Feasibility of an Occupation-Based Intervention Manual for Outpatient Hand Clinics

Purpose The purpose of this quality improvement study was to determine the usefulness of an Occupation-based Intervention Manual (OBI) for hand therapists in Southern Nevada and if the utilization of the OBI manual supported client-centered outcomes regardless of diagnosis, age, or population. Methods Convenience sampling was used, and five participants met the inclusion criteria in the twelve-week study. Pre-interview questionnaire responses from the therapists were used to develop the OBI manual content and corresponding Utilization Tracker. Post-interview questionnaire responses were used to determine the application and outcomes of the OBI manual. Descriptive statistics, frequency distribution, and thematic analysis were used and applied. Results Five participants were practicing hand therapists (n=5). Pre-interview responses revealed themes associated with occupation within hand therapy and current educational resources used for return to occupation. Utilization Tracker results demonstrated the utilization frequency of the OBI manual. The OBI manual was used primarily to visually display the included content of the OBI manual (f=27), patient education (f/n=89%), and during initial evaluations (f/n= 80%). Of the common diagnoses, trigger finger was the most common diagnosis treated with the use of the OBI manual (f/n=24%). Post-interview responses generated common themes associated with the overall perceptions and use of the OBI manual which included patient receptiveness, an effective use of time, an educational resource, and user-friendliness. Conclusion The initial outcomes of this project indicate therapists appreciated, used, and implemented the OBI for reference, interdisciplinary collaboration, and patient education, thereby highlighting and rediscovering the value of occupation within hand therapy.