The patient experience of advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapy in the emergency department—a qualitative study

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pathology, differential diagnosis in the ED. All implementation sites reported the advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapy service was well received by patients and ED staff, and demonstrated improvements in the relevant organisation’s key performance indicators. Conclusion(s): We now have a clinical education framework for training new advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapists and an advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapy service model that supports the ED’s of Australian hospitals to manage the rising demand of musculoskeletal presentations in a safe, effective way whilst providing an enhanced experience to staff and the consumer. Implications: The rising burden of musculoskeletal conditions on our society is well established. Expanding the role of physiotherapists in the public hospital setting is a safe and effective workforce reform that responds to the demands of a dynamic healthcare environment. The results from this project support a broader implementation of advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapy services in the ED setting around Australia. Keywords: Advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapy; Competency based training and assessment; Emergency department Funding acknowledgements: This project was funded by Health Workforce Australia, an Australian Government initiative and the Victorian Department of Health. Ethics approval: The Alfred Hospital Ethics Committee project number 434-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.3334 Research Report Platform Presentation Number: RR-PL-2490 Monday 4 May 2015 11:29 Room 303–304 THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE OF ADVANCED MUSCULOSKELETAL PHYSIOTHERAPY IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT—A QUALITATIVE STUDY P.A. Harding 1 , J. Prescott 1 , L. Block 2 , A.M. O’Flynn 2 , A. Burge 1 1 The

Alfred, Physiotherapy, Melbourne, Australia; 2 Alice Springs Hospital, Physiotherapy, Alice Springs, Australia Background: The rising number of people presenting to hospital with musculoskeletal conditions places pressure on public hospitals, and has resulted in the establishment of advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapy (AMP) services in the emergency department (ED). In 2012, Health Workforce Australia, a Commonwealth statutory authority, provided funding to 10 public hospitals across Australia to deliver and evaluate AMP services in the ED. Prior to this project, the literature evaluating AMP services has consistently reported positive participant satisfaction. Participant satisfaction has

been typically restricted to the use of standardised questionnaires. Two of the hospitals involved in the project, a metropolitan teaching hospital in Melbourne, and a remote specialist hospital in the Northern Territory wanted to explore the patient experience in greater depth. Purpose: The aim of this study was to utilise qualitative methods to explore the experiences of patients seen by an advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapist, presenting to the ED of two hospitals with contrasting geographical locations, with an isolated musculoskeletal condition. A secondary aim was to explore the perspectives of a sub-group of participants who were Aboriginal Australians seen by an advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapist in the ED of the remote hospital and to compare and contrast the emerging themes with the non-Aboriginal Australian population. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants from the metropolitan hospital and 16 participants from a remote hospital. Interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed using a thematic approach. Results: The emerging themes from the two datasets were remarkably similar so the final themes were merged. The major themes were: (1) Participants were satisfied with the process and service provided by the physiotherapist, (2) The personal attributes of the physiotherapists were important to participants, (3) Participant confidence in the skills and attributes of the physiotherapist made them a suitable alternative to a doctor in these situations, and (4) The timing and efficiency of the AMP service was better than expected and valued. No Aboriginal Australians agreed to be interviewed, therefore we unable to meet the secondary objective of this study. Conclusion(s): Participants from both settings described their experience in positive terms, reflecting satisfaction with their management by an advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapist. This study highlights the challenges and complexity with engaging Aboriginal Australians to participate in research and suggests the busy ED setting might not be best environment to do so. Implications: Patient-centred care should be an underlying principle of all models of service delivery in healthcare. Understanding what is important to the patient is imperative to ensure they have a positive experience particularly when new models of service are introduced. This study provides valuable information for practitioners about what is important for patients to have a positive experience when they visit the ED. Participants in this study valued receiving a timely and efficient service in addition to acknowledging the personal attributes, knowledge and expertise of the physiotherapist. The implications for practitioners are an AMP service in the ED can provide a positive patient experience. We also need to find effective methods to involve Aboriginal Australian in research to help us improve their experiences.

