Collaborative interprofessional practice in emergency services: specific and shared functions of physiotherapists

Considering the dynamic and complex characteristic of emergency services, as well as the recommended collaborative interprofessional health practice, this study aims at identifying specific and shared functions of physiotherapists who work in this environment. A documentation analysis was used to map actions, and Delphi technique was carried out for consensus purposes. Twenty-six functions were identified: five of them were specific to physiotherapists, twelve were shared with doctors and nurses, and nine showed no consensus. On the one hand, this shows an expansion of the professions' scope of practice and constitution of common functions among all three professionals, particularly between physiotherapists and doctors. On the other hand, there are potential conflicts due to lack of a definition of one third of the functions. Professional boundaries are flexible, which can contribute to a comprehensive approach of the patients' needs and to effective collaborative teamwork.