Can a professional development workshop with follow-up alter practitioner behaviour and outcomes for neck pain patients? A randomised controlled trial

Can a professional development workshop with follow-up alter practitioner behaviour and outcomes for neck pain patients? A randomised controlled trial

Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, June 2016

27422602

L.S. Chipchase, R. Cavaleri, G. Jull

Continuing professional development (CPD) is a fundamental component of physiotherapy practice. Follow-up sessions provide opportunity for the refinement of skills developed during CPD workshops. However, it is necessary to identify if such opportunity translates to improved physiotherapist performance and patient outcomes. To determine whether a traditional CPD workshop with a follow-up session with the educator is more likely to change physiotherapists' practice behaviour and patient outcomes than a traditional workshop with no opportunity for follow-up. A single-blind, randomised controlled trial. Participants were stratified and randomly allocated to the intervention and control groups. The control group participated in a two-day workshop dedicated towards the management of neck disorders. The intervention group completed the two-day workshop and attended a five-hour follow-up session one month later. Outcome measures included self-reported physiotherapist practice behaviour and confidence, as well as patient clinical outcomes using the Neck Disability Index. While all participants exhibited changes in confidence and practice behaviours, between-group differences were not significant for any response (p > 0.05). There were also no significant differences between the groups in terms of patient outcomes (Neck Disability Index: F = 0.36, p = 0.56). A single follow-up session to a traditional workshop is insufficient to significantly influence practice behaviours or patient outcomes.