Informing Healthcare Practice through Research

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Informing Healthcare Practice through Research

• 11.5.06
• Research Conference

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The impact of client assessment and examination
on care planning and implementation of care.A
Pilot study to determine the skills , knowledge
and attitude of therapists undertaking advanced
remedial massage

• Pauline Stuttard

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Background to the study

• Partnership between
• Northern Institute of Massage
• London and Counties Society of Physiologists
  (LCSP)
• University of Central Lancashire
• Research Steering Committee

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Aims of the project

• To establish the extent to which students are
  able to assess and examine clients
• To establish how well the assessment and
  examination informs care planning
• Evaluate the attitudes and beliefs of therapists
  in respect of the above

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Rationale for the project

• Assessment and examination should underpin the
  care plan - is this the case?
• Variety of client assessment documents
• Variable quality of care planning
• Gap in the education process?
• Care planning affects care delivery
• CPD lacks focus on these issues

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Methodology

• Focus groups to establish attitudes and values
• Questionnaire about current work load, client
  base and knowledge of assessment
• Use of Standard Client Assessment System to
  review skills level

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Target Population

• Qualified therapists 12 in pilot
• Working with clients
• Accessible - Contact with NIM i.e. undertaking
  Advanced Massage Course
• Willing participants
• Potential for future research

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Initial results

• Therapists qualified 3 months -8 years
• Client base 3-20 treatments per week
• Conditions neck, shoulder and back pain, knee
  and hamstring injury
• Home based work, private rooms, health related
  clinic

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What are the processes involved in assessment and
care planning?

• Data collection
• Relationship building
• Discussing expectations of treatment
• Identifying nature of the problem -
  physical/mechanical assessment and examination
• Planning care/treatment

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Skills required to assess a client

• Good communication listening, questioning, use
  of words
• Observation of body language
• Assimilation of data to formulate a plan
• Empathy, trust, respect and relationship
• Visual skill
• Palpation
• Skill v experience

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Nature of a care plan

• Contract, agreement
• Goals , expectations, forecast for the future
• Progression
• Ongoing and changing
• Consent, working together, partnership

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Record keeping

• Critical part of care
• Written consultation
• Individual
• Shared record
• Hard work and time consuming
• Legal requirement and storage not understood

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Absent concepts?

• Holistic health assessment
• Links with physical and mental symptoms
• Comprehensive care planning
• Measurable goal setting
• Evaluation of care
• Legal aspects of documentation

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Future Data

• Practitioner competency in assessment and care
  planning how well can they do it?
• Links between assessment and care plan?
• Record keeping
• Views of comprehensive massage assessment?