published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

The use of critical thinking is called for in the practise of physiotherapy and has been cited as a learning outcome in the design of the physiotherapy curriculum. Further, the South African Draft White Paper on Higher Education (July,1997) is committed to endow graduates with skills that build the foundation for lifelong learning and included in such skills is that of critical thinking. Although welcomed by the profession, the introduction of critical thinking within the programmes may be premature because of the lack of debate and subsequent understanding about the critical thinking skills necessary for the practise of physiotherapy. Hence critical thinking remains implicit within the context of physiotherapy. Physiotherapy educators are assessing the skill implicitly within the process of clinical reasoning and decision making, without articulating what critical thinking really is, in the context of physiotherapy clinical reasoning. Further one needs to identify the repertoire of component skills that one should possess, in order to be an accomplished critical thinker. Data obtained from interviews with level co-ordinators, and an examination of the course plans within one department at one institution, provided an insight into how critical thinking is understood within the profession. Further, it identified if, and how, critical thinking was currently incorporated into the physiotherapy curriculum. In an attempt to develop a deeper understanding and a guiding framework for critical thinking in Physiotherapy, a workshop was conducted amongst qualified physiotherapists. They were required to model the clinical reasoning and decision making processes that they employ in the clinical area, in the process of working through the clinical problem that was presented. The data that emerged was qualitatively analysed and categorised. This was for the purpose of generating meaning, and for the development of a framework of critical thinking skills, that may be used in conjunction with the process of clinical reasoning to enhance one's clinical judgement. Critical factors emerged from analysis of the data. These included the preponderance of the product over the process method for teaching and assessing, the implicit nature of teaching and assessing for critical thinking in physiotherapy, and the similarities and differences in perception and conception about the meaning of critical thinking and its associated skills. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding and development of critical thinking within the specific context of physiotherapy and inform the development of the physiotherapy curriculum towards the realisation of its intended goals. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

Patient satisfaction is one of the indicators of the quality of care being given to the users of a service. It can also be used as benchmarks for ensuring the delivery of quality physiotherapy services in health facilities. Physiotherapists have been involved in treatment of persons suffering from low back pain for decades. Treatment approaches are varied, but all have the common goals of pain relief, rehabilitation, and prevention of recurrence of low back pain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the satisfaction of low back pain sufferers with the physiotherapy services they receive. The study was carried out in selected public hospitals in Nairobi and the Central Province in Kenya.

Thesis (doctoral)--Université Pari I--Panthéon-Sorbonne, 2003. / Title from Summary page ; description based on resource as of 2005-06-22. Includes bibliographical references and index.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisor: Ronald M. Brown. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available from UMI.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-131). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-131). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2000. / Title from title page screen, viewed May 2, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Edward R. Hines (chair), Patricia H. Klass, James C. Palmer, Mohamed Nur-Awaleh. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-145) and abstract. Also available in print.

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / The extent to which customers are satified with the care they receive from the health professionals has been an important area of interest for researchers, managers and health care workers. The physiotherapy cerebral palsy clinic at Mulago Hospital in Kampala Uganda provides physiotherapy services for parents caregivers of children with cerebral palsy. The parents caregivers visit the clinic seeking physiotherapy services that will address their problems and those of the child. The purpose of this study was to explore the satisfaction that the parents caregivers of children with cerebral palsy get from utilising the physiotherapy services at the clinic and to identify the barriers problems that they encounter that might affect their attendance. / South Africa

Recruitmuent and retention of Physical Therapists (PTs) by public school systems has been identified in the literature as a significant problem, and the resultant shortage of school-based PTs hinders the capability of school systems to deliver physical therapy services to exceptional students as mandated by federal statute. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of job satisfaction among physical therapists who currently work in public school settings. Job satisfaction can be an important factor affecting recruitment and retention. A systematic sample of 462 school-based PTs was chosen to receive via mail a survey instrument which requested information regarding age, gender, highest academic degree, salary, and various aspects of their working environment. In addition, the survey instrument included the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form(MSQ), and three open-ended questions. There was a 67% return rate. The results of the study showed that the majority of PTs working in public schools are satisfied with their jobs. Their principal sources of satisfaction included the opportunity for social service, job security, creativity, flexibility, autonomy, and the opportunity to work with children and to see them succeed. They were dissatisfied with school policies and procedures, opportunities for advancement, quality of supervision, high caseloads, and limited space and equipment. It was concluded that school administrators charged with recruitment and retention of PTs should consider inclusion of PTs in supervision and in the development of policies and procedures. They should also consider enhancements of available space and equipment.