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The importance of integumentary knowledge and skill in physical therapist entry-level education: are they prepared
Karen A Gibbs1, Steven R Furney
1Department of Physical Therapy, Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA. kgibbs@txstate.edu
Unlabelled:
Physical therapist practice is grounded in patient management principles encompassing all body systems and focuses on prevention, education, and functional outcomes. As such, management of the integumentary system crosses all practice settings, emphasizing the importance that basic integumentary content be adequately addressed during entry-level education.
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualitative study was to compare the self-reported integumentary knowledge and skill of recent graduates to profession-determined expectations for education.
Subjects:
Participants were 7 licensed physical therapists experienced in wound management.
Methods:
Semi-structured interview data were recorded, transcribed, and coded. A matrix compiling professional expectations for integumentary education was utilized to identify topics as absent, covered only briefly, or covered only during clinical rotations.
Results:
Compression, vascular screening, infection, factors impacting healing, modalities, dressings, wound measurements, topicals, and sutures/staples were among the most commonly reported areas of deficiency.
Discussion:
While integumentary care makes up a small percentage of physical therapy practice, it is a significant part of a comprehensively educated therapist. This study found participants did not perceive themselves to have received the minimum entry-level integumentary knowledge and skill deemed necessary by the profession. Study results are supported by current literature and demonstrate the need for integumentary curriculum review in entry-level programs.
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