Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Primary Care With Older Adults, Kate Gearman, Tessa Richards

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The older adult population in the United States (U.S.) is projected to increase over the next 30 years (United States Census Bureau, 2014). With that, nearly two-thirds of older adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with at least one chronic health condition (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016b). These findings highlight a need for more specialized services for this population. Primary care is one sector of healthcare service delivery operating within the U.S. healthcare system. Presently, occupational therapy services are limited in primary care settings as defined in this scholarly project. Occupational therapy services have demonstrated efficacy in …

Student Organization For Accessibility And Resources (Soar) Program: A Policies And Procedures Manual, Molly Hofmeister, Kelsey Schiller

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Students with disabilities who attend college face many challenges with little support; and therefore are at a higher risk of preemptively dropping out of college (Mamiseishvili & Koch, 2011). Some of these challenges and barriers include but are not limited to roles and responsibilities of support staff and a greater demand for students’ self-reliance (Garrison-Wade, 2012). The Student Organization for Accessibility and Resources (SOAR) Program is a current peer mentorship program missioned to provide guidance and mentorship for college students with disabilities as they negotiate the complexities of transitioning and attending college (Morrison, personal communication, September 13, 2016). Peer mentorship …

Parent Guide For Therapeutic Play, Amber Brown, Corey Lof

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this project was to create a guide for parents of children ages three through six who have transitioned from early intervention services and did not qualify for early special education services. Delays may be present in many areas including cognitive, fine motor, gross motor, social-emotional, and adaptive development (North Dakota Department of Human Services, 2013), creating difficulty for the child to engage in everyday occupations including play.

An extensive literature review was conducted in order to obtain up to date information on the importance of play in development and facilitation of parent led play sessions. Research articles, …

Happy Hearts: A Caregiver's Guide To Assisting Patients With Heart Failure, Stephanie Carlson, Ashley Waller

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop a holistic guide that could be provided by occupational therapists (OTs) to caregivers of individuals with heart failure (HF). A thorough literature review was completed on the impact that caregiving for individuals with HF has on mental, physical and environmental aspects of the caregiver and their role as a caregiver. The literature revealed that there is a significant number of individuals with HF and the role of caregiving is on the rise. As the need for caregivers’ increases, the demands associated with caregiving responsibilities increases accordingly. Activities that caregivers assist HF …

Enhancing Single Custodial Father's Parenting Skills: A Group Protocol, Jordyn Johnson, Alicea Steir

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The rate of single-custodial fathers is increasing (Leininger & Ziol-Guest, 2008). As single-custodial fathers have become more prevalent (Leininger & Ziol-Guest, 2008), programs are needed to provide them with support and information regarding the skills needed to raise children at each developmental stage (Panter-Brick et al., 2014). The purpose of this project is to create a set of group protocols that will provide single-custodial fathers that are living in transitional housing with the skills necessary to raise children at different stages of development.

An extensive literature review was conducted, and information pertinent to parenting programs for single-custodial fathers was collected …

Interdisciplinary Mental Health Approach To Equine Assisted Therapy For Veterans, Elizabeth Large, Brier Van Valin

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this program plan, Veteran Equine Therapy Services: An Interdisciplinary approach (VETS), is to provide an interdisciplinary, theory-driven structure to increase veterans’ occupational performance in the community using equines as a therapeutic medium.

Methods: A thorough literature review was completed focusing on current PTSD treatment options for veterans, beneficial effects of using animals and equines in treatment, and interdisciplinary team effectiveness. Scholarly articles were retrieved through databases found on the Harley E. French Library website located at the University Of North Dakota School Of Medicine and Health Sciences including PubMed, Google Scholar, Sociological Abstracts, CINAHL, and PsycInfo. …

Resource Guide For Secondary Complications Of Individuals Aging With A Spinal Cord Injury, Allison Laska, Emily Proctor

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop an easy to use resource guide to aid occupational therapists in working with those aging with a spinal cord injury (SCI) that have endured a secondary complication and advocating to other healthcare professionals the usefulness of occupational therapy in treatment of these individuals.

