Physical therapy work schedules

The purpose of this article is to describe the results of a survey sent to the directors of 200 hospital physical therapy departments to determine the work schedules of physical therapists. The results indicated that 26 percent of the inpatient units and 76 percent of the outpatient units had work schedules of eight-hour days, Monday through Friday (Schedule A); 61 percent of the inpatient units and 22 percent of the outpatient units had work schedules of eight-hour days and weekends (Schedule B); and 13 percent of the inpatient units and 2 percent of the outpatient units had work schedules other than Schedules A or B (Schedule C). Thirty-three percent of the inpatient units and 64 percent of the outpatient units with Schedule A perceived that schedule as adequate. Seventy-seven percent of the inpatient units and 85 percent of the outpatient units with Schedule B perceived that schedule as adequate. The inpatient and outpatient units with Schedule C unanimously perceived it as adequate.