Clinician influences on use of portable electronic memory devices in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation

Abstract

Primary objective: To explore the relationship between a group of clinicians’ own experience, training and confidence with portable electronic memory devices and their use of the same in traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation.Research design: Survey study.Methods and procedures: Eighty-one TBI clinicians from various disciplines and work settings completed a survey distributed in person or by mail.Main outcomes and results: Twenty-nine respondents (36%) reported using portable electronic memory devices with patients with TBI. Using regression analysis, respondent device training and confidence teaching patients device use were statistically associated with respondents’ use of such devices in TBI rehabilitation.Conclusions: Portable electronic memory device use with persons following TBI may be under-utilized. The importance of ongoing clinician training and of maximizing clinician confidence utilizing these devices in TBI rehabilitation is emphasized. The representativeness of the respondent sample is discussed. Specific training strategies and continued research needs are presented.