Variables Influencing Physical Therapists’ Perceptions of Continuing Education
PHYS THER
Vol. 87, No. 8, August 2007, pp. 1023-1036
DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20060053
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Variables Influencing Physical Therapists’ Perceptions of Continuing Education
Tricia M Austin and Kim C Graber
TM Austin, PT, PhD, ATC, is Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Saint Louis University, 3437 Caroline St, St Louis, MO 63104 (USA).
KC Graber, EdD, is Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Ill, and University of Illinois Distinguished Teacher/Scholar.
Address all correspondence to Dr Austin at: austintm@slu.edu
Background and Purpose: As of October 1, 2002, physical therapycontinuing education (CE) in Illinois was mandated. Researchexamining the recent mandate for physical therapists to engagein CE is limited. The purposes of this study were to examinethe perceptions of physical therapist clinicians and managersconcerning the barriers to and facilitators of CE and to identifyhow physical therapists perceive the role of their departmentin the CE process.
Subjects: Participants were 23 physical therapists at 6 hospitals.
Methods: Qualitative methodology was used to analyze data.
Results: Four themes were identified: negotiating and managingthe variables associated with CE, providing and promoting opportunitiesthat meet physical therapists’ CE needs, identifying theelements of employment environments that foster CE, and perceivedimplications of mandating CE.
Discussion and Conclusion: This investigation highlights theneed to identify the core set of variables associated with engagingin CE and to promote the elements of employment environmentsthat foster CE.
 To obtain full text:
PHYS THER
Vol. 87, No. 8, August 2007, pp. 1023-1036
DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20060053
|
|
Variables Influencing Physical Therapists’ Perceptions of Continuing Education
Tricia M Austin and Kim C Graber
TM Austin, PT, PhD, ATC, is Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Saint Louis University, 3437 Caroline St, St Louis, MO 63104 (USA).
KC Graber, EdD, is Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Ill, and University of Illinois Distinguished Teacher/Scholar.
Address all correspondence to Dr Austin at: austintm@slu.edu
Background and Purpose: As of October 1, 2002, physical therapycontinuing education (CE) in Illinois was mandated. Researchexamining the recent mandate for physical therapists to engagein CE is limited. The purposes of this study were to examinethe perceptions of physical therapist clinicians and managersconcerning the barriers to and facilitators of CE and to identifyhow physical therapists perceive the role of their departmentin the CE process.
Subjects: Participants were 23 physical therapists at 6 hospitals.
Methods: Qualitative methodology was used to analyze data.
Results: Four themes were identified: negotiating and managingthe variables associated with CE, providing and promoting opportunitiesthat meet physical therapists’ CE needs, identifying theelements of employment environments that foster CE, and perceivedimplications of mandating CE.
Discussion and Conclusion: This investigation highlights theneed to identify the core set of variables associated with engagingin CE and to promote the elements of employment environmentsthat foster CE.
 To obtain full text:
