title: National Profile of Physical Therapists in Critical Care Units of Sri Lanka: Lower Middle-Income Country.
abstract: The availability and role of physical therapists in critical care is variable in resource-poor settings, including lower middle-income countries.
  
  
  
  The aim of this study was to determine: (1) the availability of critical care physical therapist services, (2) the equipment and techniques used and needed, and (3) the training and continuous professional development of physical therapists.
  
  
  
  All physical therapists working in critical care units (CCUs) of state hospitals in Sri Lanka were contacted. The study tool used was an interviewer-administered telephone questionnaire.
  
  
  
  The response rate was 100% (N=213). Sixty-one percent of the physical therapists were men. Ninety-four percent of the respondents were at least diploma holders in physical therapy, and 6% had non-physical therapy degrees. Most (n=145, 68%) had engaged in some continuous professional development in the past year. The majority (n=119, 56%) attended to patients after referral from medical staff. Seventy-seven percent, 98%, and 96% worked at nights, on weekends, and on public holidays, respectively. Physical therapists commonly perform manual hyperinflation, breathing exercises, manual airway clearance techniques, limb exercises, mobilization, positioning, and postural drainage in the CCUs. Lack of specialist training, lack of adequate physical therapy staff numbers, a heavy workload, and perceived lack of infection control in CCUs were the main difficulties they identified.
  
  
  
  Details on the proportions of time spent by the physical therapists in the CCUs, wards, or medical departments were not collected.
  
  
  
  The availability of physical therapist services in CCUs in Sri Lanka, a lower middle-income country, was comparable to that in high-income countries, as per available literature, in terms of service availability and staffing, although the density of physical therapists remained very low, critical care training was limited, and resource limitations to physical therapy practices were evident.
authors.affiliation: P.C. Sigera, BSc, National Intensive Care Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Ponsuge Chathurani
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Sigera
authors.affiliation: T.M.U.S. Tunpattu, BSc, Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Tunpattu Mudiyanselage Upul Sanjeewa
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Tunpattu
authors.affiliation: T.P. Jayashantha, Dip, Neuro Trauma Centre, National Hospital of Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Thambawitage Pasan
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Jayashantha
authors.affiliation: A.P. De Silva, MBBS, MD, National Intensive Care Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Ambepitiyawaduge Pubudu
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: De Silva
authors.affiliation: P.L. Athapattu, MBBS, MSc, Tertiary Care Services, Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Priyantha Lakmini
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Athapattu
authors.affiliation: A. Dondorp, MD, PhD, Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, University of Oxford, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Arjen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dondorp
authors.affiliation: R. Haniffa, MBBS, MRCP, FRCA, National Intensive Care Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka. rashan@nicslk.com.
authors.forename: Rashan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haniffa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003906:Developing Countries; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008875:Middle Aged; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D059825:Physical Therapists / Q000193:education* / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000193:education / Q000295:instrumentation; D024382:Professional Role; D012744:Sex Ratio; D013188:Sri Lanka; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload