• Elizabeth H Skinner, Peter Thomas, Julie C Reeve, and Shane Patman.
• a Department of Physiotherapy , Western Health , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.
• Physiother Theory Pract. 2016 Aug 1; 32 (6): 468-482.

ObjectiveAchieving competency in critical care in entry-level physiotherapy courses across Australia and New Zealand is not essential, and accredited training for qualified physiotherapists working in critical care units is lacking. As a result, practice standards and training may vary. The objective was to establish consensus-based minimum clinical practice standards for physiotherapists working in critical care settings in Australia and New Zealand.DesignA modified Delphi technique, which consisted of three rounds of questionnaires, was used to obtain consensus on items.SettingAustralian and New Zealand critical care settings.ParticipantsA panel (n = 61) was invited from a pool of eligible physiotherapists throughout Australia and New Zealand (n = 93). Eligibility criteria were defined a-priori on the basis of possession of expertise and experience in the practice and teaching of critical care physiotherapy clinical skills.Main Outcome MeasureQuestionnaires were disseminated electronically (either via email, or SurveyMonkey®). Items were designated by participants as being 'Essential/Unsure/Not Essential'. Consensus for inclusion was achieved when items were ranked 'Essential' by more than 70% of participants.ResultsFifty physiotherapists consented and participated in the initial Delphi round, of whom 45 (90%) completed all rounds. Consensus was reached on 199 (89%) items. The panel agreed that 132 (58%) items were 'Essential' items for inclusion in the final framework.ConclusionsThis is the first study to develop a consensus framework of minimum standards of practice for physiotherapists working in critical care. The clinical utility of this framework now requires assessment.

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