Project Title:Development and Evaluation of Guidelines to Facilitate Return to Productive Occupations following Soft Tissue Injuries of the Neck and Back

Research Team:
Rappolt, S.

Research Partner:
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists

In a series of projects, Susan Rappolt has been working with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists about guidelines for clinical practices. She has co-authored the CAOT national position statement clinical practice guidelines (paper forthcoming- CJOT, June 2007), and is also working with CAOT on a national survey of occupational therapists' compliance with CPGs, and on policies for CAOT's endorsement of clinical practice guidelines for international dissemination. Dr. Rappolt has been invited to speak on the topic locally, as an invited speaker at national forums in the 2005, 2006 and 2007 CAOT annual conferences, and in Australia.

Her interest in guidelines for practice has attracted three graduate students, each of them working toward guidelines for practice (Mary Kita, GDRS, Return to work with acquired brain injuries; Tanya Eimantas, GDRS, home and vehicle modifications; and Lynn Rutledge, Dalhousie, assessment of soft tissue injuries of the neck and back).

This project was given M-THAC Opportunities Fund seed funding.