Difficulty of the subtasks comprising bed-wheelchair transfer in patients with subacute strokes: A cohort study

Objective: Bed-wheelchair transfer comprises multiple subtasks; hence, it is impor-tant to know the difficulty of each subtask to identify and prioritize subtasks that must be practiced. This study aimed to investigate the difficulty of the subtasks that comprise bed-wheelchair transfer upon admission and reacquiring subtask skills during hospitalization. Materials and methods: This was a single-center prospective cohort study. We enrolled 137 consecutive stroke patients (mean age: 69.8 years) admitted to subacute rehabilitation wards who used wheelchairs upon admission. The degree of independence in each of the 25 subtasks that comprised transferring was assessed using the Bed-wheelchair transfer Tasks Assessment Form every 2 weeks. The number of patients who were independent in the subtasks upon admis-sion and those who were not but became independent during hospitalization were examined. Results: The most difficult subtask for independent patients upon admis-sion was Manipulate the handrail for the bed (18.3%), followed by Ready the wheelchair for transfer (19.3%), Maneuver the wheelchair toward the appropriate place for transfer to the bed (20.6%), Wear shoes/brace (24.8%), and Turn while standing (25.5%). The most difficult subtask for those who were not independent but became independent was Ready the wheelchair for transfer (32.1%), followed by Manipulate the handrail for the bed (32.9%), Press the nurse call button (36.4%), Press the nurse call button (wheelchair-to-bed) (36.7%), and Lock the wheelchair brakes (37.3%). Conclusions: Subtasks related to preparation for transfer were difficult upon admission, and this tendency became more pronounced during the skill acquisition process.

Automated summary

This study investigated the difficulty of subtasks involved in bed-wheelchair transfer and found that these difficulties were present upon admission and became more pronounced during the skill acquisition process during hospitalization.