Digital Commons Network^™

Efficacy Of Educational Programs For Homeless Adults With Mental Illness, Madison Herbeck, Samantha Proctor, Bailee Scheer

Critically Appraised Topics

Homeless adults continually face occupational deprivation. There is a lack of reimbursement for occupational therapy community-based interventions (Gutman, 2021). This critically appraised topic aims to explore how educational programs will impact and influence positive occupational engagement and quality of life for homeless adults with mental illness.

Case Report: Pre- And Post-Surgical Physical Therapy Management Of A Lateral Meniscus Tear, Michael Duginski

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. Meniscus surgeries comprise roughly 10% to 20% of all orthopedic surgeries, or roughly 850,000 surgeries annually. This case was the evaluation of a male with a torn right lateral meniscus who started physical therapy prior to undergoing a surgical repair of his right lateral meniscus. It will be determined if physical therapy interventions can improve meniscus injury symptoms and post-surgical recovery

Case Description. The patient was a 21-year-old male with a right lateral meniscus tear. The patient presented with the classic presentation of the diagnosis: knee clicking, difficulty on deep knee bending, pain, locking in knee joint …

Rehabilitation Post Rotator Cuff Repair Secondary To Rotator Cuff Tear: A Case Study, Jager Lane Hanson

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: A rotator cuff repair (RCR) is the broad term for an operation that is effective in treating the damaged muscles and/or tendons that support the shoulder and hold it in place, as well as facilitate active movement of the shoulder. This case study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of physical therapy following an RCR and discusses the outcomes experienced by the patient.

Case Description: The patient was a 54-year-old female who received post-surgical physical therapy 7 weeks following arthroscopic surgery to her right rotator cuff and was seen in outpatient therapy for 8 treatments following the initial …

Occupational Therapy’S Ability To Address Perceived Stress Levels In Caregivers Of Individuals With Dementia, Kjerstin Drugan, Molly Van Drehle, Jadalyn Wagner

Critically Appraised Topics

Caregivers of individuals with dementia face unique challenges that affect their ability to participate in their occupations and maintain low-stress levels (Armstrong et al., 2019; Chiao et al., 2015; Cooper et al., 2010; Delgarno et al., 2021; Franzosa et al., 2019; Gleason & Miller, 2021; Lloyd et al., 2019; Madruga et al., 2020; Piersol et al., 2017; Sterling et al., 2021; Yong et al., 2020). Evidence has supported the benefits of occupational therapy intervention for caregiver well-being (Burgess et al., 2021; Lloyd et al., 2019; Raj et al., 2021; Sztramko et al., 2021; Yong et al., 2020). In this critically …

Outpatient Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient With Low Tone And Developmental Delay: A Case Study, Ana Braaten

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Developmental delay is when a child does not reach a developmental milestone by the expected age. Low tone is when there is poor muscle strength. This case study evaluates the effectiveness of conservative physical therapy care as a treatment for low tone and developmental delay. The study also discusses the patient’s outcomes based on the chosen interventions. These results can be used to further understand the most efficacious interventions for low tone and developmental delay treatment.

Case Description: The patient was a 9-month-old male referred by his primary care provider for low tone and developmental delay.

Interventions: …

Rehabilitation Following Unilateral Total Hip Arthoroplasty Of A Patient With A Collapsed, Necrotic Femoral Head: A Case Study, Chelsea Christina Edwards

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Avascular necrosis is a disease that results from the temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to the bone. This case study evaluates the effectiveness of physical therapy following a unilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA) for management of avascular necrosis. The purpose of this case study is to provide information regarding avascular necrosis, its prognosis, and the best forms of treatment with or without surgery.

Case Description: The patient was a 70-year-old female who received post-surgical physical therapy in the outpatient setting to regain functional mobility and a return to prior level of function.

Intervention: The therapy …

How The Physical Long-Haul Symptoms Of Covid-19 Influence Occupational Performance From A Person-Environment-Occupation Perspective: A Critically Appraised Topic, Emmalee Burtsfield, Amber Matlock, Alyssia Pucel

Critically Appraised Topics

An increasing number of adults continue to experience the long-term physical effects of COVID-19. Currently, there is uncertainty regarding the best practices in occupational therapy to address long-haul COVID-19 symptomology and its effects on people as research on the topic continues to emerge (Robinson et al., 2021). The purpose of this critically appraised paper is to identify prominent areas on which occupational therapists should focus during evaluation and intervention planning while considering the person, environment, and occupation to encompass the ideals of best practice when working with adult clients who are facing disruptions as a result of long-haul COVID-19 symptoms.

Moderate To Severe Traumatic Brain Injury And Cerebral Hemorrhage And The Effects Of Physical Therapy In The Acute Care Setting: A Case Study, Rachel Marie Beaner

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States (CDC). Patients who experience a TBI may require hospitalization and intensive medical treatment. The purpose of this case study is to evaluate the role of physical therapy intervention in the acute care setting for a patient with a moderate to severe TBI and cerebral hemorrhage.

