Nurse practitioners' knowledge of occupational therapy

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Professions
• Interprofessional Education
• Rehabilitation Sciences

Background:

• Effective interprofessional collaboration requires mutual understanding of healthcare provider roles.
• Nurse practitioners (NPs) and occupational therapists (OTs) frequently collaborate in patient care.
• Assessing NP knowledge of OT functions is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the extent of knowledge nurse practitioners (NPs) in Western New York have regarding the roles and functions of occupational therapy (OT).

Main Methods:

• A survey of 27 questions was distributed to 150 randomly selected NPs in Western New York.
• A modified Dillman procedure was employed for survey distribution and collection.
• A response rate of 100 NPs was achieved.

Main Results:

• NPs demonstrated broad general knowledge of OT but identified specific areas of uncertainty.
• Key uncertainties included patient goal formulation, OT payment structures, and specialized OT practice areas (e.g., prosthetics, cardiovascular, geriatrics, prevocational skills).
• NPs reported limited awareness of OT's impact in certain settings and specialties, with direct OT contact being the primary and most beneficial information source.

Conclusions:

• Findings highlight specific knowledge gaps in NPs' understanding of OT, informing targeted educational strategies.
• Direct interaction and case-based discussions with OTs are recommended for enhancing NP knowledge.
• Educational initiatives at NP conferences and within clinical coursework can improve interprofessional understanding and collaboration.