Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Sleep, Sleepiness, And Driving Performance In Healthcare Shiftworkers, Melissa Knott

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Almost half of Canadian healthcare workers are employed in rotating day/night shifts to provide essential 24-hour services. However, poor sleep quantity and quality are pervasive in shiftwork and may negatively impact cognitive functions required for driving. Furthermore, healthcare shiftworkers (HCSW) are under-represented in research examining shiftworkers’ sleep and driving performance. Thus, this dissertation examined sleep, sleepiness and driving performance in HCSW via three aims. First, chapter 2 aimed to quantify and describe HCSWs’ sleep-related driving experiences and advance the understanding of occupational adaptations used by HCSWs to meet driving demands. Second, chapter 3 aimed to quantify differences in sleep, sleepiness, …

Honoring Neurodiversity As An Occupational Therapist, Haley Munson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to discover if and how current occupational therapists use neurodiversity affirming practices through their work with clients that identify as neurodivergent. Neurodiversity refers to variations in cognitive functioning that are considered normal since no two brains function the same. Occupational Therapists (OTs) frequently work with clients that identify as neurodiverse, including with individuals with diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and sensory processing disorder. This study uses a qualitative approach with a semi-structured interviews to gain insight into OT’s integration of ND affirming principles into practice. Learning how OT’s implement ND affirming practices will …

Accessiblehomepro As An Educational Intervention: Preparing Occupational Therapy Students To Perform Home Safety Assessments, Laryn O'Donnell

Theses and Dissertations

The growing aging population of the United States urges occupational therapy practitioners to address the population's home safety needs. However, current occupational therapists need more resources and education to conduct comprehensive home safety evaluations. This study employed a pretest-posttest mixed methods design using occupational therapy students (n=17) to investigate the potential of AccessibleHomePRO as an educational intervention to enhance OT student knowledge of home safety assessments, perceived knowledge, which is known as the belief in your level of knowledge, and self-efficacy, which refers to the confidence in completing a task. AccessibleHomePRO (AHP) is a novel multifaceted assessment that leverages artificial …

Occupational Therapy Students’ And Graduates’ Perspectives Of Traditional And Nontraditional Level I Fieldwork Experiences, Carrie Gorman, Mariah Cadzow, Paige Inch, Alyson Onder, Colin Reed

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

Among occupational therapy students and recently graduated practitioners, what are the perceptions of Level I fieldwork in understanding the role of an occupational therapist, application to didactic coursework, and impact on overall skills?

Quantitative findings suggest that students and graduates perceived traditional Level I FW settings to be the most effective for understanding the role of an OT, application to didactic coursework, and impact on overall skills in comparison to respondents who experienced non-traditional Level I fieldwork settings. Qualitative data supports this finding as the most common theme reported was participants' desire to work alongside an OT during fieldwork, as …

Occupational Therapist Perspectives On Oral Hygiene Interventions Among Children And Youth With Autism, Kimberly Duetsch, Megan Chamberlin, Jordyn Hamilton, Anna Mostoller, Giannalise Pepoli, Emma Sanchez

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

What are the perceptions and experiences of OT professionals regarding the implementation and efficacy of interventions addressing oral hygiene among children with ASD?

The current study suggests that a wide variety ofOH interventions are being implemented in practice and are perceived to be efficacious by OT/OTAs. Implementation of these interventions is not without barriers, the most reported being carryover in the home. Findings suggest the potential for positive outcomes of the collaboration between dental professionals and OTs/OTAs. Future research is needed to explore how to navigate this collaboration given the time and setting constraints within each discipline.

Provider And Caregiver Perspectives On The Family Guided Routines Based Approach To Interventions, Leanne Rutt, Hannah Brezinski, Jane Seitz, Arianna Ramsaran, Nathan Smith

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

1. What were the perceptions of EI providers that received their coaching endorsement, on the value of improving their competence and confidence in applying the FGRBI coaching model to improve client outcomes?

2. Among caregivers of children served in early intervention, what were their experiences with an FGRBI endorsed provider?

