Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Experiences Of Working Sandwich Generation Caregivers, Kimberly Ben, Susan Macdermott

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster presents an insightful exploration into the lives of Working Sandwich Generation Caregivers (WSCs), a group defined as individuals aged 30-65 who simultaneously provide care for both aging adults (over 65 years old) and younger dependents (29 years old or younger), while also managing their careers. The study delves deep into the unique challenges and experiences faced by WSCs, aiming to highlight the occupational, emotional, and physical demands inherent in their roles. Through qualitative research methods, including interviews and occupational therapy assessments, the manuscript offers a comprehensive look at the balancing act WSCs perform daily. It seeks to inform …

The Transition To Adulthood For High School Students With Special Needs, Athena Hays, Mary Jan Greer, Jinna Danser

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The reason for many special needs students not engaging in occupations after high school is because many guardians have not had to navigate this type of transition before and are not provided enough education on what these opportunities include before their students graduate. Many students with special needs do not optimize their engagement in the community because guardians are not being provided with education on post-graduate opportunities.

The purpose of my Doctoral Capstone Project is to develop an educational transition service program for special needs students as well as guardians and teachers of these students preparing for high school graduation …

Evidence-Based Practice For Terminal Extubation: A Guideline Development For Critical Care, Heather Marica

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: In the critical care unit it was identified that providers utilized various practices in managing patients who were to be terminally extubated (TE). The variations in TE practice resulted in healthcare providers engaging in the TE process feeling unsure of the care they were providing and questioning if best practice measures were being implemented.

PICOT: The PICOT question guiding this project was: “In acute care adult patients who are to be TE (P), how does the development of an evidence-based TE guideline (I) compared to current TE practices (C) improve critical care healthcare workers perception and ability to …

Hypertension Education To Enhance Health Literacy, Kylee Westrip

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The health of patients suffers greatly when their health literacy is not addressed through evidence-based education material.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was, in adult patients with hypertension (P), how does evidence-based education material (I) compared to the current state of verbal instructions provided (C) affect health literacy rates based on the high blood pressure health literacy scale (O) within 12-weeks (T)?

Evidence: The literature evidence revealed three strong themes, which included information on who is most at risk for low health literacy levels, education delivery methods, and specific education to be used.

Intervention: …

Back To Basics: Improving The Quality Of Blood Pressure Measurement, Heather Sailor

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Hypertension is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Blood pressure measurement (BPM) is at the forefront of diagnosing and treating hypertension, however, it is often measured inaccurately.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In outpatient adult patients (P), what is the effect of implementing a standardized blood pressure measurement protocol (I) versus standard measurement (C), on the quality of blood pressure measurement (O) within 8 weeks (T)?

Evidence: Implementation of a blood pressure measurement protocol has been shown to improve the quality of blood pressure measurement.

Intervention: A blood pressure measurement protocol …

Icu Liberation Bundle: A Multidisciplinary Approach, Julie Anne Snyder Amoroso

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Patients with increased ventilator days see dramatic increases in their chances of developing healthcare-related conditions (HAC). Extended ICU stays increase the potential for problematic issues in patients' physical, mental and spiritual health with short-and-long-term consequences.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was looking at adult ventilated patients in a medical ICU (P) and what is the effect of initiating interdisciplinary ABCDEF-ICU liberation bundle rounding as (I) compared to no ICU liberation bundle rounding (C) has on the length of ventilator days (O) over eight weeks (T).

Evidence: Evidence from quality studies and backing from the …

Reducing Falls Related To Toileting, Brian Locastro

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The practice problem for the medical-surgical unit is a high rate of falls associated with toileting activities, despite universal fall precautions for all patients. The current fall rate is an average rate of 4 falls per 1,000 patient days.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: Among adult patients in the inpatient medical-surgical unit (P), what is the effect of adding a toileting care plan (I) to the current practice of universal fall precautions (C) to reduce the severity and incidence of falls (O) within an 8-week period (T)?

Evidence: Nine high-quality articles supported a toileting …

Exploring A Role For Occupational Therapists In Adult Eating Disorder Treatment, Felicia Titus, Karen Park

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Occupational therapists working in eating disorder (ED) treatment in the United States is an emerging practice area. The main objective of this study was to seek an understanding of the perceived gaps in current adult ED treatment in the United States, from both the perspectives of ED treatment providers and individuals with an ED to discover if there is a role for occupational therapists.

