Original research

Expert consensus on the minimum clinical standards of practice for Nigerian physiotherapists working in intensive care units: A modified Delphi study

I Idris, A W Awotidebe, N B Mukhtar, R N Ativie, J M Nuhu, I C Muhammad, A S Danbatta, R A Adedoyin, J Mohammed

Abstract


Background. Management of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) needs staff with a recommended level of expertise and experience owing to the life-threatening nature of illnesses, injuries and complications that these patients present with. There are no specific guidelines governing physiotherapy practice in ICUs in Nigeria. Hence, there is a need to have expert consensus on the minimum clinical standard of practice for physiotherapists working in ICUs as a first step to proposing/developing guidelines in the future.

Objective. To assess the expert consensus on the minimum clinical standard of practice for physiotherapists working in ICUs in Nigeria.

Method. Physiotherapists with working experience in Nigerian ICUs were purposively recruited into the present study using a modified Delphi technique. A questionnaire comprising 222 question items on the role of physiotherapy in critical care was adopted and administered to the participants over three rounds of Delphi procedure (online). Participants checked either ‘essential’, ‘not essential’ or ‘unsure’ for each question item. For each question item to be considered ‘essential’ or ‘not essential’, a consensus agreement ≥70% had to be met. Questions without consensus were further modified by providing definition or clarification and presented in subsequent rounds. Data were analysed descriptively.

Results. We recruited 26 expert physiotherapists who consented to the study and completed the first round of the study. The majority of the physiotherapists (n=24) remained in the study after the third round. A total of 178 question items were adjudged to be ‘essential’ after the first round, and a further 15 and three additional items were subsequently adjudged to be as ‘essential’ after modifying the outstanding question items during the second and third rounds, respectively. No consensus was reached for 24 items. None of the question items were ranked as ‘not essential’ after all the rounds.

Conclusion. Expert consensus was achieved for a substantial number of question items regarding knowledge and skills for assessment, condition and treatment items of the questionnaire by experienced critical care physiotherapists in Nigeria. Keywords. expert consensus; critical care physiotherapy; Delphi technique; standards of practice


Authors' affiliations

I Idris, Department of Physiotherapy, General Hospital Gombe, Gombe, Nigeria

A W Awotidebe, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Bayero University Kano, Kano, Nigeria

N B Mukhtar, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Bayero University Kano, Kano, Nigeria

R N Ativie, Department of Medical Rehabilitation, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

J M Nuhu, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Bayero University Kano, Kano, Nigeria

I C Muhammad, Department of Physiotherapy, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria

A S Danbatta, Department of Physiotherapy, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

R A Adedoyin, Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

J Mohammed, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Bayero University Kano, Kano, Nigeria

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Cite this article

African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine 2021;27(3):86-98. DOI:10.7196/AJTCCM.2021.v27i3.137

Article History

Date submitted: 2021-10-01
Date published: 2021-10-04

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African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine| Online ISSN: 2617-0205

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