Case Description: The patient is a female in her early 30’s who experienced a TBI and cerebral hemorrhage. She required an emergency craniotomy and was admitted to the intensive care unit for further care. …

Effective Occupational Therapy Interventions For Reducing Parental Stress In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Ann Landreville, Annah Greenmyer, Makayla Murden

Critically Appraised Topics

John et al.’s (2018) study found that over half of the mothers in the NICU suffer from moderate to severe anxiety. This anxiety negatively impacts parents’ abilities to engage in the occupation of caring for their child, which can have long-term consequences. Currently, there is a lack of research on occupational therapy-specific interventions that focus on reducing parental stress in the NICU setting. The purpose of this critically appraised topic (CAT) is to discover which stress-reducing occupational therapy interventions have a positive impact on the abilities of parents to successfully care for their infants in the NICU.

Using Social Annotation To Enhance Student Engagement In Psychology Courses, Julie Lazzara, Virginia Clinton-Lisell

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

Increasing engagement in asynchronous online courses is a goal for many college instructors. While discussion boards have been used in the past, social annotation is an alternative that may have multiple benefits for instructors and students. Students from an introductory psychology course (two sections) and a developmental psychology course (one section) used Perusall for social annotation with open educational resources. Over the semester, on average, students submitted quality annotations and more than what was required. Students also reported predominantly favorable perceptions of social annotation via a survey using both Likert scale and open-ended items. These findings are suggestive of student …

Generalized Weakness From Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome And Liver Failure: A Case Study, Kelly Dawn Bosch

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is a condition that occurs when an individual stops drinking alcohol or significantly decreases his or her alcohol intake after long-term dependence. The symptoms that develop vary in severity. Out of the 2 million people who experience alcohol withdrawal in the United States, 500,000 of them require treatment for their symptoms which can include physical therapy. The purpose of this case study is to describe and examine the treatment of a 48-year-old male who presented to the hospital with severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, liver failure, and generalized weakness to determine the most effective …

Myasthenia Gravis, Briton Bussman

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neurological condition involving dysfunction at the neuromuscular junction. There are very few clinical studies and limited research on patients with myasthenia gravis and the effect of exercise. The purpose of this case study was to add to the current research in treatment of myasthenia gravis with physical therapy.

Case Description: The patient was a 73 year old male coming to therapy reporting decreases in functional mobility as well as a decrease in balance. He had been diagnosed with MG at age 62. He also reported that he feels that his strength has …

Case Report: Physical Therapy Management Of Cerbrovascular Accident Of The Middle Cerebral Artery, Devin Douvier

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. A cerebrovascular accident, CVA, is one of the largest causes of disability to Americans every year. Over 800,000 people experience a CVA every year with 600,000 of those people experiencing their first CVA. The purpose of this case study is to discuss and review the role of rehabilitation services, specifically physical therapy, in the care of an acute cerebrovascular accident.

Case Description. The patient was a 55-year-old man presenting to the transitional care unit after a middle cerebral artery CVA. He was an active power lifter and was taking performance enhancing drugs recently before his stroke.

Intervention. …

Physical Therapy Mangement Of A 23-Year-Old Male Experiencing Cervicalgia And Headaches, Matthew Thomas Grasser

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. Headaches are one of the most common disorders globally, with a potential for major disability. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) roughly 50% of the population globally are affected by headaches. The WHO states that 50-75% of adults within the last year report neck pain associated with headaches, while 30 % of these individuals reported they were experiencing migraines. The main types of headaches include tension, cluster, migraine and cervicogenic. The purpose of this case report is to see if my patient experienced a positive outcome while in my care with the use of manual therapy …

Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient With Rotator Cuff Pathology, Hailey Lynn Braegelman

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Rotator cuff pathology includes dysfunction of at least one of the rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder. This case report assesses the effectiveness of conservative physical therapy treatment with a patient who has pathology of the rotator cuff musculature and the result of the patient’s function following the treatment. Case Description: The patient was a female in her mid-60s who had fallen and landed on her elbow, resulting in pain of the shoulder. This patient was seen in the outpatient orthopedic physical therapy clinic for a total of 10 treatments. Interventions: The patient underwent conservative physical therapy …

Physical Therapy Management Of A 43-Year-Old Female With Adhesive Capsulitis: A Case Study, Kaitlin Delores Feist

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Adhesive Capsulitis, also known as frozen shoulder, affects about 2- 5% of the general population and yet the exact cause is still unknown. It occurs when the capsule of the glenohumeral joint thickens and causes the joint to become stiff resulting in decreased range of motion, strength, and pain which all can last for multiple years. The purpose of this case study is to describe the clinical reasoning and decision making in the physical therapy management of a patient with adhesive capsulitis by evaluating and discussing the examination and evaluation, interventions, and overall plan of care in …

