BACKGROUND: In Quebec, occupational therapy guidelines allow non-occupational therapists, such as home health aides, to select bathing equipment for "straightforward" cases of clients living at home as long as the aides use a decision-making tool. PURPOSE: Our aim was to develop a tool that met the common needs of Quebec's health and social services centres (HSSCs), which involve home health aides in selecting bathing equipment for home-dwelling clients. METHOD: We followed an ongoing iterative process involving a literature review as well as (a) a synthesis of 40 in-house tools, (b) feedback from 10 occupational therapists (two questionnaires and one focus group), (c) pretests, and (d) translation. FINDINGS: Algo is a clinical algorithm constituting a visual map of the logical steps to follow when selecting bathing equipment for straightforward cases. Algo is a series of yes/no questions dealing with occupation, person, and environment. IMPLICATIONS: Algo, rooted in evidence and regulatory board guidelines, is available to HSSCs involving non-occupational therapists in selecting bathing equipment.
BACKGROUND: In Quebec, occupational therapy guidelines allow non-occupational therapists, such as home health aides, to select bathing equipment for "straightforward" cases of clients living at home as long as the aides use a decision-making tool. PURPOSE: Our aim was to develop a tool that met the common needs of Quebec's health and social services centres (HSSCs), which involve home health aides in selecting bathing equipment for home-dwelling clients. METHOD: We followed an ongoing iterative process involving a literature review as well as (a) a synthesis of 40 in-house tools, (b) feedback from 10 occupational therapists (two questionnaires and one focus group), (c) pretests, and (d) translation. FINDINGS: Algo is a clinical algorithm constituting a visual map of the logical steps to follow when selecting bathing equipment for straightforward cases. Algo is a series of yes/no questions dealing with occupation, person, and environment. IMPLICATIONS: Algo, rooted in evidence and regulatory board guidelines, is available to HSSCs involving non-occupational therapists in selecting bathing equipment.
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Keywords:
Decision making; Health services for the aged; Home care services; Self-care; Skill mix; chevauchement des compétences; prise de decision; services de santé destinés aux personnes âgées; services à domicile; soins d’hygiène