Method: An extensive literature review was conducted using Cinahl, OT Search, PubMed, PsycInfo, various medical journals, OT course textbooks, and documents obtained from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) website. Information was gathered about aging with SCI, common secondary complications in SCI, OT’s role in SCI, OT’s …

Occupational Therapy Feeding And Eating Interventions For Autism Spectrum Disorders And Pervasive Developmental Disorders: A Systematic Review, Jordan T. Adolf, Hana M. Mattern

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Due to the limited evidence and lack of methodological rigor regarding feeding and issues in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), clinicians who treat children with these diagnoses rely on the limited amount of information and many are not aware of evidence-based interventions (Ahearn, Castine, Nault, & Green, 2001; Marshall, Hill, & Dodrill, 2013). The purpose of this scholarly project is to gather, critique, and determine efficacy of occupational therapy feeding and eating interventions for children with ASD and PDD.

We systematically reviewed literature for higher-level evidence, as defined by Level III evidence or above, …

Virtual Reality: An Evidence-Based Guide For Occupational Therapy, Grant Mitchell, Kyle Nelson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that serves to position the user in control of a virtual environment to maximize interest and function. VR is a context for intervention included in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process 3rd edition (OTPF-3; AOTA, 2014). It is crucial that occupational therapy (OT) practitioners enhance their knowledge about VR technology used by their clients to provide effective client-centered practice (AOTA, 2010). There is a lack of organization of the literature and research evidence regarding the use of VR as an intervention modality. While there has been a significant increase in …

Curriculum Development For Occupational Therapy Education: Integrating Collaboration And The Use Of Simulation Laboratories, Janine Albert, Danielle Nielsen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The Scholarly Project titled Curriculum Development for Occupational Therapy Education: Integrating Collaboration and the Use of Simulation Laboratories by Janine Albert and Danielle Nielsen and advised by Nicole Harris, MOTR/L and Breann Lamborn, MPA was developed to meet the demands of collaborative education in the field of occupational therapy. A literature review was completed to determine the need of collaborative education between Occupational Therapy education and Occupational Therapy Assistant education and the use of simulation laboratories. From the literature review there was a gap found linking the use of simulation laboratories, the occupational therapy process and occupational therapy education. Following …

The Post-Secondary School-To-Work Transitional Program: An Occupational Therapist's Guide To Service Delivery, Annemarie Assel, Erin Haugen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are one of the most prevalent childhood diagnoses, occurring in every 1 in 68 children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Although ASDs are considered childhood disorders, they persist throughout one’s life and are often more pronounced during common life transitions. For adults with ASDs, this is a time marked by fragmented services, as well as disengagement from services (Baldwin, Costley, & Warren, 2014; Friedman, Warfield, & Parish, 2013; Shattuck, Wagner, Narendorg, Sterzing, & Hensley, 2011; Strickland, Coles, & Southern, 2013). Those with ASDs have skills deemed valuable by employers that include being: reliable, …

Use Of Assessments In Occupational Therapy Physical Disability Settings, Caitlin Brown, Jana Carroll

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate occupational therapists’ (OTs) perceptions and use of informal observation and formal assessments in order to understand if differences exist between acute care and non-acute care occupational therapy (OT) adult physical disability settings. Non-acute settings may include but are not limited to home health, inpatient rehabilitation, transitional care, outpatient rehabilitation, and long term care.

Methods: Study design involved a nonexperimental survey. Qualtrics software was utilized to disseminate the survey across a five-state region to the population under study. Response rate included 88 OTs who answered consistently to the questions analyzed. Data analyses …

Intentional Integration Of Service And Therapy Dogs In An Occupational Therapy Program Curriculum, Stephanie Rehovsky, Brittni Danner

Occupational Therapy Capstones

This scholarly project involves the intentional integration of Buddy, the service/therapy dog of the University of North Dakota’s Occupational Therapy graduate program. This project contains researched evidence regarding the variety of benefits involved with the implementation of animal assisted therapy (AAT) into the curriculum. The final product contains instructor materials for six existing courses in the graduate and undergraduate program. We have also included future implications for this product including adaptation to other similar graduate occupational therapy programs and future use at the University of North Dakota.

