Authors (including presenting author) :
Ng SHW(1), Chan KPY(1), Wong KY(1), Kwan TLM (1), Lee CH(1), Leung AKY (1), Louie FTM(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Occupational Therapy Department, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital
Introduction :
Cognitive stimulation activities are proven beneficial to brain health, especially for patients with major neurocognitive disorder. Occupational therapists commonly use computerized cognitive games as one of the treatment modalities in cognitive rehabilitation. Recently, three cognitive training software are newly introduced to our department. Traditionally, occupational therapists will perform activity analysis and provide face-to-face supporting staff training with demonstration sessions. Under Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic with social distancing measures, we organized an E-Games competition to facilitate therapists’ activity analysis and prepare supporting staff to get familiar to the activities so as to facilitate patient’s training assigned by therapists. It is hoped that all staff can analyze and learn in a challenging and interactive way under a new normal.
Objectives :
1. To facilitate therapists’ activity analysis and enhance supporting staff’s operation skills in operating new cognitive training software through an E-Games competition.
2. To provide a happy learning experience in staff training under COVID-19 pandemic.
Methodology :
Therapists and supporting staffs were randomly assigned in groups of two. They were encouraged to self-learn at free time. Practicing sessions were held before competition so that therapists-in-charge could provide help if staff encountered any learning difficulties. Concerning social distancing and inflection control under COVID-19 pandemic, individual groups were arranged to battle at different computers in different periods of time. In each battle, individual groups would draw a “mission card” and complete the mission as quick as possible. The winner groups in the preliminaries would be advanced to the next round, and so on. To boost staff’s participation, the first three winners would receive certificates and prizes which are beneficial to brain health. 4-item questionnaires were collected for feedback.
Result & Outcome :
28 staffs in occupational therapy department (17 therapists, 11 supporting staff) participated in this E-Games competition. 86% strongly agreed that this E-Games competition can facilitate activity analysis and operation of new cognitive training software. 92% strongly believed that this new form of learning was more effective than traditional staff training. 100% agreed that this competition can bring happiness in work while safely improve social interaction with colleagues under COVID-19 pandemic.
E-Games competition, which facilitates activity analysis in an interactive way and promotes safe interaction between staff, can be a new normal of staff straining under COVID-19.
