[Availability of physical therapy assistance in neonatal intensive care units in the city of São Paulo, Brazil].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the characteristics of physical therapy assistance to newborns and to provide a profile of physical therapists working in intensive care units in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study was conducted in every hospital in São Paulo city that had at least one intensive care unit bed for newborns registered at the National Registry of Health Establishments in 2010. In each unit, three types of physical therapists were included: an executive who was responsible for the physical therapy service in that hospital (chief-physical therapists), a physical therapist who was responsible for the physical therapy assistance in the neonatal unit (reference-physical therapists), and a randomly selected physical therapist who was directly involved in the neonatal care (care-physical therapists).


RESULTS
Among the 67 hospitals eligible for the study, 63 (94.0%) had a physical therapy service. Of those hospitals, three (4.8%) refused to participate. Thus, 60 chief-PTs, 52 reference-physical therapists, and 44 care-physical therapists were interviewed. During day shifts, night shifts, and weekends/holidays, there were no physical therapists in 1.7%, 45.0%, and 13.3% of the intensive care units, respectively. Physical therapy assistance was available for 17.8±7.2 hours/day, and each physical therapist cared for 9.4±2.6 newborns during six working hours. Most professionals had completed at least one specialization course.


CONCLUSIONS
Most neonatal intensive care units in the city of São Paulo had physical therapists working on the day shift. However, other shifts had incomplete staff with less than 18 hours of available physical therapy assistance per day.
Departamento de Pediatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Joyce
J
Liberali
Departamento de Pediatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Josy
J
Davidson
Departamento de Pediatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Amelia Miyashiro Nunes
AM
dos Santos
D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D059825:Physical Therapists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors