Work sampling: the way in which physiotherapists utilise their working hours

A time budget study was performed in order to assess how all physiotherapists working in Västerbotten County, northern Sweden, utilise their work-time and to identify factors influencing their allocation of working hours. The study, carried out in the autumn of 1985 and spring 1986, comprised 149 subjects, requiring one week each. Their activities were recorded at randomly selected 30-min intervals over the working week and distributed into predefined task categories. The treatment of patients took on average 33% of the physiotherapists' gross working time. Continuing education and development work on average amounted to 6% and the remaining occupational tasks to 38%. Transport, breaks and occasional days or hours off work took up 23% on average. Occupational area was the most important of the factors studied for the utilisation of working hours. Work sampling affords a better insight into the elements and structure of the professional work of physiotherapists.