title: Guillain-Barré syndrome patient's satisfaction with physiotherapy: A two-part observational study.
abstract: The purpose of this observational study was to assess Guillain-Barre´ syndrome (GBS) patients' satisfaction with physiotherapy in the acute and sub-acute setting, and provide an overview of inpatient case management, including the number of complications. Twenty-seven patients admitted to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) with GBS between 1 May 2005 and 30 April 2010 were considered for inclusion. Nineteen patients consented and a waiver of consent was granted for four other patients. Data were collected from case-note audit (n = 23) and telephone survey (n = 19) during June and July 2011. Participants receiving physiotherapy (n = 16) reported they were satisfied with management (87%), treatment frequency (88%), duration (94%), and timetabling (81%) of treatment and the professionalism and rapport (100%) of physiotherapists. Median length of hospital stay was 20 days (range 5-198) for 23 participants. Physiotherapists documented patient assessment within 2 days from admission (range 1-5). First functional improvements were documented on day 6 (median, range 2-34). Physiotherapists were most commonly first to mobilize patients to sit, stand, transfer, and walk (83%, 82%, 81%, and 90%, respectively). Twenty patients (87%) developed complications during their hospital stay, the most common being low back pain (61%). This study has demonstrated that GBS patients were satisfied with care provided by physiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia. diane.dennis@health.wa.gov.au
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mullins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000009:adverse effects; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult