Adapting Rehabilitative Activities to Improve Clinical Outcomes in a Limited Resource Setting

Researchers have presented evidence which has correlated the early onset of physical activity, postural control, and exercise with improved functional outcomes and physical activity (Veerbeek et al., 2014). As soon as medically safe and feasible to do so, patients should be assisted with exercise and mobility to prevent the loss of strength and function. In resource-limited areas such as La Gonave, Haiti, the most readily available health professionals are nurses. Therefore, the inclusion of several key components of physical therapy practice were integrated into nursing education at La Gonave, thus providing rehabilitative activities to neurologically impaired individuals who would not have access to therapist-provided services.

Mobilizing medically stable patients as early and as frequently as possible has the potential to stimulate recovery from neurological diagnoses like stroke, traumatic brain injury, spina bifida, and cerebral palsy in addition to diminishing complications from conditions such as microcephaly. Early assessment and implementation of rehabilitative activities to maintain or gain strength following neurological conditions can greatly impact the eventual level of independence and function throughout the recovery and rehabilitation period. The significance of educating patients and caregivers to assist with mobilization and positioning to protect against spasticity and contractures cannot be understated. Utilizing client-centered instruction for patients and caregivers regarding the appropriate use of adaptive equipment and energy conservation strategies has been linked to higher clinical and functional outcomes for patients of all ages (Pollock, St. George, Fenton, & Firkins, 2014).

Following illness or disability, one of the foremost problems acknowledged among both patients and health care professionals has been injuries resultant from unsafe patient handling techniques. The American Physical Therapy Association (2012) has endorsed physical therapists as leaders in interprofessional training for safe patient handling programs. Collaboration between physical therapists and nurse educators during the curriculum planning and didactic implementation resulted in baccalaureate nursing students using evidence-based techniques for strengthening, transferring, ambulating, and utilization of adaptive equipment or adaptive techniques fostering safety in function for patients and caregivers.