Factors affecting standard of practice for physiotherapist in hospitals under Ministry of Public Health in the central region

Abstract

This research was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Its objective was to measure the level of standard practice of physiotherapists in the hospitals of Ministry of Public Health in the central region of Thailand. The studied sampling population was 129 physiotherapists who were working in the hospitals. Questionnaires were employed as the tool for data collection during 25 January – 20 February 2011. The study found the standard practice of the physiotherapists was in the medium level. The level of overall organization climate and work empowerment was medium. Correlational analysis did not find the relationship between personal factors (age, working experience, educational level and attendance of previous year seminar) and standard practice of physiotherapists in hospitals of Ministry of Public Health in central region (P > 0.05).  The organization climate and work empowerment had statistically significant positive relationship with standard practice of the studied population(r = 0.42, P < 0.05 and r = 0.34, P < 0.05 consecutively). The researchers recommended that the administrators should support more for community physiotherapy services and provide the support of modern physiotherapy equipments for the operation. The working empowerment should also be encouraged such as providing more opportunity for physiotherapists to participate in administrative work and have more freedom in making decisions. These actions will have positive effect towards the standard practices of the physiotherapists.