Perme ICU Physical Therapy Competency: Development of an ICU Knowledge and Skills Assessment Tool

Description

Background

Physical therapy for patients in the ICU is advanced practice demanding specialized knowledge and skills. However, ICU physical therapy competency standards lack uniformity or defined processes.

Objectives

To describe the development process of the Perme ICU Physical Therapy Competency and to assess its face and content validity.

Methods

Quantitative research study for the content validation of the Perme ICU Physical Therapy Competency using a panel of experts. The face validity assessment consisted of two informal surveys and discussions with clinicians representing various disciplines in ICU.

Main Outcome Measures

A content validation survey included analysis of sufficiency, clarity, coherence, and relevance for items in the Perme ICU Physical Therapy Competency. For the quantitative analysis of content validity, the item-level content validity index (I-CVI) was used. Scale-level content validity index based on the universal agreement method (S-CVI/UA) was calculated as the proportion of items on the scale that achieve a relevance scale of 3 or 4 by all experts. Scale-level content validity index was calculated based on the average method (S-CVI/Ave).

Results

The sufficiency, clarity, coherence, and relevance of the Perme ICU Physical Therapy Competency items presented S-CVI/Ave greater than 80 % (97 %, 97 %, 99 %, 95 %, respectively).

Conclusion

This study establishes that the Perme ICU Physical Therapy Competency has a satisfactory level of face and content validity.

Reference: Perme CS, Damasceno MS, Chandrashekar R, Xu J, Ratnani I, Masud F, Wilches-Luna EC.Perme ICU Physical Therapy Competency: Development of an ICU Knowledge and Skills Assessment Tool.Intensive Crit Care Nurs. 2024 Jun 25;85:103750. doi: 10.1016/j.iccn.2024.103750. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38924825.

Contributors

Ayodele Akinremi, PT, MSc, MHS, PhD, MISCP

Dr. Ayo Akinremi is an associate professor at Hampton University with expertise in cardiopulmonary and intensive care physical therapy. He holds a PhD in the field and earned a Master of Health Sciences from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, where he contributed to the Outcomes After Critical Illness and Surgery (OACIS) Study group.

Dr. Akinremi has a diverse clinical background, having served as a consultant and specialist clinician and taught cardiopulmonary and ICU physical therapy in Nigeria and the Fiji Islands before joining academia in the United States. His commitment to advancing the field is evidenced by his publications and numerous supervisory roles in ICU-related student research. Some of his studies focused on raising awareness about ICU-Acquired Weakness and improving ICU patient outcomes in resource-limited settings.

Dr. Akinremi's research and teaching reflect his unwavering dedication to enhancing the quality of care for ICU patients worldwide. His work not only focuses on treatment and rehabilitation but also preventive measures, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive care from admission to recovery.