Effects of Instruction on Parent Competency During Infant Handling in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of 3 different methods for delivering instruction on infant handling to parents in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS: Ninety-six parents in the NICU received instruction. Parents were taught the same 3 infant-handling techniques after random assignment to the (1) direct, (2) video, or (3) written-pictorial instructional groups. After baseline competency assessment, parents received instruction according to their group. A masked evaluator assessed parent performance, and parents rated instructional effectiveness. RESULTS: All groups significantly improved handling performance. The direct and video groups performed 2 handling activities significantly better than the written-pictorial group. No significant differences were found between the direct and video groups. All groups perceived the instruction as effective. CONCLUSIONS: Direct and video instructions are equally effective in teaching parents to perform simple whole motor tasks in the NICU, and parents welcome the instruction.

Improving cultural diversity awareness of physical therapy educators.

In a climate of increasing diversity in the population of patients requiring physical therapy (PT) services, PT educators must prepare students and future clinicians to work competently in culturally diverse environments. To be able to achieve this goal, PT educators must be culturally competent as well. The purposes of the study were to develop a valid and reliable instrument to assess cultural diversity awareness and to develop an educational workshop to improve cultural diversity awareness of PT academic and clinical educators. Phase 1 of the study involved the development of an instrument to assess cultural diversity awareness. The Cultural Diversity Awareness Questionnaire (CDAQ) was developed, validated for content, analyzed for reliability, and field and pilot tested. Results indicated that the CDAQ has favorable psychometric properties. Phase 2 of the study involved the development and implementation of the Cultural Diversity Workshop (CDW). The seminar contents and class materials were developed, validated, and implemented as a one-day cultural diversity awareness seminar. A one-group, pretest-posttest experimental design was used, with participants who completed the CDAQ before and after the workshop. Results indicated that the workshop was effective in improving cultural diversity awareness of the participants. Results of the workshop evaluation affirmed the achievement of objectives and effectiveness of the facilitator. This study provided a solid initial foundation upon which a comprehensive cultural competence program can be developed.