Promoting an Interdisciplinary Approach to Health Management for Patients with an Acute Spinal Cord Injury: A Doctoral Capstone Report

Abstract

A spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause permanent impairments impacting quality of life and participation in daily activities. Due to the impact on daily living, occupational therapy is an integral component of the SCI recovery process. Occupational therapy goals focus on improving all aspects of daily task performance for patients with an SCI. Health management is a component of occupational therapy that involves establishing and managing health and wellness routines for increased participation in daily living and meaningful activities. An individual following an SCI may experience limitations and differences in body functions such as bowel and bladder changes which limit that individual’s quality of life if new health management strategies are not adopted. Rehabilitation staff at a level one trauma hospital identified a gap in interdisciplinary knowledge and confidence in health management best practices for patients admitted with an SCI. In an acute care setting, health management goals are shared with other disciplines as physicians guide the care plan and nursing staff carries out the plan including the initiation of new health management strategies. The purpose of this doctoral capstone experiential and project was to increase interdisciplinary knowledge and confidence in best practices for health management when caring for individuals after an SCI. The capstone student disseminated different modes of education to nursing staff on best practices for SCI health management and collected confidence surveys before and after the education interventions. Results of the survey support the effectiveness of the education in increasing overall self-reported confidence and knowledge in each target category.