Implementing stroke guidelines: A self-evaluation tool to support occupational therapists

Background: To support occupational therapists (OTs) a self-evaluation tool for implementing the OT stroke guideline (Steultjens, E. et al, 2013) has been developed. Method: The online tool has been developed in a step-wise... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
To support occupational therapists (OTs) a self-evaluation tool for implementing the OT stroke guideline (Steultjens, E. et al, 2013) has been developed.
Method:
The online tool has been developed in a step-wise process. 1) Clinical guidelines were transferred into statements regarding the use of specific measures, goal setting principles, and interventions. Statements reflected the level of application of the guidelines. 30 OTs involved in the initial OT-guideline development tested these statements. This concept self-evaluation tool was sent out to 210 OTs that had attended the Dutch stroke guideline conference. The final version, is tested among a second group of OTs aiming 1) to know the level of implementation of the OT stroke guideline in OT practice, 2) to know if the self-evaluation tool is effective in implementing guidelines.
Results:
The statements and feedback were clear, usable and supportive and reflected the guidelines well. OTs with high implementation skills did not experience this support and asked for new evidence not yet described in the guidelines. Generally, the online self-evaluation tool was easy to administer but the possibility to archive the feedback was missed.
Conclusion:
The self-evaluation tool is usable in practice. Results and conclusions on the support it provides for occupational therapists with low implementation skills will be presented in june 2016.
Application to Practice:
Guideline implementation can be supported with online tools for self-evaluation and will be discussed with respect to the results of the large survey currently executed.