Vocational/educational services in a medical rehabilitation facility: outcomes in spinal cord and brain injured patients.

Abstract

Records of 86 patients were reviewed to study whether adding on-site professional vocational/educational staff to a multidisciplinary medical rehabilitation program made an impact on vocational/educational outcomes in patients with spinal cord and brain injuries. Differences in such outcomes between the 2 patient groups were also explored. Patients who participated in an inpatient program prior to the addition of on-site vocational/educational staff were compared to those who participated after professional staff were added. Vocational/educational placement rates increased from 19% or lower to as high as 78% in cases where vocational/educational services were appropriate.