Exploring the professional values of Australian physiotherapists

Area of Science:

• Professionalism in healthcare
• Physiotherapy practice
• Healthcare ethics

Background:

• Professional values define practice and professionalism.
• Limited research exists on Australian physiotherapy values.
• Professionalism in Australian physiotherapy is not explicit.

Purpose of the Study:

• To preliminarily identify the professional values of Australian physiotherapists.
• To explore shared professional values among Australian physiotherapists.
• To define professionalism within the Australian physiotherapy context.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative approach with a constructivist paradigm.
• Purposive sampling of 14 Australian physiotherapists.
• Semi-structured interviews analyzed using inductive data analysis.

Main Results:

• Three main themes of professional values emerged: patient-therapist partnership, physiotherapy knowledge/skills/practice, and altruistic values.
• Patient-therapist partnership includes trust and collaboration.
• Physiotherapy knowledge/skills/practice encompasses evidence base and professional boundaries.
• Altruistic values include honesty, empathy, and caring.

Conclusions:

• Findings contribute to defining Australian physiotherapy professionalism.
• Identified values differ from those in other contexts, emphasizing local relevance.
• Physiotherapists are encouraged to reflect on their values and patient alignment.