Evaluating understanding of wheelchair seating care for multidisciplinary healthcare team workers

21^st World Nursing Education Conference

July 16-18, 2018 Melbourne, Australia

Masako Sotomura

Morinomiya University of Medical Sciences, Japan

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Statement of the Problem: Wheelchair seating care should be recommended for residents dependent on a wheelchair, but it is not common practice in Japan. Wheelchair seating care prevents subsequent health issues, enhances the residents� independence and contributes to effective and efficient clinical practice. Inter-professional work (IPE) could be facilitated to practice seating care because it requires team work and specialized skills. Purpose: The purpose is to evaluate healthcare workers� understanding of wheelchair seating care. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A survey was taken, asking the healthcare workers at a long term care facility in Japan about: (1) Awareness of wheelchair seating care, (2) seeking further education and (3) the importance of their inter-professional work. Chi-square test was performed for the inter-professional comparisons. Findings: The total number of participants was 172 and the response rate was 87%. This study showed that 82.5% physical care workers (PTs, OTs, STs) recognized wheelchair seating care, but only 9.7% nursing care workers (RNs, LPNs, care workers) did. There was significant difference between the groups (p<0.001). 152 participants (89.9%) answered that IPE is necessary for wheelchair seating care. Conclusion & Significance: The importance of IPE was recognized by most of the healthcare workers. IPE should be beneficial in improving QOL for residents dependent on a wheelchair and nurses have an important role to coordinate IPE. But this study determined that nursing care workers do not recognize wheelchair seatingcare. Wheelchair seating care should be taught and practiced by nurses and nursing students.

Biography :

Masako Sotomura has completed her MSN from Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan. She teaches gerontological nursing at Morinomiya University of Medical Sciences. Her research topic is wheelchair seating and conducting studies in order to improve ADL and promote comfort care for the institutionalized elderly people. She is also involved in pursuing comfort care including touch care for the elderly with dementia.

E-mail: sotomura@morinomiya-u.ac.jp