The inherent nature of early intervention (EI) service delivery involves developing a strong collaborative dynamic with caregivers in support of the child.Our study investigated how providers and caregivers felt about the new implementation of theFGRBI model within HMJ counties. Despite low response rates, overall both providers and caregivers reported they …

Compliance Is Not Inclusion: Exploring The Lived Experience Of Disabled Occupational Therapy Students And Practitioners, Joanna Behm, Grace Euler, Rachel Luscher, Hannah Mumau, Lauren Viscusi

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

What is the lived experience of disabled occupational therapists in terms of the supports and barriers encountered during their participation in OT school and OT practice?

This study explored the lived experiences of disabled OT students and practitioners. The findings demonstrate the ableism and barriers experienced by the participants in a field that is meant to fight ableism with disabled clients. Conversely, the success of the participants when barriers were removed demonstrated the key tenants of the social model of disability. As a profession, OT should continue to work towards inclusion of disabled students and colleagues.

The Impact Of Peer Support On Social Participation For Burn Survivors, Jim Foster, Hannah Davis, Eveny Miller, Arianna Moyer, Erin Terreson, Megan Miller

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

In our study, we looked at six main areas of life (LIBRE domains) to see how people who received support from peers after a burn injury, compared to those who did not get such support. The standard score was determined to be 50, with 40 being one standard deviation below the norm and 60 being one standard deviation above the norm. Those who did not receive peer support had higher social participation scores than those who received peer support across all six domains. Though, those who did receive peer support and those who did not receive peer support both had …

Sensory Rooms In Schools, Leanne Rutt, Makenna Bailey, Abigail Chez, Katelyn Correll, Emily Nunn, Ashley Schott

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

What are school staff's (teachers, related service providers, administrators, etc.) perceptions of the utilization and efficacy of sensory rooms to support student participation in education?

This study aimed to contribute to increasing the knowledge base of effective sensory room use in the school-based context. Majority of the respondents were special education teachers and school-based OTs, but according to literature, OTs should have the largest role. There was vast diversity with how the rooms were used and what equipment/supplies were within the room (most for unplanned purposes). Responses were largely positive for the impact on student behavior/emotional regulation. 15 out of …

Enhancing Workforce Diversity: Recruitment & Admissions Strategies Of Ot Programs, Joanna Behm, Abrielle Kautzmann, Holly Peterson, Kayla Shin, Tiffany Tseng

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

How do OT programs recruit and admit diverse students?

The findings of this study indicated that although universities valuethe recruitment and admissions of diverse students, work still needs to be done. Universities should consider recruitment strategies used by schools with more diversity like creating articulation agreements with universities with diverse student bodies, having diverse admissions staff, and ensuring marketing materials reflect diversity and inclusivity. They should also consider admissions strategies like inclusion of a diverse review committee and student group interviews. Future research should explore diverse students’ perspectives on their recruitment and admissions experiences.

Predictive Value Of Gg Score On Discharge Destination In Patient’S With Neurological Conditions, Krystal Robinson-Bert, Taylor Davis, Kayleigh Frisch, Mallory Maclellan, Travis Meckley

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

Research Questions

1. When using section GG of the Care Tool, what items successfully predict discharge destinations?

2. What are the cut off scores for each item that determine the location when using section GG?

3. Does an increase in GG scores between admission and discharge effect the appropriate discharge destination?

It would be beneficial for inpatient rehabilitation hospitals to identify patients at admission that may be at a higher risk to discharge to a location other than home. This high-risk group could include any patient that scores below the mean for GG total score (61.2) or below the mean …

Association Of Fall-Related Injuries And Different Diagnoses In Older Adults Of Ontario: A Machine Learning Approach, Sorour Rostampour

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among older adults in Canada. This study aimed to identify the most informative diagnostic categories associated with fall-related injuries (FRIs) using three machine learning algorithms: decision tree, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting tree (XGBoost). Secondary data from two Ontario health administrative databases (NACRS, DAD) covering the period 2006-2015 were analyzed. Older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) who sought treatment for FRIs in emergency departments (ED) or hospitals, as indicated by Canadian version of the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10-CA) codes for falls …

Developing Rehabilitation Treatment Decision Aid For People Living With Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (Crps), Erfan Shafiee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This Ph.D. dissertation aimed to develop a treatment decision aid for people with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) using the Ottawa Decision Support Framework (ODSF). The decision aid was developed throughout a two-phase process.

