Evaluation of the Perception and Participation in Continuing Professional Development Among Physiotherapists in South-Western, Nigeria
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes are important components of professional training to maintain competence. In spite of the documented relevance of CPD on professional development, it remains unclear as to the level of participation or perception of physiotherapists in CPD activities.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to provide insight into perception, participation and barriers towards CPD among physiotherapists in south-western Nigeria.
METHODS The study was an analytical cross-sectional survey involving 143 physiotherapists. All subjects were evaluated using a 27 item questionnaire that sought information on bio data, clinical practice issues, perception, participation, and barriers regarding CPD. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20 and summarised using descriptive statistics of mean, standard deviation, bar charts, pie charts and tables. Spearman’s Rank Order was used to find the relationship between variables.
RESULTS: The reported experience of the respondents showed that forty-five (31.50%) of the participants had worked for less than five years while 41(28.70%) had worked for more than 10 years. A significant number of physiotherapists showed good attitude towards CPD. 88.70% recognized CPD as an integral aspect of being a modern health care, 81.90% reported that CPD is another perspective of clinical effectiveness, 77.60% also accept that CPD incorporates clinical proficiency into clinical practice. 94% of the respondents have engaged in CPD since graduation with majority doing less than 5 CPD courses yearly. There was a significant relationship between number of CPD courses taken yearly and the professional cadre of the respondents (p=0.002). Majority, (37.6%) of the respondents identified financial constraint and lack of CPD in area of interest (21.6%) as well as lack of motivation (16%) as constraints to participation in CPD programmes.
CONCLUSION: Physiotherapists demonstrated positive attitudes towards CPD. Financial Constraints, lack of CPD in area of interest as well as lack of motivation were identified as main barriers at practice facilities, thus stressing the need to motivate healthcare personnel in their quest to improve skills. There should be need for reforms to develop targeted and cost-effective CPD programmes to improve professional competence and emphasis on some informal forms of CPD that would be easier to engage in depending on the learning objectives of the professionals.
References
Bello A, Lawson I (2013). Attitudes and Barriers towards Engaging in Continuing Professional Development among Clinical Physiotherapists in Ghana. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice 11(1): 1-11.
Bello Al, Quartey JNA (2009). Clinical practice guideline: a good pathway for African Physiotherapists. Ghana Journal of Physiotherapy 1(1): 3-5.
Brown CA, Belfield CR, Field SJ (2002). Cost effectiveness of continuing professional development in health care: a critical review of the evidence. British Medical Journal324: 652–655.
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (2005). The CPD process—policy and practice in continuing professional development. Available @ www.csp.org.uk Accessed on 10/11/2014.
Devdeep Ahuja (2011) Continuing Professional Development within Physiotherapy- a Special Perspective . J Phys Ther, 3 (1), 4-8.
French H, Dowds J (2008). An overview of Continuing Professional Development in physiotherapy. Physiotherapy94: 190–197
Gosling S (1997). Physiotherapy and postgraduate study. Physiotherapy 83: 131–135.
Haines P (1997). Professionalization through Continuing Professional Development: is it realistic for achieving our goals? British Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation4: 428-47.
Health and Care Professionals Council (2006). Your guide to our standards for continuing professional development. London: Health & Care Professionals council. Available @ www.hpc-uk.orglast Accessed on 11/7/2014.
Henwood SM, Yielder J, Flinton D (2010). Exploring radiographers’ attitudes to mandatory CPD in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The Radiographer57(1): 25-32.
Johnson A, Dutton S, Briffa E, Black DC (2006). Broadband learning for doctors. British Medical Journal332(7555): 1403-1404.
Jordan S (2000). Educational input and patient outcomes: Exploring the gap. Journal of Advance Nursing31(2): 461-471.
Maigeh EP (2004). The perceived attitude, knowledge and barriers towards evidence-based practice among physiotherapists in the United Republic of Tanzania. An online published mini-thesis submitted to the Department of Physiotherapy, University of Cape.
Ryan J (2003). Continuing professional development along the continuum of life learning. Nurse Education Today23(7): 498-508.
World Confederation of Physical Therapy (2011). WCPT Guidelines for Physical Therapist Professional Entry-Level Education, London. Available @ http://www.wcpt.org/sites/wcpt.org/files/files/Guideline_PTEducation_complete.pdf. Accessed on 13/01/2016.
Zoriah A, Chong NJ, Sameerah SA (2012). Continuing Professional Development: Views and Barriers Toward Participation Among Malaysian Pharmacists. The European Journal of Social & Behavioural Sciences
