Clinical supervision for allied health staff: necessary but not sufficient.

Objectives The aim of the present study was to explore the perspectives of allied health professionals on appropriate content for effective clinical supervision of staff. Methods A set of statements regarding clinical supervision was identified from the literature and confirmed through a Q-sort process. The final set was administered as an online survey to 437 allied health professionals working in two Australian health services.

Feasibility and acceptability of a volunteer-mediated diversional therapy program for older patients with cognitive impairment.

Understanding the perceptions of stakeholders is critical for determining acceptability and feasibility of volunteer-mediated programs. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability for staff, volunteers, patients and their carers, of a volunteer diversional therapy program for patients with cognitive impairment undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. Post-program structured interviews were conducted with the volunteers (n = 10), patients (n = 30) and their carers (n = 3); and nursing staff (n = 6) participated in a focus group.

Feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of an electronic sensor bed/chair alarm in reducing falls in patients with cognitive impairment in a subacute ward.

Falls from bed are common in subacute hospital settings, particularly for patients with cognitive impairment. This repeated measures, single cohort study in 1 subacute ward evaluated effectiveness of an electronic sensor alarm in reducing falls in patients (n = 34) with cognitive impairment. Nursing staff feedback (focus group, survey) was used to determine electronic sensor alarm feasibility.

Clinical supervision for allied health professionals: a systematic review.

Background: It is recommended that allied health professionals (AHPs) participate in regular clinical supervision (CS). However, AHP understanding of CS processes and outcomes is unclear. This systematic review reports the evidence for CS for AHPs and other health professionals.

Effective clinical supervision for regional allied health professionals: the supervisor's perspective.

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of the current clinical supervision (CS) processes for allied health professionals (AHPs) at a regional health service from the perspective of the supervisor.

Method: A mixed method study with two phases, involving AHPs across nine disciplines, employed at a regional health service and providing CS. In the first phase 14 supervisors participated in focus groups which were followed by the completion of a questionnaire by 26 supervisors.

Comparison of two fall risk assessment tools (FRATs) targeting falls prevention in sub-acute care.

FRATs are designed to identify both persons at high risk of falls and to allow for cost-effective targeting of fall prevention strategies. This study compares two FRATs (BHS FRAT and TNH-STRATIFY) for accuracy of predicting falls and targeting of fall prevention strategies in a sub-acute hospital. Comparisons of retrospective audit data over two periods (use of the BHS-FRAT; post TNH-STRATIFY implementation) were used in the evaluation (n=362).

Effective clinical supervision for regional allied health professionals - the supervisee's perspective.

Aim: Clinical supervision (CS) for health professionals supports quality clinical practice. This study explored current CS effectiveness for allied health professionals (AHPs) at a regional health service from a supervisee perspective and identified improvements.

Method: The Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale (MCSS) was completed by 30 supervisees to determine their perceptions of CS effectiveness.

A family-centred model of care in paediatric speech-language pathology.

Developments in paediatric models of care support family-centred practice (FCP); however, there is limited evidence for its use in speech-language pathology. This randomized controlled study examined whether parent satisfaction with FCP (n = 10) was greater than with usual practice (UP; n = 10) over 14 weeks for children with mild-moderate speech and/or language disorders. The FCP included parental goal decision-making; greater parent responsibility for clinic therapy tasks; and two home visits.

Does otolith organ dysfunction influence outcomes after a customized program of vestibular rehabilitation?

Background And Purpose: Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) is a successful approach to the treatment of vestibular dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of otolith dysfunction on the response to VR in individuals with a peripheral vestibular disorder.

Participants And Methods: Eighteen participants with loss of semicircular canal function only, and 29 participants with combined loss of semicircular canal and otolith organ function were recruited.

Physiotherapy as an adjunct to prolapse surgery: an assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: This assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial investigated the effect of a pre- and post-operative physiotherapy-supervised pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training program in women undergoing surgery for prolapse or hysterectomy.

