Abstract
Aims Occupational therapists working in Canada have to deal with a shortage of human resources. In the case of bathing-equipment recommendations, a proposed solution, albeit controversial, is to use skill mix. The purpose of this article is to describe the use of skill mix in home-care occupational therapy in Quebec,Canada, with patients with bathing diffi culties. Methods All provincial Health and Social Services Centres (N = 95) were contacted by phone and surveyed on their setting and use of skill mix. Findings Findings: The participation rate was 91%, with results indicating that 89% of the protocols for determining the need for technical assistance with bathing in home-care services involve skill mix. Generally, occupational therapists collaborate with physical therapists or with home-health aides; substitution occurs by task assignment. Clinical occupational therapists provide informal training, lasting 1–40 hours (mean of 8 hours), and have developed 63 ‘in-house’ tools to assist those involved in the task. Conclusions This article provides a portrait of the use of skill mix in home-care occupational therapy in Quebec with clients with bathing diffi culties, looking at a proposed solution to human resource shortages, a problem experienced worldwide.
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