Reliability of an Upper-limb Assessment Tool for Acute Neurological Patients

ObjectiveOccupational therapists working within acute neurosciences assume a primary role in the identification of upper-limb impairments, and to achieve this, they require measurement tools, which are sensitive to small changes in patient function. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a newly developed upper-limb assessment tool (ULAT) for acute neurological patients.MethodsUsing a prospective study design, 30 patients with a confirmed neurological diagnosis completed the ULAT. Nonparametric statistics were then completed to examine the ULAT’s reliability.ResultsThe ULAT exhibited strong intra- and inter-rater reliability and acceptable internal consistency across patients with various neurological diagnoses.ConclusionEvidence of the ULAT’s robust reliability supports its ongoing refinement and potential use in acute care neurological settings by occupational therapists.