A framework for establishing connections in physiotherapy practice.

This study aimed to identify the various ways that physiotherapists establish meaningful connections with their patients. Interpretive description, a qualitative methodology, was used to structure the inductive and iterative design. Eleven physiotherapists and 7 patients from private practice clinics participated in semi-structured interviews to describe their experiences of the therapeutic relationship. Textual data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and constant comparison. The iterative data generation and analysis process resulted in a framework composed of three "ways" (i.e. categories) of establishing connections: (1) acknowledging the individual, (2) giving-of-self, and (3) using the body as a pivot point. Findings were supported by various rigor strategies including peer debrief and external audit. This framework demonstrates that establishing connections is a multi-faceted endeavor with personal and professional characteristics. The findings provide practical knowledge that can be used to guide clinicians, educators, and researchers in addressing the therapeutic relationship.
PMID: 29432058 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Physiotherapy Theory and Practice - February 12, 2018 Category: Physiotherapy Authors: Miciak M, Mayan M, Brown C, Joyce AS, Gross DP Tags: Physiother Theory Pract Source Type: research