Maximizing Effectiveness of Examination of Patients With Acute Dizziness in the Emergency Department

Physical therapists practicing on hospital units or in emergency departments must be prepared to do more than simply treat vestibular disorders diagnosed by other providers; we need to help care teams identify the source of a dizzy patient's complaints. Because the consequences of delayed or erroneous diagnosis may be catastrophic for the dizzy patient, the evaluating therapist's responsibility is to minimize the likelihood of inaccuracy in the diagnostic process. Practice standards, which involve both examination techniques and reasoning frameworks, are not widely used. Therapists who apply these standards can reduce diagnostic error. Understanding the strategies described within is essential for therapists who evaluate acutely dizzy patients and contribute diagnostic information to care teams.