Physiotherapy practices in Intensive Care Units across Maharashtra

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Physiotherapy
• Respiratory Therapy

Background:

• Physiotherapy plays a vital role in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patient management.
• Understanding current practices is crucial for identifying areas for improvement in physiotherapy services within ICUs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the contemporary physiotherapy practices in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) across Maharashtra, India.
• To assess the experience levels, training, and scope of practice of physiotherapists in these critical care settings.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory, cross-sectional survey design was employed.
• Questionnaires were distributed to physiotherapists in hospitals across Maharashtra.
• A response rate of 36% was achieved with 73 completed questionnaires.

Main Results:

• A significant majority of respondents (76%) held bachelor's degrees, with limited specialization (4% in cardio-respiratory) and experience (<5 years in ICU for 82%).
• Physiotherapy initiation was often physician-referred (58%), with limited involvement in ventilator settings (5%) and weaning decisions (11%).
• Commonly performed interventions included chest wall techniques (80%), positioning (86%), and bedsore management (56%), while advanced techniques like manual hyperinflation were less frequent (5%).

Conclusions:

• Physiotherapists in surveyed ICUs often lack extensive experience and up-to-date knowledge.
• Physician referral is frequently required to initiate physiotherapy, and established treatment criteria are often absent.
• Routine physiotherapy involvement includes chest physiotherapy, mobilization, and patient positioning.