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Ashley K. Poole

Assistant Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery, Physical Therapy

Overview


Dr. Poole is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Doctor of Physical Therapy Division. She is a board-certified clinical specialist in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy, and her primary practice area is acute care. She has specific expertise in the care and management of patients with cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders, especially patients who are medically complex or in critical care.

Dr. Poole is actively involved at the national and state level. She serves as a delegate for the American Physical Therapy Association’s national House of Delegates and as secretary for the Academy of Education’s Academic Faculty Special Interest Group. She also co-hosts “Acute Conversations,” the official podcast of APTA-Acute Care. She co-chairs the Acute Care Core Outcome Measures Knowledge Translation Task Force and is a member of the APTA Cross-Academy COVID-19 Core Outcome Measure Task Force.  Currently, she is working with a team to revise a clinical practice guideline for the management of individuals with heart failure.  She was also on the leadership team that authored “Adult Vital Sign Interpretation in Acute Care Guide” which was developed by a joint task force of APTA Acute Care and the Academy of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Physical Therapy.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Assistant Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery · 2022 - Present Orthopaedic Surgery, Physical Therapy, Orthopaedic Surgery

Recent Publications


Impact of survivorship stories on the interdisciplinary critical care team: a qualitative study.

Journal Article BMJ Open Qual · November 24, 2025 IMPORTANCE: Healthcare providers (HCPs) working in intensive care units (ICUs) face high levels of stress, burnout and emotional exhaustion. There is limited research on interventions that foster resilience and connection among interdisciplinary ICU teams. ... Full text Link to item Cite

The Belongingness Scale for Physical Therapy Education: Validation in Doctor of Physical Therapy Students.

Journal Article J Phys Ther Educ · November 6, 2025 INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate the Belongingness in Higher Education Institutions (BES-HE) for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students in the United States. REVIEW OF LITERATURE: Belongingness greatly influences student ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Defining and evaluating the "integrated practice unit" as a model for acute care physical therapy delivery

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Foundation for Physical Therapy · 2026 - 2027

Duke Interprofessional Fellowship Project

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEProject Coordinator · Awarded by Health Resources and Service Administration · 2012 - 2015

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Education, Training & Certifications


Winston-Salem State University · 2019 D.P.T.