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Therapists’ Perceptions Of Student Preparedness Regarding Hand Therapy And The Use Of Occupation-Based Interventions, Stephanie Ye

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Current literature suggests OT Level II students may not be sufficiently prepared to begin a Level II fieldwork hand therapy placement. ACOTE standards are generalized for the orthopedic content in curriculum for occupational therapy programs. OT students, faculty, and practitioners recognize there may be additional specific demands for upper extremity rehabilitation practice not included in the ACOTE standards. Biomechanical assessments are more likely to be used rather than occupation-based assessments in hand therapy clinics. In addition, previous research found that occupation-based interventions within hand therapy practice have declined due to a primarily biomechanical approach.