The first phase involved understanding the existing evidence and the factors influencing decision-making in CRPS rehabilitation: priorities and preferences of patients and therapists were considered. This phase encompassed the integration of diverse sources of evidence, including systematic reviews, overview of systematic reviews, critical appraisal of guidelines, and a survey exploring patients' and therapists' priorities and preferences for CRPS rehabilitation interventions. All forms of evidence were used …

The Implementation Of A Career-Readiness Program For Youth In A Group/Foster Care Setting, Brianie Clarke, Brianie Clarke

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The transition from high school to any form of postsecondary education is often a challenging experience in and of itself. For individuals who are a part of the foster care system, it is increasingly difficult to traverse this transition due to decreased access to resources and support. Throughout this capstone experience at the group home, A Kid's Place, I created a career readiness program that focused on gauging what each individuals’ interests are, curating a realistic career pathway/plan that would aid in the accomplishment of their goals, and created resourceful materials that would prepare participants to begin their own postsecondary …

Addressing Psychosocial Client Factors In People With Cancer: An Occupational Therapy Guidebook, Hannah Marlette

Student Capstone Papers

People with cancer experience a variety of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial impacts that affect their quality of life, occupational performance, and occupational engagement. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are well-equipped to address these impacts, however, OT is an underused service in the cancer population, resulting in a limited amount of literature addressing OT interventions in cancer care. OT interventions in the literature are focused on addressing an individual’s physical client factors. The focus on physical client factors is causing people with cancer to report that their psychosocial client factors are not being addressed. The literature demonstrates that OT practitioners do not …

Incorporating An Occupational Therapy Perspective In A Pediatric Early Developmental Clinic, Olivia Mahoney

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Clinical Research Capstone At The National Institutes Of Health Clinical Center, Deborah J. Kofsky

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Accommodated Gymnastics Program For Atypically Developing Children, Ashtin Callahan

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Lymphedema Management For Those Living With Spinal Cord Disorders To Address Caregiver Burden, Nia L. Bolen-Daniels

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The following capstone project focused on the creation of a booklet that identified the needs determined by caregivers and providers. The booklet includes beneficial resources to aid in reducing caregiver burden for those with spinal cord injuries (SCI) with lymphedema needs with a concentration of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) population. This capstone project’s primary goal was to understand the caregiver’s perspective and their needs to assist with any gaps identified to further aid them and their providers.

The Dynamics Of A Full-Time Academician: Teaching, Scholarship & Service, Jalissa Nicole Black

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

Academia by definition is “an environment or community concerned with pursuing research, education, and scholarship” (Oxford Languages, n.d.). In higher education, such as graduate-level studies, academia is a system fostering the growth in knowledge and practicality of students aiming to be of professional standing, however, academia from a full-time faculty member standpoint is to also be a life-long learner and pursuer of knowledge as well. My doctoral capstone experience (DCE) took place under the guidance of Christina Kane, EdD, MS, OTR/L, a full-time faculty member at Nova Southeastern University where she acts as Doctoral Capstone Coordinator, Academic Professor, and Advisor …

Expanding The Occupational Therapy Oncology Rehabilitation Program At James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Annalisa M. Rodriguez

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Cancer Care: Prioritizing Quality Of Life And Symptom Management, Bridgett N. Tegen

Graduate Projects & Research

Advancements in cancer treatment have led to increased survival rates, emphasizing the importance of quality of life (QoL) for cancer patients. One critical factor impacting QoL is the presence of symptoms and side effects from cancer and cancer treatments. Disjointed care and lack of information about managing symptoms are common issues reported by cancer patients. Rehabilitative services, particularly occupational therapy, can play a vital role in supporting cancer patients in self-management of symptoms and side effects. However, availability and access to these services are lacking, especially in community settings. To address this gap, an educational program was developed at a …

Implementing An Interprofessional Early Childhood Screening Program At The St. Paul City School, Stephen Schuster Ots

Graduate Projects & Research

Early childhood screening (ECS) is required with 30 days of starting kindergarten in the state of Minnesota. However, due to lack of access and barriers to access many current kindergartners have not been screened within the deadline. Low SES and minority students face barriers to access such as transportation and caregiver trust. This project was designed to create an ECS program at the St. Paul City School to address the barriers to screens that the students and families faced. Having the ECS program on-site at the school is more convenient for families and allows them to stay in the environment …

Addressing Academic And Faculty Challenges: Empowering Success And Accessibility With An Occupational Therapy Perspective, Madisyn Anderson

Graduate Projects & Research

Introduction: The increasing presence of students with disabilities in higher education necessitates improved faculty support and awareness of on-campus support services and accommodations. Occupational therapists can play a vital role in promoting inclusion and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles by collaborating with faculty to enhance the academic experience and success of students with disabilities.

