The Lived Experiences of Physical Therapists Practicing in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities
Location
2077
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
January 2015
End Date
January 2015
Abstract
Background: Post-acute care rehabilitation, including rehabilitation provided in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), has changed significantly in the past decade and promises to change radically during the next decade. Physical therapists play an integral role in the delivery of rehabilitation services in IRFs, but the everyday experiences of physical therapists practicing in inpatient rehabilitation have not been examined. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to expand the understanding of physical therapists’ practice in IRFs during a period of intense volatility in the United States health care system and to identify actions that may be undertaken by individual physical therapists and the physical therapy profession to positively impact physical therapists’ practice and patient care in IRFs. Design: An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was undertaken to seek an in-depth understanding of the nature and meaning of therapists’ everyday exp hysical therapists’ lived experiences practicing in IRFs has not been previously undertaken. The results of this study illuminated practice issues in IRFs that can assist the profession and individual therapists in developing advocacy initiatives, educational programming, and research agendas to optimize patient care in IRFs.
The Lived Experiences of Physical Therapists Practicing in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities
2077
Background: Post-acute care rehabilitation, including rehabilitation provided in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), has changed significantly in the past decade and promises to change radically during the next decade. Physical therapists play an integral role in the delivery of rehabilitation services in IRFs, but the everyday experiences of physical therapists practicing in inpatient rehabilitation have not been examined. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to expand the understanding of physical therapists’ practice in IRFs during a period of intense volatility in the United States health care system and to identify actions that may be undertaken by individual physical therapists and the physical therapy profession to positively impact physical therapists’ practice and patient care in IRFs. Design: An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was undertaken to seek an in-depth understanding of the nature and meaning of therapists’ everyday exp hysical therapists’ lived experiences practicing in IRFs has not been previously undertaken. The results of this study illuminated practice issues in IRFs that can assist the profession and individual therapists in developing advocacy initiatives, educational programming, and research agendas to optimize patient care in IRFs.
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