Methods: Participants were assessed pre-operatively, and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-operatively by a blinded physiotherapy assessor. Following randomization, participants were allocated to a control group (CG) which included "usual care" (as provided by the surgeon and the hospital staff), or a treatment group (TG) which included one pre-operative and seven post-operative treatment sessions over 12 months.

Thoracic kyphosis affects spinal loads and trunk muscle force.

Background And Purpose: Patients with increased thoracic curvature often come to physical therapists for management of spinal pain and disorders. Although treatment approaches are aimed at normalizing or minimizing progression of kyphosis, the biomechanical rationales remain unsubstantiated.

Subjects: Forty-four subjects (mean age [+/-SD]=62.

Hand-held dynamometry for muscle strength measurement in children with cerebral palsy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of hand-held dynamometry for measuring isometric lower-limb muscle strength in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Twenty-three children (14 males, nine females) with CP (spastic diplegia; Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I-III) aged 5 years 7 months to 14 years 5 months (mean 9 y 6 mo [SD 2 y 8 mo]) attended two test sessions 1 week apart. A 'make' test, using a gradual build-up of force to a maximum isometric contraction, was employed and peak values were normalized to body weight for analyses.

The influence of otolith dysfunction on the clinical presentation of people with a peripheral vestibular disorder.

Background And Purpose: Traditional vestibular function testing has measured horizontal semicircular canal function only. Otolith function tests have recently been developed, but their clinical significance has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of otolith dysfunction on the clinical presentation of individuals with a peripheral vestibular disorder.

The effect of osteoporotic vertebral fracture on predicted spinal loads in vivo.

The aetiology of osteoporotic vertebral fractures is multi-factorial, and cannot be explained solely by low bone mass. After sustaining an initial vertebral fracture, the risk of subsequent fracture increases greatly. Examination of physiologic loads imposed on vertebral bodies may help to explain a mechanism underlying this fracture cascade.

Reliability of pelvic floor muscle strength assessment using different test positions and tools.

Aims: The aims of this study were to determine the intra-therapist reliability for digital muscle testing and vaginal manometry on maximum voluntary contraction strength and endurance. In addition, we assessed how reliability varied with different tools and different testing positions.

Methods: Subjects included 20 female physiotherapists.

Effect of test position on pelvic floor muscle assessment.

The aims of this study were to analyse the effect of different body positions on pelvic floor muscle (PFM) assessment using digital muscle testing, manometry and transabdominal ultrasound. In addition, subject acceptance of each testing position was recorded. Subjects were 20 women's health physiotherapists.

Investigation of the timed 'up & go' test in children.

The timed 'Up & Go' test (TUG) is a test of basic or functional mobility in adults which has rarely been used in children. Functional mobility was defined for this study as an individual's ability to manoeuvre his or her body capably and independently to accomplish everyday tasks. Reliability and validity of TUG scores were examined in 176 children without physical disabilities (94 males, 82 females; mean age 5y 9mo [SD 1y 8mo]; range 3 to 9y) and in 41 young people with physical disabilities due to cerebral palsy or spina bifida (20 males, 21 females; mean age 8y 11mo [SD 4y 3mo], range 3 to 19y).

A pilot study of falls risk and vestibular dysfunction in older fallers presenting to hospital emergency departments.

Purpose: To compare falls risk in older fallers and non-fallers, with an emphasis on dizziness and signs of vestibular dysfunction.

Method: The fallers had presented to the Emergency Department of the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia following a fall and were discharged directly home (n = 20) (75% female, mean age 78 years). The non-fallers were an age and gender matched group, who had not fallen in the past 12 months (n = 20).

Survey of clinical practice: pre- and postoperative physiotherapy for pelvic surgery.

Background: The objective of this survey was to obtain information about current physiotherapy practice for patients undergoing pelvic surgery. The aims were to evaluate whether differences exist in service provision between women's health physiotherapists (WHPTs) and hospital physiotherapists (HPTs) and in the guidelines used by physiotherapists to direct their service delivery. METHODS.