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At the press conference (April 29.04), Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that on May 4 the possibility of participating in rehabilitation would be launched. This is the next step in “unfreezing” the economy. The National Council of Physiotherapists has prepared guidelines for physiotherapists and their patients.
Physiotherapists go back to work
During the conference on easing the restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki provided information important both for patients and physiotherapists.
– This easing will also cover an important area of health care, which is rehabilitation. After consulting with the Ministry of Health, we decided to start rehabilitation from May 4 – he said.
It is also worth emphasizing that despite the fact that rehabilitation is starting, massage salons will still be closed. Return to rehabilitation treatments was commented by prof. Maciej Krawczyk, president of the National Council of Physiotherapists:
In practice, patients can return to physical therapy and their rehabilitation process will proceed smoothly from now on. People with acute (pain) conditions or after treatments can immediately go to physiotherapists. Patients at home and their families can already receive full support. We physiotherapists can return to work as normal and focus on patients and their needs.
The National Chamber of Physiotherapists has prepared special guidelines for the work of a physiotherapist during a pandemic. It also includes information relevant to patients. How to safely resume rehabilitation?
Guidelines for Physiotherapists in a Pandemic
Until now, physiotherapists could conduct therapy in certain cases:
- when the cessation of rehabilitation would seriously deteriorate the patient’s health condition;
- when the services are provided through ICT systems or communication systems;
- when services are provided under hybrid cardiac telerehabilitation.
Due to the return of physiotherapists to work in the outpatient treatment system from May 4, the National Chamber of Physiotherapists issued special recommendations. We read in them that a physiotherapist should become familiar with the epidemiological procedures applicable in a given institution and respond to them before starting work. He is also obliged to assess the risk based on knowledge from reliable and proven sources. Among them are the messages of GIS, Ministry of Health, KIF, National Health Fund and WHO.
If symptoms of COVID-19 are noticed in themselves or in a patient, the physiotherapist must stop work as soon as possible and, by limiting direct contact, inform the appropriate services.
Before the physiotherapist starts working with the patient, he should conduct an epidemiological interview and obtain the patient’s consent to perform physiotherapeutic activities. The interview should be updated daily. All activities with the patient must be performed using safe and available personal protective equipment. In the absence of these measures, the physiotherapist should refrain from performing any activities for the patient.
Grouping of patients should be avoided during physiotherapy and an individual approach to patients should be respected. The KIF also recommends that the physical therapist be assigned to one workplace in order to limit movement between wards and facilities.
KIF also recommends rules for the disinfection of hands and items used in a physiotherapist’s office. All guidelines can be found on the website of the National Chamber of Physiotherapists.
How should the patient prepare for physical therapy?
The KIF guidelines also state that patients undergoing physiotherapeutic procedures cannot have direct contact with patients of other units of the medical entity. Contact in the facility is limited to the necessary minimum.
The Ministry of Development, in its guidelines, also recommends providing patients with a hand disinfectant liquid at the entrance and exit from the facility.
If the caregiver or parent participates in the therapy, the condition is that they put on a disposable protective mask and disposable gloves. The parent or guardian should be at least 2 m away from the exercising therapist and the patient. The caregiver’s participation in therapy is possible only in exceptional circumstances.
Not only physical therapists, but also patients should take all precautions. If the patient’s clinical condition allows it, he should be equipped with a disposable mask for the time of contact with a physiotherapist.
Restoring the work of physiotherapists to a greater extent is very important to human health.
— In Poland, about 10 million people use the help of physiotherapists every year, and thanks to rehabilitation, they recover faster, improve the comfort and quality of functioning, they are active. It is a great proof of trust for us, but also a commitment. That is why we were so anxious to come back to them and emphasize once again that rehabilitation is not a whim or a whim, but it responds to real health problems, and physiotherapists are a medical profession. In the era of epidemics, physiotherapists will make every effort to ensure that physiotherapy is carried out in a manner that is safe for the patient and the physiotherapist. As medical professionals, we know what work with patients should look like in epidemic conditions, declares the president of KRF.
Have a question about the coronavirus? Send them to the following address: [email protected]. You will find a daily updated list of answers HERE: Coronavirus – frequently asked questions and answers.
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