Table 3 Studies included in this systematic review and summary characteristics

Anaf and Sheppard, (2010) [13]

Lost in translation? How patients perceive the extended scope of physiotherapy in the emergency department

Patients attending ED, total n = 80

Metropolitan ED Melbourne n = 40

Regional ED Queensland n = 40

Adults

Qualitative questionnaire, open questions on opinions of ED physiotherapist, role of physio-therapist, suggestions for ED service improvements, demographics. Interpretative thematic analysis

Australia

Key themes:

• Skills of physiotherapists

• Translating physiotherapist role into ED

• Selected ED physiotherapist practice

Lack of agreement between participants at the two centres as to the role of the physiotherapist in ED

Questionnaire piloted for dependability and trustworthiness. Ethical issues addressed fully

Harding et al. (2015) [14]

Patient experience of expanded-scope-of-practice musculo-skeletal physio-therapy in the emergency department: a qualitative study

Patients attending ED, total n = 16

Metropolitan hospital n = 9

Rural setting n = 16

Descriptive observational study. One-to-one semi-structured interviews conducted some days after discharge from ED. In the case of the metropolitan hospital these were by phone but in person, at the rural hospital. Thematic analysis

Australia

Themes:

• Patient satisfaction

• Personal attributes of ED physiotherapists

• Confidence in ED physiotherapist skills

• Timing and efficiency of ED physiotherapy service

Calls it a descriptive observational study but it was simply descriptive qualitative. Refers to data triangulation but in fact it was just using more than one person to carry out thematic analysis.

Not acknowledged time delay from ED visit to interview nor the fact interviews data were collected differently at the two sites

Kilner and Sheppard, (2010) [6]

The ‘lone ranger’: a descriptive study of physio-therapy practice in Australian emergency departments

Physiotherapists working in ED n = 28.

Snowballing recruitment strategy

Descriptive cross-sectional study. 28 Q = categorical data and frequency analysis

9 Q = open text, thematic analysis

Australia

Descriptive demographic data relating to context of physiotherapists within ED.

Themes related to:

• Roles and role confusion

• Role development

• Discharge planning

• Education

Piloted the questionnaire

Lebec et al., (2010) [11]

Emergency department physical therapist service: a pilot study examining physician perceptions

ED Physicians n = 11

Descriptive qualitative study. Interviews thematically analysed

USA

Themes:

• Value of ED-based physiotherapy

• Challenges of ED physiotherapist service

• ED physiotherapist characteristics

Pilot study – no evidence of full study being undertaken. Not clear if the interviews were one-to-one or group.

Interview tool provided

Lefmann and Sheppard, (2014) [12]

Perceptions of emergency department staff of the role of physiotherapists in the system: a qualitative investigation

ED doctors n = 2

Nurses n = 2, Physio-therapists n = 2

Individual interviews, thematically analysed

Australia

Themes:

• Clinical skills of ED physiotherapists

• Balancing autonomy with collaboration within ED team

• Preserving the professional self

Very small number of participants so not really possible to draw conclusions regarding differences between professions. However, this study is part of a doctoral study (Anaf/Lefmann) with n = 80 participants.

Participants checked their transcripts.

Ethical procedures not discussed

Morris, Vine and Grimmer, (2015) [16]

Evaluation of performance quality of an advanced scope physiotherapy role in a hospital emergency department

Quantitative evaluation of patients attending ED over 11 months

Qualitative interviews

Patients n = 11

Staff n =?

Prospective 53-week observational pilot study. Essentially, a service evaluation. Random selection of patients interviewed by telephone. Purposive sampling of staff. Weak form of content analysis used for interview data

Australia

Findings reported related to:

• Service availability and patient throughput

• Compliance with national targets

• Doctors considered ED physio service safe

• Nurses valued physio clinical expertise

• Patient satisfaction with service

Questions for the interview are given. Many of them are closed questions and some could be interpreted as leading.

• Does not state how many staff interviews were conducted

Sheppard, Anaf and Gordon, (2010) [15]

Patient satisfaction with physiotherapy in the emergency department

Patients treated by a single Melbourne ED-based physio-therapist, purposeful sampling, convenient recruitment. (n = 22)

Qualitative interpretative design. Face to face interviews (n = 22) followed by telephone interviews 2–3 weeks later (n = 15). Thematic analysis supported by reflexive journal

Australia

Themes related to:

• Patient expectations

• Bedside manner of physio

• Physiotherapy management

• Patient satisfaction

A fourth paper from the Sheppard team.

Lacks generalisablity as this is more like a 360-degree appraisal of one person than research