Wheelchair service provision content in professional rehabilitation organisations’ standards documents and contemporary initiatives: a rapid review

Figures & data

Figure 1. PRISMA flow diagram.

Image of the PRISMA flow diagram showing the number of records found at the identification and screening phases, and ultimately the total number included.

Table 1. Shows the number of posts related to wheelchair service provision by each organisation since the initiation of that particular social media account.

	Facebook	Twitter	Instagram	YouTube
ISPO	52	26	NA	NA
ISPRM	26	12	8	6
WFOT	21	24	3	5
World Physiotherapy	21	23	8	31

Figure 2. Perpetuating and attenuating factors related to inadequate wheelchair education.

Image of a graph demonstrating the main attenuating (including advocacy, peer support, and existing resources) and perpetuating factors (including limited awareness, support, and resources) of inadequate wheelchair service provision.

Table 2. States of wheelchair integration into University Curricula.

State of integration	Description
Advocacy	Raising awareness of the need for wheelchair service provision education into the professional rehabilitation curricula for approval of wheelchair-specific course
Planning	Identifying resources and strategies to manage requirements and constraints in the integration process
Course development and delivery	Assembling components of the wheelchair-specific course based on the plan, ensuring the context-specificity of course content and delivery for approval of wheelchair-specific course
First-time implementation	Offering the newly integrated wheelchair service provision course as planned to the students. Evaluating (1) the students’ academic performance, (2) the efficacy of the course’s pedagogic approaches and (3) course evaluations whether by the students in a formal process or by the collaborators and the instructors giving informal feedback.
Improvement	Improvement of the wheelchair service provision course based on to the feedback and to the student performance

Table

Document (year published)	Section and/ or page #	Extracted text
ISPO Education Standards for Prosthetic/Orthotic Occupations (2018)	-p 12	-In addition to treatment planning and the implementation for custom prosthetic/orthotic interventions, professionals may also be responsible for modular or prefabricated devices, soft goods, mobility aids, postural supports, wheelchairs and other assistive products related to prosthetic/orthotic services.
	-p 38	-Core Prosthetic/Orthotic Theory and Practice…IV. Positioning/mobility devices; i. Seating systems; ii. Wheelchairs; iii. Standing frames
ISPO Standards for Prosthetics and Orthotics: Part 1 Standards (2017)	-p 17	-Prosthetics and orthotics services (including wheelchairs) should be provided by competent, adequately trained professionals.
		-Complicated prosthetics and orthotics treatment and care of complex cases should be provided by a multidisciplinary team of professionals with complementary skills.
	-p 18	-Training in prosthetics and orthotics should be aligned with national and international educational standards.
		-Training in prosthetics and orthotics should be available at various levels to fully meet national needs.
	-p 19	-Healthcare professionals, especially rehabilitation professionals, who provide treatment relevant to prosthetics and orthotics services should have adequate knowledge about prosthetics and orthotics.
		-Continuing professional development should be compulsory in prosthetics and orthotics professional practice.
ISPO Standards for Prosthetics and Orthotics: Part 2 Implementation Manual (2017)	-p 50	-Prosthetics and orthotics courses should also provide fundamental knowledge of…provision of other mobility assistive products, such as wheelchairs and crutches, which are often prescribed with prostheses and orthoses
Educational Standards Workbook (2018)	N/A	None identified
ISPO Education standards for P&O Occupations (2018)	-p 22	-Prosthetic/orthotic occupations are a spectrum of specialised health care disciplines that combines a unique blend of clinical and technical competencies to provide assistive products for people with physical impairments. In addition to treatment planning and the implementation for custom prosthetic/orthotic interventions, professionals may also be responsible for modular or prefabricated devices, soft goods, mobility aids, postural supports, wheelchairs and other assistive products related to prosthetic/orthotic services. It is therefore imperative that an appropriate occupational structure is established and maintained to ensure that service recipients receive care from qualified professionals
ISPRM Curricula for Undergraduate Education in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (2012)	-p 10	-Goals and objectives for long term programs (the Hannover model): longer formal exposure to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (at least 2 weeks)…C. Interventions…k. Assistive technology, technical supports and aids (e.g., mobility aids, communication aids)
ISPRM Core Curriculum & Competencies for the Professional Practice of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (2019)	- p 2	-Rehabilitation prescription writing 1 (exercise, orthotics, prosthetics, wheelchairs, assistive devices for ambulation, and other durable medical equipment or assistive devices)
	-p 3	-Interventions:…Assistive technology/augmentative communication
World Physiotherapy Physiotherapist education framework (2021)	-p 16	prescription, application, and, as appropriate, fabrication of devices and equipment (assistive, adaptive, orthotic, protective, supportive, and prosthetic)
	-p 53	assistive technologies and adaptive devices - devices and equipment, components, remediation of impairments, functional limitation, disabilities, safety
	-p 53	ergonomics and body mechanics - dexterity and coordination during work, functional capacity during work, safety during work, specifics of work conditions, work tools, devices, equipment, body mechanics during selfcare, home management, work, community and leisure (with and without assistive, adaptive, orthotic, prosthetic, protective, and supportive devices and equipment)
World Physiotherapy Physical therapist entry level education guideline (2011)	-p 8	-Tests and measures may include, but are not limited to, those that assess…assistive technology and adaptive devices; orthotic, protective and assistive technologies, including Activities to Daily Living (ADL)
	-p 22	-Assistive technologies and adaptive devices may include assessment of: devices and equipment, components, remediation of impairments, functional limitation, disabilities, safety
	-p 23	-Ergonomics and body mechanics may include assessment of…body mechanics during self-care, home management, work, community and leisure (with and without assistive, adaptive, orthotic, prosthetic, protective and supportive devices and equipment)
	-p 25	-Therapeutic exercise may include: aerobic capacity/endurance …wheelchair propulsion programmes -Gait and locomotion training…wheelchair training
	-p 27	-Device and equipment use and training… assistive technologies and adaptive devices or equipment training during activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL)
	-p 29	-Prescription, application and, as appropriate, fabrication of devices and equipment may include: …assistive devices…wheelchairs
World Physiotherapy Policy statement: Description of physical therapy (2019)	Appendix 1	-Intervention/treatment is implemented and modified in order to reach agreed goals and may include: …prescription, application, and, as appropriate, fabrication of devices and equipment (assistive, adaptive, orthotic, protective, supportive and prosthetic)
Guideline: Qualifications of faculty for physical therapist professional entry level education programmes (2011)	N/A	None identified
Guideline: Standard evaluation process for accreditation/recognition of physical therapist professional entry level education programmes (2011)	N/A	None identified
Policy statement: Education (2019)	N/A	None identified
WFOT Minimum Standards for the Education of Occupational Therapists (2016)	-p 34	-Analysing, adapting and grading occupation…assistive technology scope and usage
Position Statement: Occupational Therapy and Assistive Technology (2019)	-p 1	-WFOT advocates that assistive technology provision is a core competency within occupational therapy practice for optimising the fit between a person’s abilities and desire to engage in occupations…
	-p 1	-Occupational therapists deploy a broad range of assistive products, which affords them an important role in enacting the WHO’s vision for universal sustainable access to appropriate assistive technology
Position Statement. Educational Research in Occupational Therapy (2021)	N/A	None identified
Occupational Therapy Human Resources (2021)	N/A	None identified