The effect of DVD training on the competence of occupational therapy students in manual handling: A pilot study

Background/Aims: The rapid expansion of web-based video hosting platforms has resulted in DVD-assisted learning being increasingly used in higher education. This format is particularly attractive for teaching clinical skills as it provides a permanent resource that can be cost effective for the university, while providing a flexible learning tool for the learner. DVD-assisted learning has been found to be effective in teaching clinical skills when compared with other teaching modalities; however, the majority of this research has been conducted in the discipline of medicine to teach surgical skills. The aim of this research was to determine the efficacy of a DVD-based teaching approach (intervention) compared with the traditional face-to-face approach (control) to teach occupational therapy students to transfer a patient using a hoist.

Methods: A single-blind, randomised controlled pilot trial was carried out among final-year occupational therapy students (n=12) who were randomly assigned to DVD-assisted or face-to-face training. Each participant’s performance in executing the transfer of a non-weight bearing client from bed to wheelchair was evaluated pre-and post-training using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment. Students’ perceived confidence in completing the task and satisfaction with the training was evaluated post-training.

Results: Both groups of students demonstrated an improvement in performance of the hoist transfer following training. There was no significant difference in the level of improvement between groups; however, the small sample size meant the research could not reach definitive conclusions. Participants who attended face-to-face training had higher levels of perceived confidence in completing the task and were more satisfied with the training received than those who engaged in DVD-assisted training.

Conclusions: This study is inconclusive in determining whether DVD-assisted training is as effective as face-to-face training in the acquisition of hoist transfer skills among occupational therapists. With DVD-assisted learning expected to increase, this study offers a useful protocol by which to conduct research on this topic with a larger sample size.