Medium Altitude Long Endurance Rpa Training: Evaluating Blended Learning, Zachary P. Waller, Robert H. Stupnisky

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

The Heads Down Display (HDD) Menu Trainer – a stand-alone software trainer – was developed to familiarize students in Remotely Piloted Aircraft training with the layout and manipulation of the HDD menus for either the MQ-1 or MQ-9. Preliminary work by Waller et al. (2016) established the efficacy of the HDD Menu Trainer in improving student performance from pretest to posttest scores across several modalities (i.e. traditional, blended, and distance). Recognizing that students holding pilot certification scored higher in some aspects of the HDD Menu Trainer, this study sampled students across a curriculum to assess whether performance with the HDD …

Pediatric Telehealth Simplified: A Toolkit For The Rural Pediatric Occupational Therapy Practitioner, Stacy Michelle Buschette

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project is to promote occupational therapy to rural pediatric populations by means of effective and efficient telehealth service delivery via an extensive toolkit. The toolkit is meant to enhance the occupational therapy practitioner’s skills, abilities, and competencies pertaining to telehealth to ease the transition to telehealth implementation.

Methodology: An in-depth literature review of current research was conducted to determine the common barriers and supports that are experienced by occupational therapy practitioners implementing telehealth service delivery. Due to the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous occupational therapy practitioners were compelled to transition to telehealth intervention …

Tiny Humans, Huge Environments: All The Sense’S Coming Into Play, Jessica L. Blackman

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a busy overwhelming environment that differs from the womb. In the womb, an infant is protected from noises and bright lights, tasting and smelling the mother's diet, feeling movement and pushing against the mother as they grow (Altimier & Phillips, 2016). It is ideal for a premature infant's neurodevelopment to have the NICU environment mimic the womb. Two models were selected to help guide the product development, one occupation-based model and one NICU-based model.

Methodology The Person, Environment, Occupation (PEO) model Law et al. (1996) was selected to be used as it …

Increasing Health, Wellness, And Self-Care In Older Adults Experiencing Mental Health Effects During And After A Pandemic, Hayley Blom

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The COVID-19 pandemic calls for new solutions in promoting increased health, wellness, and self-care in older adults experiencing mental health effects during and after a pandemic. As the virus began to spread in the United States in early 2020, social distancing measures were implemented to reduce the spread of the virus. During this time of uncertainty, assisted living facilities (ALF) put a halt to all program activities, mealtimes in the communal dining area, and any other activities or events that were face-to-face. Along with activity programming, most facilities restricted visitors from entering the building including residents’ loved ones. These factors …

Addressing Challenges Related To Community Reintegration Following A Traumatic Brain Injury, Alexia Rose Gallagher

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Addressing Challenges Related to Community Reintegration Following a Traumatic Brain Injury

Introduction: The purpose of this scholarly project was to create a guide of resources and tools available in and around Bismarck, North Dakota that individuals after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can utilize to assist in their successful return to their community. The Rancho Los Amigos Scale was utilized to effectively guide which resources and supports were needed based on the functional level the individual is currently presenting at. The Person Environment Occupational (PEO) Model theoretical framework was utilized to guide the creation and implementation of this community …

Promoting Adherence To Lymphedema Manageemnt: A Resource Guide For Ot Practitioners In Interprofessional Teams, Marissa Louise Dreiling

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The chronic condition of lymphedema continues to be poorly recognized and managed by healthcare providers due to limited knowledge and education, which poses barriers for patients trying to manage from a personal, occupational, and environmental standpoint. The barriers experienced by patients include complex and time-consuming management approaches with little attention towards health literacy causing poor self-efficacy, lost independence in occupations, increased distress and frustration, isolation, and withdrawal (Boyages et al., 2016; Keast, Despatis, Allen, & Brassard, 2015; Ostby, Armer, Smith, & Stewart, 2018). The purpose of this product is to provide occupational therapy practitioners with educational strategies and materials to …

Clinical Teaching And Learning In Respiratory Therapy: An Analysis Of Student And Clinical Instructor Expectations Using The Cognitive Apprenticeship Theory, Jessica Jane Arndt

Theses and Dissertations

Quality clinical education is an essential element of respiratory therapy education yet, many respiratory therapists who serve as clinical instructors lack formal pedagogical training. To enhance clinical education and align expectations, other healthcare disciplines have utilized the Cognitive Apprenticeship Theory (CAT). The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to learn more about clinical education in respiratory therapy by examining the expectations of both clinical instructors and students regarding the CAT teaching methods. Since the required entry level education, credentials, and licensing have been a recent source of controversy within the profession, the impact of these variables was also assessed. …