Purpose: The primary aim of this project was to evaluate and educate faculty on student support services at the University and share knowledge on Universal Design for Learning to enhance the existing literature on the significance of OT in higher education.

Approach: I completed an …

Exploring The Experiences Of Underrepresented Students Pursuing Health-Related Graduate Or Professional Programs, Alison Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many years graduate and professional education programs for the health professions have sought to increase the diversity of their student body to include students from a wider variety of backgrounds. Increasing the diversity of healthcare providers is an essential component of addressing inequities in healthcare. However, despite initiatives to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the health professions, these professions remain largely White and female. Previous researchers have sought to identify the reasons that racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented in healthcare, and the barriers to persistence and success. Little research exists explaining why men are underrepresented in the …

Advanced Mental And Behavioral Health: Community-Based Practice, Erin Crouch

Graduate Projects & Research

The purpose of this Masters project was to emphasize community psychosocial practice through collaboration with a local mental health organization by conducting a needs assessment, implementing a project at the community site, and evaluating the outcomes. Prior to collaboration with the organization, a literature review was conducted analyzing the role of occupational therapy working with individuals with serious mental illness. From this, it was found that occupational therapists can work with individuals with serious mental illness to engage in meaningful occupations, increase a sense of accomplishment, competence, and satisfaction, and participate in community living. Additionally, it is within occupational therapy's …

Enhancing Student Support In Higher Education: Occupation-Based Programming And The Vital Role Of Occupational Therapy, Emily M. Medcalf

Graduate Projects & Research

Introduction: With the higher education student populations facing greater prevalence of mental health conditions and greater presence of students with disabilities attending higher education, there is a greater demand than many higher education resources can meet. Therefore, there is a need to revise the current student support structure. This project advocated for the role of occupational therapy (OT) program development in higher education student disability services.

Purpose: The primary aim of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a virtual 4-week occupation-based pilot program. The initial pilot participants included students receiving accommodations from the Student Accessibility and Accommodations (SA&A) …

Occupation, Play, And Memory Making; Creating An Ot Guide For Pediatric End Of Life Care, Madalyn O'Reilly

Graduate Projects & Research

Introduction: Pediatric hospice care is often under researched and under-resourced for children and their families. In addition, children with medical complexities often have difficulties with receiving holistic comprehensive care.

Purpose: This project aims to create an end-of-life toolkit support staff at Crescent Cove providing care for children receiving services. This project will educate staff on ADLs, positioning, sensory-based interventions, and energy conservation, in addition to providing education on the role of occupational therapy at the end-of-life.

Approach: The student completed an extensive literature search for pediatric hospice care with an occupational therapy-based lens. The staff at Crescent Cove were then …

Understanding Athletes’ Experience When Transitioning To Life Beyond Sport, Mary L. Dell'arciprete, M Lauren Dell'arciprete

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

Discontinuation may be by choice or may be due to an injury; however most collegiate athletes’ sports engagement ends due to graduation causing them to shift their role in an occupation that played a crucial role in their self-identity. Athletes of all levels are challenged in their transition beyond sport and in the adjustment to the various role changes that occur. A significant life event, such as the end of one’s athletic engagement, can cause a loss of identity, purpose, and mental health decline. Former athletes may experience occupational disruption, a temporary inability to adequately engage in meaningful tasks due …

Implementation Of An Intensive Amplitude-Focused Program With Stroke Patients In An Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting, Lauren R. Lafreniere

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

This 16-week capstone experience with Southern Crescent Traumatic Brain Injury Center (SCTBI) focused on creating and implementing an intensive amplitude-focused program to improve functional and motor outcomes in stroke survivors. The student achieved Lee Silverman Voice Treatment-BIG (LSVT-BIG) certification to gain in-depth knowledge regarding neuroplasticity and recalibration of the sensorimotor system through high-amplitude movements. The student utilized the knowledge gained from the certification course to create an intensive high-amplitude program appropriate for acute stroke survivors in an inpatient rehabilitation setting. The program is comprised of exercises that are completed in either supine, seated, or sitting and focus on functional movements …