Prosthetics Guide For Occupational Therapy Students And New Graduates, Chelsea De Bruto, Kayla Oates

Occupational Therapy Capstones

"The prosthetic technology is effectively an interface between that person and the life they wish to lead" (Gallagher, 2004, p. 828). Occupational therapy can help individuals with prosthetics deal with psychosocial and physical aspects of his or her condition (Gulick, 2011). Current literature covers all aspects of prosthetics, but it is scattered in many different places. The results of a study conducted by Mitchell, Gorelick, Anderson, and Atkins (2014), approximately 3-5 hours or less are spent on prosthetic training, while 85% of respondents felt that it was considered to be “very important”. This scholarly project focuses to bridge this gap …

An Occupational Therapist's Guide For Mindful Practice Under High Productivity Standards, Breanna E. Coleman, Whitney J. Wilhelmi

Occupational Therapy Capstones

In recent years, healthcare service delivery has been influenced by one factor that has shown to considerably limit occupational therapy (OT) practitioners’ ability to be mindful in the work setting (Black, 2010). This influential factor involves increased productivity standards resulting in high burnout, empathic fatigue, job dissatisfaction, lack of mindful practice, and distress to the point of clinical effectiveness (Irving, Dobkin, & Park, 2009; Poulsen et al., 2014; Vadnais, 2014). In the midst of high productivity standards, a need surfaced for the production of a tool that assisted OT practitioners to overcome these standards as well as to incorporate a …

A Pilot Study To Document Outcomes Of Occupational Therapy Intervention With Individuals Who Experience Upper Extremity Trauma Using The Role Checklist 2 And Quickdash Assessments, Devan Henderson, Jacob Kucera

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) quick form is a selfadministered patient perception questionnaire used to measure upper extremity disability and symptoms. The Quick DASH (QD) gauges the patient’s difficulty with task performance when impacted by an upper extremity injury. The Role Checklist: Version 2 (RC-V2) is a self-administered, patient perception that focuses mainly on the individual’s daily life roles, role competence, performance, and interest in performing those roles (Scott, 2013). The purpose of this study was to determine which of these assessments best measured progress of occupational therapy interventions for patients who sustained a traumatic upper …

Physical Activities In The Nys/Bya Program On The Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation: A Resource Guide For Adaptation, Lauren Herbert, Melissa Hoffman

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The percentage of children with disabilities in the United States (U.S.) is increasing at an alarming rate. According to the 2000 census, 3.9% of all families reported having a child with disabilities. As of the 2010 census, there were 53.9 million school-aged children (aged 5 to 17) in the U.S with about 2.8 million (5.2%) reporting a disability. Among the American Indian population, these rates are increasing at an even higher rate. American Indians have the highest rates of disability of any group in the United States (Nichols & Keltner, 2005). According to Waldman, Perlman, and Swerdloff (2008), more than …

Modernizing Leisure Assessment Through Technology Applications, Brooke Johnson, Hanna Stevenson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of the product was to create an electronic based leisure interest companion for occupational therapists to utilize when treating clients. An electronic based leisure assessment would illustrate for the occupational therapy a more comprehensive understanding of the clients’ leisure interests.

Methods: A literature review was conducted using the CINAHL, OTSEARCH, Pub Med, and Google Scholar databases. The literature review results supported the value of leisure, and leisure assessment tools were explored. The UK Modified Interest Checklist was chosen as a focal point for the My Leisure Activities (MyLA™) companion tool development. A storyboard was created by the …

Occupational Therapy Interventions For Adhd: A Systematic Review, Kamela L. Kelsch, Kaci L. Miller

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: ADHD can have a negative impact on occupational performance of a child, interfering with ADLs, IADLs, education, leisure, and play. However, at this time, a cumulative review of evidence based occupational therapy interventions for children with ADHD do not exist.

