Wheelchair Skills Training Program for Occupational Therapy Students: Retention and Reinforcement One Year Later
By Smith, Cher; Best, Krista L.; Kirby, R. Lee; Coolen, Anna L.; MacKenzie, Diane E.; RESNA 26th International Annual Conference 2003,Publication Date: 2003
Study conducted to test the hypothesis that third-year undergraduate occupational therapy (OT) students who completed the Wheelchair Skills Training Program (WSTP) the previous year retained their abilities to perform wheelchair skills, and that those who teach the WSTP to second-year OT students enhanced their own abilities to perform wheelchair skills. Forty-five third-year undergraduate OT students participated in the study. The students were randomly assigned to two groups, as Group A underwent the WSTP, and Group B used the WSTP to teach and test a group of second-year OT students, and then underwent the WSTP. Statistical analyses of WSTP scores indicated that when trained with the WSTP, OT students retained their skills nine to eleven months later, and that teaching others enhanced their wheelchair skills. The authors contend that the study provided further evidence to support wheelchair skills testing and training among undergraduate OT students.
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
