Wheelchair service provision education in Canadian occupational therapy programs

Abstract

Occupational therapists in Canada play a central role in wheelchair service provision. Inadequate entry-to-practice professional education has been identified as a major concern in the delivery of wheelchair related services. The goal of this study was to describe the current education provided in Canadian occupational therapy programs and to map this content against the recommended WHO 8-step wheelchair service provision process. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional online survey design. Educators were recruited from accredited occupational therapy programs in Canada. Participants completed a short sociodemographic questionnaire and a survey with 97 closed- and open-ended questions regarding the wheelchair service provision education provided in their curriculum. Survey data was then mapped according to the WHO 8-step wheelchair service provision process. Twenty-nine educators from all Canadian occupational therapy programs (n = 14) were enrolled. Most participants (55.2%) were full-time faculty members that had been teaching in occupational therapy programs for an average time of 10.9 years. All programs covered at least 4 of the WHO recommended steps, but only 5 programs covered all steps. Assessment and Prescription steps were covered in every program while the Referral & Appointment, Funding & Ordering, Fitting and User Training steps were covered in most programs. The pedagogic approach, the amount of time dedicated to wheelchair-related content, and the type of evaluation used varied greatly between programs. This study is the first to provide a detailed description of wheelchair service provision education across all Canadian occupational therapy programs according to the WHO 8 steps and provides a foundation for collaborative efforts to promote best practice in entry-to-practice professional education.

Wheeled and Seated Mobility Devices Provision: Quantitative Findings and SWOT Thematic Analysis of a Global Occupational Therapist Survey

“…Results of this study confirm our first hypothesis and indicate that occupational therapists work in a wide variety of practice settings in the provision of WSMDs, often combining the use of the devices with other interventions to assist users to improve mobility and participate in needed and wanted activities of daily life. The results support the findings of previous research indicating that occupational therapists have a broad role in most aspects of WSMD provision [ 14 , 15 , 18 , 20 , 22 ].…”

“…Device users worldwide are at high risk for developing secondary health conditions and dying prematurely due to inappropriate WSMD provision by untrained providers [ 22 , 28 , 34 ]. Different studies have suggested recommendations to overcome such challenges and to ensure the competency of WSMD providers; such recommendations include comprehensive education programs, valid and reliable competency tests, standardized certification through global organizations, and standardized outcome measures [ 12 , 24 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ].…”

“…The role of occupational therapists in the field of WSMD services has been described in the research literature to include the provision of seating systems or equipment designed to meet the needs of individuals for mobility and postural support and alignment, skin integrity, function, and safety. Such equipment includes positioning systems, mobility devices, durable medical goods, and complex rehabilitation technology used to optimize clients’ environmental access and their ability to safely perform daily activities [ 19 , 22 ].…”

Psychometric properties of the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals’ basic manual wheelchair-service-provision knowledge Test Version 1 and development of Version 2

“…worldwide (i.e., Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Prosthetics and Orthotics) have very limited wheelchair-related education in their curricula [33][34][35]. As such, the passing rates may be associated with other wheelchair training.…”

Wheelchair service provision education for healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators across low- to high-resourced settings: a scoping review

“…Evidence has emerged demonstrating limited competency in wheelchair service provision among entry-to-practice students [ 15 , 16 , 19 , 20 ] and clinicians [ 21 – 23 ] who are primarily responsible for wheelchair service delivery (i.e., those in physical therapy [PT], occupational therapy [OT], and prosthetics and orthotics [P&O] programs). A survey completed by 72 representatives from PT, OT and P&O university programs from low- to high-income countries reported that ~21% of programs do not include wheelchair-related education in their curricula [ 18 ].…”