Gaining insights to the clinical reasoning that supports an on-road driver assessment

Background. Researchers have yet to examine the clinical reasoning of occupational therapists undertaking driver assessments. Purpose. Conduct pilot research exploring the kinds of clinical reasoning used during an on-road driver assessment and to determine if the quality of the data supports further inquiry into the use of head-mounted video camera footage to prompt recall of clinical reasoning. Methods. Using a single-case, qualitative design, head-mounted video camera was used to record the on-road assessment and the therapist subsequently provided her reasoning using video-prompted recall. Findings. The video footage from the head-mounted camera provided an excellent prompt, and the therapist was able to give a thorough account of her clinical reasoning during the on-road assessment. Implications. This novel method of capturing on-road driver assessments and prompting recall of reasoning has the potential to aid expert and novice driver assessors understand and advance the clinical reasoning that guides fitness-to-drive recommendations.