ARTICLES

 

The accreditation of vocational assessment areas: Proposed standard statement and measurement criteria

 

 

Susan Beukes

B OT; BSc. Med. Sc. Hons, M OT (Stellenbosch). Head of Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Interdisciplinary Sciences, University of Stellenbosch

Correspondence

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

Vocational Rehabilitation Programmes managed by occupational therapists and the emphasis placed on continuous quality improvement in service delivery, resulted in the question: "How can occupational therapists ensure that the quality of vocational assessment services delivered to clients are of an acceptable standard?"
This study aimed to address the question by developing a standard statement and measurement criteria for the assessment of work abilities of clients using the Donabedian approach for setting standards of practice.
Two rounds of questionnaires, using a Delphi survey method, resulted in the formulation of a standard statement and measurement criteria for the Structure, Process and Outcome of work assessment areas by which the work abilities of clients are assessed. The standard statement and the accompanying measurement criteria set the basic standards for quality assurance and can contribute to the implementation of continuous quality improvement processes in vocational assessment areas that may result in the accreditation of vocational rehabilitation programmes managed by occupational therapists.

Key words: Vocational Rehabilitation Programme, Quality Assurance, Continuous Quality Improvement, Vocational Assessment Areas

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

References

1. United Nations. Realisation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Through International Standerd setting (Standard rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities). 1994.         [ Links ]

2. Republic of South Africa. Employment Equity Act. 1998 October; 55.         [ Links ]

3. Republic of South Africa. Labour Relations Amendment Act. 1996 10 September 1996; 42.         [ Links ]

4. Republic of South Africa. White Paper on an Integrated National Disability Strategy. 1997.         [ Links ]

5. Bauman MK. The importance of outcome measurement in quality assurance. Holist Nurs Pract, 1991; 5(3): 8.         [ Links ]

6. Society for Hospital Social Work Directors. Quality and quantity assurance for social workers in health care : a training manual. Chicago, Ill. American Hospital Association; 1981.         [ Links ]

7. Wright CC, Whittington D. Quality assurance: An introduction for health care professionals. Churchill Livingstone; 1992.         [ Links ]

8. Berwick DM. Continuous improvement as an ideal in health care. N Engl J Med, 1989; 320(1): 53-56.         [ Links ]

9. Anderson Y European nurses take lead in quality assurance. Int Nurs Rev, 1994 Jan-Feb; 41(1): 13-16.         [ Links ]

10. Braveman B. Leading & managing occupational therapy services: an evidence-based approach. Philadelphia: Davis; 2006.         [ Links ]

11. Crombie IK. The Audit handbook: improving health care through clinical audit. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley; 1993.         [ Links ]

12. Wakefield DS, Wakefield BJ. Overcoming the barriers to implementation of TQM/CQI in hospitals: myths and realities. QRB Qual Rev Bull, 1993 Mar; 19(3): 83-88.         [ Links ]

13. Donabedian A. The role of outcomes in quality assessment and assurance. QRB Qual Rev Bull, 1992 Nov; 18(11): 356-360.         [ Links ]

14. Innes E. Workplace-based occupational rehabilitation in New South Wales, Australia. Work, 1995; 5(2): 147-152.         [ Links ]

15. Kettle M. Personal injury compensation cases in the United Kingdom-The use of American vocational assessment tools in personal injury compensation. Work, 1995; 5(1): 17-22.         [ Links ]

16. Pratt J, Jacobs K. Work practice: international perspectives. Butterworth-Heinemann Medical; 1997.         [ Links ]

17. Schneider M, Marshall S. Society Security for People with Disabilities. Research report: Department of Welfare, Directorate: Social Security. 1998.         [ Links ]

18. Rudman D, Hall M, Langlois S. The evolution of a quality programme within a changing environment. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy 1997; 64(1): 16-24.         [ Links ]

19. Roberts A. Who owns quality in the occupational therapy profession and how do we assure it. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 1992;55(1): 4-6.         [ Links ]

20. Society for Hospital Social Work Directors. Quality and quantity assurance for social workers in health care: a training manual. Chicago, Ill. American Hospital AAssociation; 1981.         [ Links ]

21. Sale D. Quality assurance. 1st ed. Basingstoke, Hampshire: MacMillan; 1990.         [ Links ]

22. Travis J. Cross-disciplinary competency standards for workrelated assessments: Communicating the requirements for effective professional practice. Work, 2002; 19: 269-280.         [ Links ]

23. De Bono E, Arzt E, de Bono E, de Bono E, Médecin I, Malta GB. Simplicity. Viking; 1998.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Susan Beukes
sbeuk@sun.ac.za