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to complete a systematic review of what occupational therapy interventions are effective for school-aged children with ADHD.

Methods: An extensive systematic review for level T, II, or II research articles was completed using CINAHL and OT Search. Inclusion, exclusion, subject terms, and words or phrases were determined with assistance from the …

The Effects Of Self-Stigma On Occupational Engagement For Adults With Mental Illness, Alyssa A. Kostreba, Taylor E. Lavoi

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the impacts of self-stigma on everyday occupations of persons with serious and persistent mental illness. Greater understanding of the impacts of self-stigma is important to development of occupation-based interventions used by occupational therapists in mental health settings.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological approach was utilized to interview six participants between the ages of 31-58 years old with severe and persistent mental illness. High level in vivo coding was used to interpret participant responses.

Results: Four themes emerged from participant interviews: 1) negative impact on self, 2) coping with negative social encounters, 3) …

Studying With Successful Sensory Environments: A Pilot Study, Katrina Kotta

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background/Purpose: Higher education institutions are facing pressure by state and federal authorities to retain and efficiently graduate students. The University of North Dakota (UND) has responded by implementing initiatives in light of declining retention rates within recent years. University of North Dakota’s approach focused on best teaching practices and classroom learning approaches versus individualized student programs for academic success. Studying With Successful Sensory Environments (SWSSE) is an individualized approach created within occupational therapy, which focuses on effective management of the environment through knowledge of sensory processing patterns to enhance focus and productivity in higher education. The purpose of this study …

The Occupation Of Driving: A Guide For Occupational Therapists Working With Adolescents Who Have Adhd, Molly Schmitz, Morgan Voss

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Driving is a rite of passage for all teens with or without a disability. Individuals with ADHD are at a far greater risk of being in an accident or receiving a traffic violation as a compared to their developmental counterparts. In addition, parents and practitioners are often unaware of an individual’s readiness to drive skills prior to receiving formal driver’s education. Thus, this can be a stressful transition or learning process with individuals with ADHD and their families. For parents, practitioners, and teens, it is important that they understand the resources available to them and the steps to access those …

A Resource Manual For Occupational Therapists To Use With Parents Of Infants Transitioning Home From The Nicu, Alyssa N. Briggs, Nicholle R. Clouse

Occupational Therapy Capstones

One of the many challenges facing health care professionals practicing in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is providing appropriate care and support for parents throughout the transition process from hospital to home. Because the families are often the ultimate advocates and caregivers for infants it is important that they are well equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to take part in their infant’s care. Therefore, by providing clear and easy to use resources that address parental confidence, skills, knowledge, roles, routines, and the environment, professionals can help alleviate parental stress and uncertainty throughout the transition process.

An extensive …

Factors Influencing Minority Group Pursuit Of Occupational Therapy Education, Heber Hepworth, Courtney Schafer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

There is limited representation of minority groups in the OT workforce and a dearth of research on factors influencing minority groups to pursue and successfully complete OT education. The CINAHL and PUBMED databases were used to explore factors influencing minority population enrollment, experiences in health care programs, and barriers to educational participation. A survey was constructed based on the literature and sent to students in OT programs at the doctorate, master and assistant levels through the AOTA Program Director list-serv. One hundred and thirteen masters (93%) and doctorate (7%) OT students completed the survey. The majority of participants heard about …

The Experiences Of Individuals With Visual Changes After A Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi): An Emphasis On Coping, Katie Kruger, Suzanne Vetter

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: The Center for Disease Control Prevention (CDC, 2010) reports that 2,611,129 individuals visit the Emergency Room each year due to a traumatic brain injury (TBI). In addition, approximately 50% of individuals who have a TBI report visual inefficiencies (Bulson, Jun, and Hayes, 2012; Lew et al., 2009; McKenna, Cooke, Fleming, Jefferson, & Ogden, 2006). Researchers have identified the effects these diagnoses have on ADLs and IADLs. Yet, there is a further need for understanding the experiences of persons post-TBI who have visual inefficiencies, including their coping in everyday life. Aims: This qualitative research study is aimed at determining the …

