Physiotherapy decision making in acute cardiorespiratory care is influenced by factors related to physiotherapist and the nature and context of the decision: a qualitative study.

QUESTIONS What factors influence the decision making of cardiorespiratory physiotherapists in acute care? How do cardiorespiratory physiotherapists manage multiple factors in their decision making? DESIGN Qualitative study using observation and semi-structured interviews. PARTICIPANTS Fourteen physiotherapists working in acute cardiorespiratory care. RESULTS Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy decision making was affected by factors related to the nature of the decision itself (such as the complexity and difficulty of the decision), factors related to the context in which the decision occurred (such as physical, organisational and socio-professional factors), and factors related to the physiotherapists themselves (such as decision making capabilities, physiotherapy frames of reference, and level of clinical experience). CONCLUSION Optimising the quality of decision making in the context of health care today requires an awareness and consideration of a range of factors influencing decision making.