A scoping review of fundamental concepts relevant to the education of occupational therapists delivering driving assessments in Aotearoa | New Zealand
Author: Karen Molyneux
Supervisors: Rita Robinson Sian Griffiths
5 December 2023
Molyneux, K. (2023). A scoping review of fundamental concepts relevant to the education of occupational therapists delivering driving assessments in Aotearoa | New Zealand. (Unpublished document submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Occupational Therapy). Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga, New Zealand. https://doi.org/10.34074/thes.6435
Abstract
In Aotearoa | New Zealand occupational therapists provide driving, passenger, and vehicle modification assessments. The therapists’ role involves significant responsibility and accountability by ensuring not only the safety of clients and the New Zealand public but also meeting and understanding the legal implications of assessments. A scoping review to identify and map the educational needs of occupational therapists intending to practice driving assessment has been undertaken. Although occupational therapy driving assessments are offered in Aotearoa | New Zealand, no formal education is available to provide an opportunity to engage and obtain core fundamental concepts. The review question was therefore developed as “What does the literature identify as the knowledge, skills and competency required to be an occupational therapy driving assessor?”
Occupational therapists work with families and cover a wide and diverse range of medical conditions and physical capabilities, while also prescribing the use of modifications and adaptations. Access to assessment for the intervention and evaluation of driving ability for adolescents and youth with congenital, traumatic, or medical conditions are supported by occupational therapists. At the same time, research and articles published both nationally and internationally report the exponential growth of senior populations in the future, which will correlate to an increase in the numbers of senior drivers intending to, or wishing to maintain their driving independence. Accordingly, occupational therapists will be under greater demand to provide services for age-based and medical driving assessments (Dickerson et al., 2011; Martin et al., 2013). Establishing the fundamentals of an educational programme designed for the Aotearoa | New Zealand environment is judicious and timely.
Keywords
occupational therapy, driving assessments, skill, knowledge
Licence
A copy of the thesis is publicly available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International