Methods: The design of this study was a convergent mixed methods in which the data was collected through online surveys and recorded semi-structured interviews of ED treatment providers (N = 15) and individuals diagnosed …

Implementing An Evidence-Based Practice Change For Alcohol Withdrawal In An Acute Care Hospital, Theresa Carroll

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) affects a significant portion of the population in the United States. When AUD is either unrecognized or inadequately treated in the acute care setting it can lead to medical complications, increased length or stay (LOS), increased healthcare expense, and increased patient mortality.

PICOT: In a population of adult patients admitted to an acute care hospital progressive care unit (P), how does applying an initial evidence-based screening tool to detect risk for moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal, the PAWSS (I), compare to no standard screening or assessment for potential alcohol withdrawal symptoms (C) affect the …

Enhancing Discharge Preparation For Adults With Substance Use Disorder Within A Residential Treatment Facility, Piper Virva, Susan Macdermott, Becki Cohill, Karen Park

Summer 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The community reintegration process is a vital aspect of the recovery journey, which requires sufficient planning and preparation prior to discharge from treatment (Read & Stoffel, 2019). Individuals enrolled in a residential treatment program for SUD indicated that higher levels of assistance and preparation during the transition to community living and involvement in comprehensive discharge planning would better prepare them for community reintegration (Manuel et al., 2017). Historically, the role of occupational therapy (OT) with this population has been to facilitate the resumption of meaningful roles, identify supportive habits and routines, and address executive functioning deficits related to SUD (Champagne …

Protecting Sleep To Reduce Delirium In An Adult Intensive Care Unit, Heather Thomas

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Delirium is a common, yet often preventable complication in hospitalized patients. It is often caused by fragmented sleep, medications, environmental stimuli, and treatment therapies.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this evidence-based practice change project was: For patients in an adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU), does using a nurse-initiated, non-pharmacological sleep-enhancement protocol, versus no sleep-enhancement protocol, reduce the incidence of ICU-delirium over a period of 2 months?

Evidence: The reviewed literature supported the evidence for effective use of a nurse-initiated protocol in reducing delirium in the ICU. Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria for the review of literature …

Improve The Risk Of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections With Central Line Dressing Changes Through A Team Approach, Jessica Comstock

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) are a preventable hospital acquired infection which contributes to patient morbidity, mortality and rising healthcare costs.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In adult inpatients with central venous catheters, does the use of a two-person dressing change team, compared to a single person procedure, decrease the rate of central line associated bloodstream infections over the course of 8 weeks?

Evidence: The prevention of CLABSI is most effective when multifaceted line maintenance bundles are implemented and adherence to these bundles nears 100% (Schreiber et al. 2018).

Intervention: A two-person, …

Implementing Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury (Hapi) Prevention Program, Marisa Raynaldo

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury (HAPI) is a serious problem in patient care and has deleterious implications for the patient and the healthcare system. A 530-bed acute care hospital in the Rio Grande Valley identified a similar challenge and implemented a HAPI preventive program.

PICOT: This evidence-based practice (EBP) project was guided by the following PICOT question: In the Intensive Care Unit/Medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU/MICU) patients aged 18 and older, does a pressure preventive bundle, compared to routine pressure injury care, reduce the incidence of pressure injury, within 21 days?

Evidence: The reviewed literature supported evidence of effective use …

Lifestyle Management For Individuals With Vestibular Disorders, Michelle Pock, Becki Cohill, Susan Macdermott

San Marcos, Fall 2019

Individuals with vestibular disorders have concerns that impact lifestyle including limiting activities of daily living, limiting participation in social events, difficulty driving, and difficulty working (Cohen, 2014). Occupational therapists are able to help individuals with vestibular disorders by task analyzing symptom provoking activities, assessing the impact of symptoms on occupations, providing adaptations, and providing ways to modify environments (Gronski, Neville, Kannenberg, & Cohen, 2017). While occupational therapists are qualified to provide services to sustain and improve the occupational performance of individuals with vestibular disorders, occupational therapy is not well represented in this area particularly in addressing lifestyle components for vestibular …