University of Missouri-Columbia School of Health Professions Link to MU Homepage link to MU Homepage School of Health Professions
search  
Virtual Health Care Team
Case StudiesAbout VHCTContinuing EducationHealth ReferencesContact UsHome

Table of Contents

Overview
Patient Presents
Social and Medical History
Initial Assessment and Investigations
Diagnosis
Team Members
Acute Management I
Acute Management II
Surgery
Early Rehabilitation
Late Rehabilitation I
Late Rehabilitation II
Discharge
Post-discharge
References

Authors:

Quinette Louw, PhD, MASP
and Stephanie Lochner, BSc

University of the Western Cape

Case Editor:

Carmen Abbott, PT, MS
printer Printer-Friendly Version
envelope Forward to a Colleague
checkmark Permission for Use

Paraplegic Rehabilitation in South Africa

Discharge


All team members including Zamani agreed that he was ready for discharge. He had attended all the group educational sessions and was functionally independent. He had spent three months in the hospital.

Zamani was discharged on the 23rd of February 1996. His functional ability was as shown in the table.

Classification of the patient's functional abilities
Functional ability Independent Needs assistance Unable to do
Passive movements *    
Rolling *    
Positioning in bed *    
Sleeping prone *    
Sit up *    
Balance long sit *    
Balance high sit *    
Transfers:      
Bed *    
Chair *    
Floor *    
Car *    
Bath *    
Wheelchair mobility *    
Level surfaces *    
Slope *    
Uneven surfaces *    
Curb *    
Gutter *    
Sand, grass *    
Eating *    
Dressing *    
Washing *    
Ambulation:      
Stand up wheelchair *    
   Chair *    
   Ground *    
Mobility *    
Level surface *    
Uneven surface *    
Gutter and curbs *    
Open/close door     *
Stairs with rail     *
Stairs without rail     *

Follow-up Management and Problems Faced Post-discharge

Initially after discharge, the major problem experienced at the university was the inaccessibility of buildings due to the absence of ramps and lifts. He was forced to find alternative paths to his lecture halls and could not attend biochemistry practicals as the building was on the fourth floor, and had no lifts.

Socially he coped well, but he perceived many of his friends to be too sympathetic.

Previous: Late Rehabilitation II
Next: Post Discharge

Published by the Virtual Health Care Team ®
School of Health Professions
University of Missouri-Columbia
Questions? Comments? Contact Us
Copyright © 2006 — Curators of the University of Missouri
DMCA and other copyright information.
An equal opportunity/ADA institution.
All rights reserved. Disclaimer and Terms of Use
Last Update: August 29 2006