Delivering high quality hip fracture rehabilitation: the perspective of occupational and physical therapy practitioners.
Natalie E Leland, Michael Lepore, Carin Wong and 5 others
PMID 28110561WHAT IT FOUND
Therapists and assistants in skilled nursing facilities described high quality hip fracture rehabilitation as getting patients home safely, building trust early, and teaching patients and caregivers to manage pain, precautions, medications and fall risk.
Key findings
01The focus groups produced seven themes: care objectives, the first 72 hours, positioning, pain and precautions, standardized assessments, episode of care processes, insight into progress, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
02Participants said high quality care means a safe discharge home, and discharge planning must start at admission and continue throughout the stay.
03They described the first 72 hours after admission as pivotal exchanges that lay the foundation for the stay.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study captured only the perspectives of occupational and physical therapy practitioners in skilled nursing facilities, not patients, caregivers, or other members of the post-acute team. It did not evaluate how often these practices are implemented or whether they improve outcomes. The focus groups were conducted in one region of the United States, so the findings may not apply to other regions or countries. The sample was limited to practitioners with at least one year of experience with hip fracture patients, which may not reflect all facilities or staff.
Declared interests
The publication types list research support from N.I.H. extramural funding. The authors report no conflicts of interest and state they alone are responsible for content and writing.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these practices as proven to improve hip fracture outcomes. They are practitioner perspectives from skilled nursing facilities in one region, and the study did not evaluate implementation or patient results.