Skip to main content
  • Other Publications
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Advertisement
JCORE Reference
this is the JCORE Reference site slogan
  • Home
  • Most Read
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • More
    • Advertising
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
    • Folders
    • Help
  • Patients
  • Reference Site Links
    • View Regions
  • Archive

Physical Therapist Treatment of Patients in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit: Description of Practice

Peter D. Sottile, Amy Nordon-Craft, Daniel Malone, Darcie M. Luby, Margaret Schenkman, Marc Moss
DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20140112 Published 1 July 2015
Peter D. Sottile
P.D. Sottile, MD, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Research Building 2, 9th Floor, 12700 E 19th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045 (USA).
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Amy Nordon-Craft
A. Nordon-Craft, PT, DSc, School of Medicine, University of Colorado.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Daniel Malone
D. Malone, PT, PhD, CCS, School of Medicine, University of Colorado.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Darcie M. Luby
D.M. Luby, PT, DPT, School of Medicine, University of Colorado.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Margaret Schenkman
M. Schenkman, PT, PhD, FAPTA, School of Medicine, University of Colorado.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Marc Moss
M. Moss, MD, School of Medicine, University of Colorado.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Background Although studies have established the safety and feasibility of physical therapy in the critical care setting, minimal information about physical therapist practice in the neurological intensive care unit (NICU) is available.

Objective This study describes physical therapists' treatment of people admitted to a NICU.

Design People admitted to the NICU with a diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage, subdural hematoma, intracranial hemorrhage, or trauma were retrospectively studied.

Methods Data on patient demographics, use of mechanical ventilation, and intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring were collected. For each physical therapy session, the length of the session, the location (NICU or post-NICU setting), and the presence of mechanical ventilation or ICP monitoring were recorded. Data on safety parameters, including vital sign response, falls, and dislodgement of lines, were collected.

Results Over 1 year, 180 people were admitted to the NICU; 86 were evaluated by a physical therapist, for a total of 293 physical therapy sessions in the NICU (n=132) or post-NICU setting (n=161). Only one session (0.3%) was stopped, secondary to an increase in ICP. The first physical therapy session occurred on NICU day 3.0 (25%–75% interquartile range=2.0–6.0). Patients received a median of 3.4 sessions per week (25%–75% interquartile range=1.8–5.9). Patients with mechanical ventilation received less frequent physical therapy sessions than those without mechanical ventilation. Patients with ICP monitoring received less frequent sessions than those without ICP monitoring. However, after multivariate analysis, only the admission Glasgow Coma Score was independently associated with physical therapy frequency in the NICU. Patients were more likely to stand, transfer, and walk in the post-NICU setting than in the NICU.

Limitations The results are limited by the retrospective, single-center nature of the study. There is inherent bias of evaluating only those patients who had physical therapy, and therapists were unable to completely adjust for the severity of illness of a given patient.

Conclusions Physical therapy was performed safely in the NICU. Patients who required invasive support received less frequent physical therapy.

Footnotes

  • Dr Sottile, Dr Nordon-Craft, Dr Malone, Dr Schenkman, and Dr Moss provided concept/idea/research design. Dr Sottile, Dr Nordon-Craft, Dr Schenkman, and Dr Moss provided writing. Dr Sottile and Dr Moss provided data collection and analysis. Dr Moss provided project management, fund procurement, facilities/equipment, institutional liaisons, and administrative support. Dr Malone, Dr Luby, and Dr Moss provided consultation (including review of manuscript before submission).

  • This study was approved by the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board (COMIRB).

  • A poster discussion of this research was presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference; May 16–21, 2014; San Diego, California.

  • Funding was provided by National Institutes of Health grants R01 NR011051 and K24 HL089223.

  • Received March 13, 2014.
  • Accepted January 28, 2015.
  • © 2015 American Physical Therapy Association
View Full Text
PreviousNext
Back to top
Vol 95 Issue 7 Table of Contents
Physical Therapy: 95 (7)

Issue highlights

  • Race Differences in Women at Risk for Poor Health Outcomes
  • Whole-Body Vibration and Stroke
  • Longitudinal Evaluation of Muscle Composition Using Magnetic Resonance
  • Mobility Performance With Knee Osteoarthritis
  • Relationships Among Fitness, Physical Activity, and Fatigue in Cerebral Palsy
  • Physical Therapy in Neurological Intensive Care
  • Vibration Therapy and Hypersensitivity
  • Predictors of Shoulder Pain in Paraplegia
  • One-Year Follow-up After Injection of Botulinum Toxin Type A and Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy
  • Physical Activity in Alzheimer Disease
  • Design and Kinematic Evaluation of a Novel Joint-Specific Play Controller
Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on JCORE Reference.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Physical Therapist Treatment of Patients in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit: Description of Practice
(Your Name) has sent you a message from JCORE Reference
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the JCORE Reference web site.
Print
Physical Therapist Treatment of Patients in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit: Description of Practice
Peter D. Sottile, Amy Nordon-Craft, Daniel Malone, Darcie M. Luby, Margaret Schenkman, Marc Moss
Physical Therapy Jul 2015, 95 (7) 1006-1014; DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20140112

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Download Powerpoint
Save to my folders

Share
Physical Therapist Treatment of Patients in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit: Description of Practice
Peter D. Sottile, Amy Nordon-Craft, Daniel Malone, Darcie M. Luby, Margaret Schenkman, Marc Moss
Physical Therapy Jul 2015, 95 (7) 1006-1014; DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20140112
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Technorati logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Connotea logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Method
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

Cited By...

More in this TOC Section

  • Reliability and Validity of Force Platform Measures of Balance Impairment in Individuals With Parkinson Disease
  • Predictors of Reduced Frequency of Physical Activity 3 Months After Injury: Findings From the Prospective Outcomes of Injury Study
  • Effects of Locomotor Exercise Intensity on Gait Performance in Individuals With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
Show more Research Reports

Subjects

  • Health Services Research
  • Acute Care

Footer Menu 1

  • menu 1 item 1
  • menu 1 item 2
  • menu 1 item 3
  • menu 1 item 4

Footer Menu 2

  • menu 2 item 1
  • menu 2 item 2
  • menu 2 item 3
  • menu 2 item 4

Footer Menu 3

  • menu 3 item 1
  • menu 3 item 2
  • menu 3 item 3
  • menu 3 item 4

Footer Menu 4

  • menu 4 item 1
  • menu 4 item 2
  • menu 4 item 3
  • menu 4 item 4
footer second
footer first
Copyright © 2013 The HighWire JCore Reference Site | Print ISSN: 0123-4567 | Online ISSN: 1123-4567
advertisement bottom
Advertisement Top