Research Article Open Access

Statistical Measurement of Nurses’ Level of Awareness of Value of Occupational Therapy Services in a Paediatric Ward

Lesetja Given Ledwaba1, Legashe Hezekiel Ledwaba1, Rirhandzu Valley Mathebula1, Monica Magole Makgale1, Lerato Ammilorate Malele1, Tshinetise Alfred Ramukumba1 and Solly Matshonisa Seeletse2
  • 1 Department of Occupational Therapy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, MEDUNSA, 0204, Gauteng Province, South Africa
  • 2 Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, MEDUNSA, 0204, Gauteng Province, South Africa

Abstract

The study investigated the extent of information the nurses have about Occupational Therapy (OT) and its place within a health Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). It took place in the paediatric ward of the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Gauteng Department of Health. It was stimulated by the adverse attitude of the nurses to the OT staff and/or students from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) for prescribed OT activities in that ward. The purpose of the study was to demonstrate that if nurses in a MDT setting did not understand OT purpose, then this may cause lack of their appreciation of OT activities and of occupational therapists. Forty-three nurses participated in the study. Most of them did not know much about OT and seemed to have different impressions about the OT profession. The study recommended that the nurses should be informed about other practitioners in the MDT of their workplace, how each one works and the scope of the nurses’ work.

American Journal of Applied Sciences
Volume 14 No. 6, 2017, 614-622

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajassp.2017.614.622

Submitted On: 1 August 2016 Published On: 12 April 2017

How to Cite: Ledwaba, L. G., Ledwaba, L. H., Mathebula, R. V., Makgale, M. M., Malele, L. A., Ramukumba, T. A. & Seeletse, S. M. (2017). Statistical Measurement of Nurses’ Level of Awareness of Value of Occupational Therapy Services in a Paediatric Ward. American Journal of Applied Sciences, 14(6), 614-622. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajassp.2017.614.622

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Keywords

  • Multidisciplinary Team
  • Occupational Therapy Intervention
  • Paediatric Ward