Relevant Work

Abstract

The physical therapy profession is amazing. This statement could come from a close (maybe too close) source, but high job satisfaction rates do not lie.1 The intellectual capacity that physical therapists have is incredible because clinicians need to juggle patient's needs and goals, with normal and abnormal physiology, and design a successful plan of care. All that within the constraints of a Machiavellian heath care system that prioritizes profits over care. On top of that, most of the cardiopulmonary physical therapy specialists deal with life-or-death situations on a daily basis. Their decision-making skills are second to none because hemodynamics, end-organ perfusion, or alveolar ventilation can change in any second during interventions emphasizing the premise that not all patients are the same. The only way to support our profession is with relevant work that will enhance evidence-based practice and novel discoveries to improve the human experience. In this issue, we present you with 2 clinical perspectives, 1 case report, and 2 original research articles. First, Drs. Brockway, Ayres, and Shoemaker2 bring us their 2022 CSM educational session on high-intensity interval training in patients with complex comorbidities. Their lecture was one of the highlights in CSM 2022 and I am very happy that we are able to bring it in written form to our readers. Then, and still under the lessons learned because of the COVID-19 pandemic, DiVitto et al3 propose a 3-phase protocol for patients under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which has enhanced mobility and decreased hospitalization stay. Continuing with the APTA Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy's “Vitals are Vital” campaign, Smith et al4 bring us a case report on the impact of in-service education to improve blood pressure measurement in outpatient rehabilitation. In addition, Connors et al5 performed a quality improvement project to standardize physical therapy in patients with single or bilateral lung transplant. Their preliminary results showed that their standardized intervention could improve exercise capacity in these patients. Finally, the Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal is proud to present the updated version of the Academy's cardiovascular and pulmonary entry-level physical therapy competencies by Johanson et al.6 This updated version followed a modified Delphi process to shape competent physical therapy education in our field. This is CPTJ Volume 34's last issue, and I am extremely proud of the editorial board, associated editors, reviewers, and authors who have brought in 2023 their relevant work to help clinicians perform their even more relevant work and take good care of the human experience.