotherapists. Conclusion: ED physiotherapists were mindful of an apparent, yet unspoken struggle between the competing philosophies of biomedicine and person-centredness. The results here support entering a patient’s world as a person-centred approach to help navigate the line between what an ED attender wants and the clinical need of their visit.

Citation

Naylor, J., Killingback, C., & Green, A. (in press). An exploration of person-centredness among emergency department physiotherapists: a mixed methods study. Disability and Rehabilitation, https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2024.2310179

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 20, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Feb 8, 2024
• Deposit Date: Feb 19, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 20, 2024
• Journal: Disability and Rehabilitation
• Print ISSN: 0963-8288
• Electronic ISSN: 1464-5165
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2024.2310179
• Keywords: Person-centred practice; Patient-centred practice; Physiotherapist; Emergency department; Mixed-method research design
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4550881