title: Developing a physiotherapy-specific preliminary clinical decision-making tool for oxygen titration: a modified delphi study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop and evaluate a preliminary clinical decision-making tool (CDMT) to assist physiotherapists in titrating oxygen for acutely ill adults in Ontario.
  
  
  METHODS
  A panel of 14 experienced cardiorespiratory physiotherapists was recruited. Factors relating to oxygen titration were identified using a modified Delphi technique. Four rounds of questionnaires were conducted, during which the goals were to (1) generate factors, (2) reduce factors and debate contentious factors, (3) finalize factors and develop the preliminary CDMT, and (4) evaluate the usability of the tool in a clinical context.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The panel reached consensus on a total of 89 factors, which were compiled to create the preliminary CDMT. The global tool reached consensus for sensibility, receiving a mean score of 6/7 on a 7-point Likert-type scale (1=unacceptable; 7=excellent). Five of the nine individual components of evaluation of the tool achieved scores ≥6.0; the remaining four had mean scores between 5.4 and 5.9.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study produced a preliminary CDMT for oxygen titration, which the panel agreed was highly comprehensible and globally sensible. Further research is necessary to evaluate the sensibility and applicability of the tool in a clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duong
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto.
authors.forename: Kendra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bertin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto.
authors.forename: Renee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto.
authors.forename: Deepti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto.
authors.forename: Nolla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Timmins
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto.
authors.forename: Sunita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mathur
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto.
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ellerton
keywords: Delphi technique; cardiorespiratory physiotherapy; decision support techniques; oxygen titration