The Menu Task in Occupational Therapy: A Qualitative Study of Practitioners' Perspectives

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Rehabilitation medicine
• Cognitive assessment

Background:

• Functional cognition is crucial for reducing hospital readmissions.
• A performance-based functional cognition screen is lacking for inpatient rehabilitation settings.
• Occupational therapy practitioners need effective tools to assess cognitive abilities impacting function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore occupational therapy practitioners' perceptions of the Menu Task's utility.
• To understand how the Menu Task addresses functional cognition impairment in inpatient rehabilitation.
• To evaluate the perceived benefits and drawbacks of the Menu Task for clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interpretive constructionist design.
• Phenomenological approach utilizing semi-structured interviews.
• Involved nine inpatient rehabilitation occupational therapy practitioners.

Main Results:

• Three key themes emerged: focus on ability, convenient administration, and areas for improvement.
• Practitioners found the Menu Task convenient and informative regarding functional cognition.
• The screen highlights patient abilities and aligns with occupational therapy principles of participation.

Conclusions:

• The Menu Task is a valuable, user-friendly tool for occupational therapists in inpatient rehabilitation.
• It effectively reveals functional cognition abilities and supports occupational participation.
• While improvements are suggested, the Menu Task enhances clinical practice for addressing cognitive impairments.