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Keywords: Advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapy; Emergency department; Indigenous health Funding acknowledgements: Funding was provided by Health Workforce Australia, an initiative of the Australian Government. Ethics approval: Ethics approval given by The Alfred Ethics Committee (Project number 434/12) and Central Australian Human Research Ethics Committee (Ref: HREC12-106). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.3335 Special Interest Report Poster Presentation Number: SI-PO-16-22-Sat Saturday 2 May 2015 13:00 Exhibit halls 401–403 ‘FITNESS FOR PRINCESS’—A STUDY TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL FITNESS AMONG SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN IN WESTERN INDIA R. Harihara Prakash KM Patel Institute of Physiotherapy, Sardar Patel University, Physiotherapy, Gujarat, India Background: At present there are significant disparities in the gender distribution in India with a clear preponderance for males. At this juncture the government is taking all steps to improve the scenario. But the fact remains that there are very few initiatives being implemented to make the girl child stronger and healthier. Physical activity is important for everybody, including all teenagers, but especially for girls who are generally less active than boys the same age. As teens juggle the transition from primary school to high school there are other pressures that come with it – socially, at home, and at school. Issues such as body image, the onset of menstruation, and general feelings of insecurity about the changing body can surface in these years. Physical activity sometimes takes a back seat to other priorities. However, physical activity is an important part of health and well being, and girls should remain active as they grow up. Purpose: This project is a part of a broader initiative aiming at developing physical fitness among school going girls of Vallabh Vidyanagar and Anand. Methods: 103 participants in the age group of 11 to 13 years were selected from Anandalaya School, SSR Vidya Mandir, St. Mary’s School, GJ Sharda School and recruited for the study. Consent was taken from the parents before commencing the intervention. The participants were screened for any cardiac, pulmonary or orthopaedic problems and then recruited in the study. Outcome measures included Rockport one mile walk test and Vo2 max. Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents was administered to know the baseline physical activity level of participants. Participants

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were assessed prior to intervention. Structured exercise program was administered for one month. The tailor made intervention program included jogging, skipping, DBE and suryanamaskar was executed by physical training teachers at the school. Participants were asked to play any outdoor sports of their choice for a minimum of 30 minutes. Checklist for the exercise program for each student was maintained to check the adherence. Participants were re-assessed after the completion of intervention. Results: Paired ‘t’ test was used to analyze the data. Significant improvement was shown in terms of Vo2max and duration taken to complete Rockport one mile walk test. Conclusion(s): Structured exercise program improved the physical fitness among the girl children. Implications: The benefits of regularly participating in sports and physical activity is unequivocal. 1. The heath benefits are both physical and psychological 2. The skills generated through sport – time management, focus, organization, goal setting, teamwork are transferable to other areas of their lives. 3. Sport can also build bridges and bring divergent communities together. 4. Sport is an investment in the overall economic, cultural and social health of our nations, and world. Hence, physical education in the form of exercises should be a part of every school curriculum to increase the chances of healthy living. Keywords: Physical fitness; School girls Funding acknowledgements: Sardar Patel University, Gujarat. Ethics approval: Not required. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.3336 Research Report Poster Presentation Number: RR-PO-20-03-Sat Saturday 2 May 2015 12:15 Exhibit halls 401–403 RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY OF INDIAN PHYSIOTHERAPISTS—A REVIEW OF MEDLINE K. Hariohm 1,2 , V. Prakash 3 , J. SaravanKumar 1 1 Spring

Physiotherapy Centre, Chennai, India; 2 ICEBNR, Neuro-Rehabilitation, Chennai, India; 3 Charotar University of Science and Technology (CHARUSAT), Ashok & Rita Patel Institute of Physiotherapy, Changa, India Background: The number of publications is considered as an indication of the scientific output of a group. Research productivity of different groups has increased tremendously over the years, worldwide and in India. Scientific research in health science can improve the clinical practice, to make