Caregivers Of Stroke Survivors: Exploring The Role Of Spousal Caregivers Through An Occupational Therapy Lens, Lisa J. Knecht-Sabres, Karley Kammer, Matthew K. Kilian, Kim Veverka

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the occupational needs of caregivers of stroke survivors and to identify potential implications for occupational therapy’s role with this population. Methods: Focus groups and a semi-structured interview were used to gather an in-depth perspective on caregivers’ needs and level of participation in valued activities. Interactions were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis included open coding, formulation of categorical patterns, and thematic analysis. Rigor was enhanced through peer review, multiple coders, member checking, and triangulation. Results: Four primary themes emerged: (1) the essential need for additional services and support; (2) the amount …

Supervisor Perceptions Of Entry-Level Doctorate And Master's Of Occupational Therapy Degrees, Sherry Lynne Muir

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In occupational therapy (OT), there is a push to encourage the entry-level doctorate (eOTD) over the master's of OT (MOT), without having identified which degree develops therapists who can best meet the needs of clients, while providing the fewest negative consequences for stakeholders. This collective case study assessed whether there are differences between OTs with MOT and with eOTD. Each supervisor's experiences with the two degree groups represented a separate case, then all were collectively considered. The central research question was whether OT supervisors, who have observational knowledge of clinical performance, perceived differences between MOTs and eOTDs in factors that …

In Adult Patients With Unilateral Stroke, Is Distributed Constraint-Induced Therapy Or Bilateral Arm Training More Effective In Improving Upper Extremity Motor And Functional Outcomes Compared With A Routine Approach?, Courtney Beyer, Christine Kim, Janice Li, Angelica Soltis, Kitsum Li

Occupational Therapy | Critically Appraised Papers Series

Stroke survivors may experience deficits and impairments of upper extremity (UE) function that limit their engagement in meaningful everyday occupations. It is important for occupational therapists to identify and test the effectiveness of interventions targeted to decrease UE learned nonuse, improve functional performance, and increase participation in one’s daily occupations.

This study compared the efficacy of distributed constraint-induced therapy (dCIT) and bilateral arm training (BAT) in improving movement strategies and functional abilities of the UE in stroke survivors. Each intervention group participated in the intervention 2 hr/day, five times per week for 3 consecutive weeks. Participants in the dCIT group …

For Stroke Patients, In What Ways Does Robot-Assisted Therapy Improve Upper Extremity Performance In The Areas Of Motor Impairment, Muscle Power, And Strength?, Maria Mandrussow, Ani Keshishyan, Kitsum Li

Occupational Therapy | Critically Appraised Papers Series

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability among adults. Adequate rehabilitation of the upper extremity in stroke patients can improve performance in activities of daily living. Robot-assisted therapy can offer intense, repetitive, and task-specific training to the impaired limb after stroke. Prior studies have shown that robot-assisted therapy may improve strength and motor deficits of the impaired limbs, but there is a lack of research comparing the effects of unilateral robot-assisted training protocol (URTP) versus bilateral robot-assisted training protocol (BRTP) with a robotic device. Comparison of the effectiveness of these two protocols is beneficial to determine the appropriate treatment …

Critically Appraised Paper For “Cognitive Stimulation Of Executive Functions In Mild Cognitive Impairment: Specific Efficacy And Impact In Memory”, Avery Wilson, Yamin Zaw, Malcolm Isely, Kitsum Li

Occupational Therapy | Critically Appraised Papers Series

Executive functions play a pivotal role in an individual’s independence. However, little research has been conducted on the efficacy of specific cognitive training for individuals with deficits consistent with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The researchers in this study aimed to use a cognitive stimulation program that taught specific strategies to enhance the participants’ attentional and executive functional tasks. The study, using a crossover design involving two groups, included 30 participants affected by the amnestic form of MCI, executive function deficits, or both. The 6-month training sessions addressed challenges through the use of individualized cognitive strategies and proposed activities to exercise …