Occupational Therapy News OTnews April 2019 | Page 35

ASSESSMENT TOOLS FEATURE
Training was delivered by the community therapy team lead
to all occupational therapists in these services to increase
staff knowledge, skills and confidence prior to distributing the
screening tools.
All trainees were asked to complete before and after
questionnaires at each session to identify their level of skills,
knowledge and confidence of using the model and screening tool.
Staff were asked whether they had a ‘good understanding’ of
the Cognitive Disabilities Model, and whether they could say that
they ‘understand how modes of performance impacts on a person’s
function’.
They were also asked whether they felt confident in using the
model in practice, if they were able to interpret findings from the
LACLS, if they were able to use the RTI-E with patients in their
care, if they were able to identify when LACLS should be used with
patients, and if they knew when not to use the LACLS with patients
in their care.
The responses suggested that, after the training, understanding of As a consequence of this a support group was set up; the main
focus of the group is how to effectively support patients living with
dementia and the LACLS-5 will be part of this process, therefore, it
will be integral to future meetings.
Since the training, positive feedback has been received from
occupational therapists who have used the LACLS-5 and have
identified the accuracy of the information provided to improve
patient care.
Further rollout of the training has been provided to some
physiotherapists to help their understanding of how to apply
recommendations made by the occupational therapists to their
interventions with patients.
The intention is to provide ongoing training on a less frequent
basis to rotational staff in the future and continue to support
occupational therapists to utilise the Cognitive Disabilities Model
and additional tools in their everyday work.
Further resources have been identified and the Learning
Resources Institute at the acute hospital has provided them as
and confidence in using the model and tools went up substantially in
the majority of staff.
Comments were also requested on the post-training
questionnaire, and one member of staff said: [It was] very useful and
informative; I am a lot more confident to use the LACLS. I will need to
practise administering the tool in order to be fully confident.’
Another occupational therapist said of the model: ‘…it will be
very influential and beneficial to the service’. While others added:
‘[We] need to look at how we can use it across the whole service
approach’ and a ‘peer support group would be helpful to reinforce
practice’.
Discussion throughout the training sessions identified motivation
to utilise the model and tools, however, the more staff developed their
knowledge, the more they realised the implications of it and how they
needed to develop their skills and confidence with practice. a central point to further develop the skills and knowledge of the
occupational therapists.
References
Allen CK, Austin SL, David SK, Earhart Ca, McCraith DB and Riska-
Williams L (2007) Manual for the Allen cognitive level sreen-5 (ACLS-5)
and the Large Allen cognitive level screen-5 (LACLS-5). Camarillo,
CA: ACLS and LACLS Committee
Katz N (2006) Routine Task Inventory – RTI-E manual, prepared and
elaborated on the basis of Allen CK (1989 unpublished)
Sarah Clifford, Community Therapy Team Lead, South Tees
Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, email: [e-mail]
Next steps
The feedback demonstrated a significant improvement in
skills, knowledge and confidence following the training,
however the occupational therapists all felt they required
further support in implementing the LACLS-5 to ensure
that it would be used in practice and that their skills and
confidence would improve in time.
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