The Discovery And Investigation Of Jig (Cg14850): A Previously Uncharacterized Novel Drosophila Melanogaster Protein, Sayem Hoque Bhuiyan

Theses and Dissertations

Despite Drosophila being one of the most studied model organisms in the world of research, one-third of 14,000 protein-encoding genes that the Drosophila genome possesses code for proteins that are yet uncharacterized. While investigating some of these uncharacterized Drosophila proteins, we identified a scarce protein type–a protein localized in both mitochondria and nucleus. Proteins, dual-localized in mitochondria and nucleus, establish communication between these organelles. This type of dual-localized protein is among the rarest of proteins, which limits us from fully understanding the mito-nuclear communication mechanism. Here, we tell the story of Jig, which we discovered to be one of those …

Analysis Of Safety Event Reporting Behaviors And Attitudes Amongst Uscg Aviators, Kevan Patrick Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

Safety event reporting is an essential component of Safety Management Systems (SMS) that helps organizations identify and address hazards. USCG aviation has a robust safety reporting process, however subject matter expert review and academic studies suggest that underreporting occurs in the USCG and in similar organizations, and that certain barriers to reporting may exist. A survey was designed and distributed to active duty USCG aviators (151 valid responses received) to identify historical reporting behaviors, attitudes towards pre-identified barriers, qualitative perceptions of reporting barriers, and attitudes towards potential new reporting policy and processes. Statistical analysis of the results found that lack …

Analysis Of The Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge, Skills Survey – Healthcare Edition, Jessa Hulteng

Theses and Dissertations

Cultural competence has been identified as one of the methods needed to reduce health disparities for over the last 40 years. Despite being largely accepted method in reducing health disparities, there has been limited progress to increase cultural competence of the healthcare workforce. One of the issues identified that limits progress is inconsistent means of measuring cultural competence. Based on this issue, this study investigated the construct validity of the Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills Survey – Healthcare Edition (MAKSS-HC) using exploratory factor analysis methodology, specifically Principle Axis Factoring using oblique rotation. Results were interpreted using the Multicultural counseling competence …

The Architecture And Dynamics Of Gene Regulatory Networks Directing Cell-Fate Choice During Murine Hematopoiesis, Joanna Handzlik

Theses and Dissertations

Mammals produce hundreds of billions of new blood cells every day througha process known as hematopoiesis. Hematopoiesis starts with stem cells that develop into all the different types of cells found in blood by changing their genome-wide gene expression. The remodeling of genome-wide gene expression can be primarily attributed to a special class of proteins called transcription factors (TFs) that can activate or repress other genes, including genes encoding TFs. TFs and their targets therefore form recurrent networks called gene regulatory networks (GRNs). GRNs are crucial during physiological developmental processes, such as hematopoiesis, while abnormalities in the regulatory interactions of …

An Examination Of The Effects Of Body Mapping Instruction On Singers’ Static Standing Posture And Posture While Singing, Amanda Moreno

Theses and Dissertations

Physical posture is one of the fundamental aspects of vocal technique, and voice pedagogues suggest that effective alignment is necessary for healthy vocal production. Body Mapping (BMG) is a somatic method that focuses on the understanding and correction of errors in a person’s body map to facilitate effective movement for musical activity. Because this method has balance, physical alignment, and posture as foundational, it may be an effective way to begin to instruct students. This study investigated whether the use of the BMG method, which teaches posture through movement, scientific pictures, and anatomical models, would result in a significant difference …

Mosquito Fauna And Prevalence Of Avian Malaria In The Turtle Mountains, North Dakota, Kelsey J. Morin

Theses and Dissertations

Avian malaria is a disease caused by intracellular parasites transmitted by mosquitoes and is detrimental to individual birds and their populations. Although it is sub-lethal in most instances, avian malaria can result in anemia, lower fertility, and reduced migration ability. The Turtle Mountains is a unique ecoregion in North Dakota and provides habitat for various bird and mosquito species that differ from other parts of the state. Previous research has defined the mosquito fauna and occurrence of avian malaria in the Red River Valley region of eastern North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota; however, no research has been conducted in the …

Behavioral Responses Of Breeding Ducks To Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Surveys And Best Practices For Breeding Waterfowl Surveys Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Mason Ryckman

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become a popular wildlife survey tool. As such, biologists are exploring the use of UAVs for surveying waterfowl. The most cited benefit of using UAVs over traditional methods is the idea of reduced disturbance, but this has had limited formal evaluation across species. We conducted UAV surveys with associated behavioral observations of ducks on wetlands and on nests during the 2019 – 2020 breeding seasons. We found species-specific behaviors among blue-winged teal (Spatula discors), northern shoveler (Spatula clypeata), and gadwall (Mareca strepera) including ducks noticing the aircraft, but reactions were generally less than traditional ground …