Application of Standardized Wheelchair Skills Training Program in Rehabilitation Therapeutic Clinical Teaching / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

Objective:To introduce the standardized wheelchair skills training program into clinical teaching for the rehabilitation therapeutics students. Methods:From May, 2017 to April, 2018, 48 undergraduate interns of rehabilitation therapeutics were randomly divided into control group (n = 24) and experimental group (n = 24). Both groups accepted the regular practice, and the experimental group accepted standardized wheelchair skills training for five hours. They were tested with Wheelchair Skills Test (WST) 4.3 before, post training and four-week follow-up. The experimental group completed a questionnaire related to the wheelchair skills training. Results:The score of WST was more in the experimental group than in the control group both post training and four-week follow-up (|t| > 9.330, P < 0.001). The rate of improvement of WST scores was also more in the experimental group than in the control group (|t| = 11.214, P < 0.001). The experimental group suggested that the standardized wheelchair skills training was necessary, and should be a compulsory subject of the occupational therapy. Conclusion:The standardized wheelchair skills training is effective to improve the students' wheelchair-skills performance and understand the needs of the wheelchair users, which may be included in the curriculum program.