Ms Janelle Heine1,2, Ms Suzy Stoikov3, Mr Michael Harris2, Ms Kassie Shardlow3, Ms Rebecca Kuchler2
1Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Metro North Health, Herston, Australia, 2Bayside Health Service, Cleveland, Australia, 3Metro South Health, Australia
Biography:
Janelle Heine is an Emergency Physiotherapy Practitioner (EPP) at The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, a role she has held since 2014. She has over 30 years of experience working in musculoskeletal roles and has previously completed a Masters in Research. In addition to her clinical work, Janelle has led several major projects focused on EPP education and training and was the principal project officer for the statewide EPP Development Pathway and Workforce Pipeline project. She was the principal investigator and implementation champion in a recent study focused on reducing opioid use in the management of low back pain in the Emergency Department. Outside of work, Janelle enjoys riding her motorbike and playing with her dog, Willow.
Abstract:
Emergency Physiotherapy Practitioners (EPPs) play a crucial role in enhancing patient care and efficiency in Emergency Departments through the timely identification, assessment, and management of people with musculoskeletal injuries, significantly improving patient flow. The success of EPPs and the opening of Minor Injury and Illness Clinics have considerably increased the demand for EPPs in Queensland. However, there is significant variation and inconsistency in EPP development across the state. Current training, based on material developed over a decade ago, is lengthy and resource intensive, impacting the EPP workforce pipeline.
This project aimed to establish a standardised, accessible development pathway for physiotherapists, from early career to advanced EPP roles. A developmental approach was adopted, involving extensive stakeholder engagement — including consumers, EPPs, trainees, managers, and supervisors — mapping existing models of care and defining key patient-centered requirements for EPPs.
Five core domains of EPP practice were identified: clinical knowledge, leadership, communication, learning and research, and professional behaviours. For each domain, the knowledge, skills, and attributes were identified, and key development milestones described. Opportunities for learning and development were identified, and various work integrated learning approaches were explored, such as entrustable professional activities. A self-assessment and learning and development tool were created to accompany the pathway, to support knowledge and skill acquisition.
The creation of this development pathway provides opportunities for physiotherapists with a range of experience and skills and offers a consistent, more timely pathway for physiotherapists to advance to EPP roles, thereby strengthening the EPP workforce pipeline.