Evaluation of the role of the rehabilitation assistant

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the rehabilitation assistant: a junior multidisciplinary grade combining key elements from nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy. The authors analysed daily activities, sophistication of clinical thinking and functioning of the role using timesheets, the think-aloud technique and semi-structured interviews. Rehabilitation assistants were found to facilitate rehabilitation and extend therapists' roles. Mobility, washing and dressing and activities of daily living were found to constitute most of a rehabilitation assistant's average day, with nursing skills and speech and language therapy appearing only in specific teams. All of the rehabilitation assistants displayed the ability to be able to think about the reasons behind the tasks they carried out, as opposed to merely following instruction from senior staff. The organization of the role of the rehabilitation assistant differed according to the team focus, structure and process within which the team operated. However, the specific role and boundaries of rehabilitation assistants' responsibilities need to be clearly defined for the role to function optimally.