What electronic information resources do physiotherapists prefer to use to support their CPD?

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Digital Health Literacy
• Information Science

Background:

• Informal professional education consumption is shifting towards electronic sources for health professionals.
• Physiotherapists increasingly utilize online resources, including social media, to address clinical inquiries.
• This study investigates the electronic information sources used by New Zealand physiotherapists for their ongoing professional development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the specific electronic information sources utilized by physiotherapists in New Zealand for informal professional education.
• To understand the frequency and perceived usefulness of various digital resources in physiotherapy professional learning.
• To assess the extent of critical appraisal applied to electronic learning materials by physiotherapists.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey design was employed.
• Data were collected from 203 physiotherapists and physiotherapy students at the 2018 National Physiotherapy New Zealand Conference.
• A response rate of 88% (179 participants) was achieved.

Main Results:

• The majority of participants (47%) engaged in 1-3 hours of electronic professional learning weekly.
• Search engines were the most frequently accessed resource (98%), followed by electronic journal articles and webinars as the most useful.
• Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook were used less frequently, and only 53% regularly engaged in critical appraisal.

Conclusions:

• Physiotherapists in New Zealand dedicate significant time to electronic professional learning.
• Electronic journal articles are perceived as the most valuable resource for professional development.
• Consistent critical appraisal of informally acquired electronic learning materials remains a challenge for physiotherapists.