PTJ
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

PHYS THER
Vol. 76, No. 1, January 1996, pp. 20-33
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Embrey, D.
Right arrow Articles by Dietz, J
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Embrey, D.
Right arrow Articles by Dietz, J

Article

Clinical decision making by experienced and inexperienced pediatric physical therapists for children with diplegic cerebral palsy

DG Embrey, MR Guthrie, OR White, and J Dietz

Children's Therapy Unit, Good Samaritan Hospital, Puyallup, WA 98371, USA.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE. This qualitative study was designed to explore, identify, and describe clinical decision-making processes used by pediatric physical therapists. SUBJECTS. Clinical decision-making processes of three experienced therapists and three inexperienced therapists were assessed as they worked with 18 children with diplegia. METHODS. Retrospective think-aloud procedures were used to elicit verbalizations, which were transcribed, coded, and analyzed. RESULTS. Four characteristics of clinical decision making were identified: (1) Movement scripts provided insights into the clinical application of cognitive schemata based on previous experiences, (2) procedural changes occurred rapidly during within-session decision making, (3) psychosocial sensitivity was important for positive interaction during therapy, and (4) self-monitoring appeared to be pivotal in making clinical decisions as therapists self-assessed their practice. Contrasting data illustrated similarities and differences of experienced and inexperienced clinicians. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION. Findings are generally consistent with existing clinical decision-making literature and provide important information for physical therapy practice, research, and education.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Child Health CareHome page
A. R. Dickinson, E. Smythe, and D. Spence
Within the web: the family-practitioner relationship in the context of chronic childhood illness.
J Child Health Care, December 1, 2006; 10(4): 309 - 325.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 ptjournalHome page
I. Edwards, M. Jones, J. Carr, A. Braunack-Mayer, and G. M Jensen
Author Response
Physical Therapy, April 1, 2004; 84(4): 334 - 335.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ptjournalHome page
L. Resnik and G. M Jensen
Using Clinical Outcomes to Explore the Theory of Expert Practice in Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy, December 1, 2003; 83(12): 1090 - 1106.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ptjournalHome page
L. Resnik and D. L Hart
Using Clinical Outcomes to Identify Expert Physical Therapists
Physical Therapy, November 1, 2003; 83(11): 990 - 1002.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ptjournalHome page
G. M Jensen, J. Gwyer, K. F Shepard, and L. M Hack
Expert Practice in Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy, January 1, 2000; 80(1): 28 - 43.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Child NeurolHome page
M. J. Barry
Physical Therapy Interventions for Patients With Movement Disorders due to Cerebral Palsy
J Child Neurol, November 1, 1996; 11(1_suppl): S51 - S60.
[Abstract] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1996 by the American Physical Therapy Association.