First-contact physiotherapists’ perceived competency in a new model of care for low back pain patients: a mixed methods study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33393/aop.2024.3056Keywords:
Advanced practice physiotherapy roles, First-contact physiotherapists, Medical acts, Mixed methods, Perceived competency, Training strategiesAbstract
Background: A new advanced practice model of care enables French physiotherapists to perform medical acts for low back pain (LBP) patients as first-contact physiotherapists (FCPs).
Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the self-perceived competency of FCPs and to further explore factors underpinning this feeling.
Methods: A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was conducted. A survey was used to self-assess the perceived competency of FCPs in performing medical tasks. Semi-structured interviews were then performed to explore determining factors of perceived competency. Inductive thematic analysis was performed.
Results: Nine FCPs answered the survey and were interviewed (mean age 40.1, standard deviation [SD]: ±10.0). FCPs felt very competent with making medical diagnosis (3.44/4, SD: ±0.53), analgesic prescription (3.11, SD: ±0.78) and referring onward to physiotherapy (3.78, SD: ±0.55). They did not feel competent with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescription (2.78, SD: ±0.67) and issuing sick leave certificate (2.67, SD: ±1.0). The main identified influencing factors were previous FCPs’ experience, training, knowledge, collaboration with family physicians, high responsibility and risk management associated with decision-making.
Conclusion: French FCPs appeared to have the necessary skills to directly manage LBP patients without medical referral. Future training focusing on analgesic prescription and issuing sick leave certificate is however needed.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Amélie Kechichian, Elsa Viain, Thomas Lathière, François Desmeules, Nicolas Pinsault
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Accepted 2024-07-16
Published 2024-09-13
