Date of Completion

2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy

Keywords

Physical Therapists, COVID-19

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine what are the experiences and how did the frontline physical therapists manage the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a qualitative study that follows a phenomenological research design. The respondents of this study involved licensed physical therapists in the Philippines who were either working in home-care and/or clinical settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers interviewed 9 respondents that fit the inclusion criteria with a video call that went on for about an hour. Triangulation through the validation of themes, member checking, debriefing, and checking of field notes was also done to ensure that the information gathered was valid. Multiple themes emerged: assurance of safety of both PT and patient, COVID19’s effect on transportation, lack of support from the healthcare system, challenges and adaptations in PT treatments, changes in the administration of home-Based PT treatments, challenges to the emergence of virtual treatments/telerehab/telemedicine, changes and management of workload, physical therapists’ attitude when providing treatment, different behaviors of patients when it comes to treatment, frequency of involvement of patient’s family, changes and modification in communication with patients and healthcare professionals, unhealthy work-life balance, unchanged activities, positive changes brought about by the pandemic, PT’s frustration towards the government and stigma towards PT frontliners. The results revealed that the experience of frontline physical therapists changed since the pandemic began and these changes both presented itself in good and bad ways. The study provided insights and deeper understanding of the experiences of Philippine frontline physical therapists during the pandemic. It is hoped that this study will be utilized as reference for further research that can come up with strategies and developments to assist physical therapists in facing other possible world health crises.

First Advisor

Richmond E. Ordoñez

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