Preliminary experiences in acute occupational therapy for in-patients with coronavirus-19 (COVID-19): leveraging assistive technology in three case studies of male veterans.
Tonya L RichBrandon HicksAbigail DahlElle SullivanBenjamin BarrettBeau BedorePublished in: Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology (2020)
Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in December 2019 with millions of cases reported globally in the succeeding months. Initial hospitalisation strives to minimise multisystem organ failure and of those that survive, individuals can present with profound rehabilitation needs. The purpose of this case series is to describe occupational therapy (OT) and special technology considerations for three male Veteran patients hospitalised with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Methods: This is a descriptive case series using a retrospective electronic health record review at a Veterans Administration hospital. The case series includes three male Veterans with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 (ages 69-78) who were referred to OT. The cases were selected to demonstrate the novel use of technology and strategies to reduce the risk of transmission. In two of three of our cases, we describe acute rehabilitation with a focus on activity tolerance, participation in occupations, and discharge planning. In all cases, we measured vital signs and activity tolerance as primary outcomes. Results and conclusions: The findings suggest that outcome measures focussing on activity tolerance to maintain stable vital signs during the recovery phase is central to the progression of activities. We observed in our cases that the Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEOP) model can guide practice and complement the medical model in management of these patients. We utilised technology to engage family members in the rehabilitation care and minimise exposure risks.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONAcute occupational therapy for rehabilitation early in the recovery of Cornavirus-2019 can be guided by the Person-Occupation-Environment-Performance model as seen in this case series of three Veteran patients.Assistive technology can serve dual roles in supporting the rehabilitation of individuals with Cornavirus-2019 and lowering the risk of virus transmission to staff.
Keyphrases
- sars cov
- end stage renal disease
- coronavirus disease
- healthcare
- chronic kidney disease
- ejection fraction
- newly diagnosed
- electronic health record
- peritoneal dialysis
- prognostic factors
- respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- primary care
- metabolic syndrome
- palliative care
- physical activity
- risk assessment
- intensive care unit
- pulmonary embolism
- adverse drug
- emergency department
- chronic pain
- patient reported outcomes
- mechanical ventilation
- glycemic control