Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Student Perceptions Of Reading Preparation And Textbook Use In Professional Allied Health Programs, Laura Stimler, Camille Skubik-Peplaski, Melba G. Custer, Shirley P. O'Brien

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: In professional allied health education, textbooks are central to developing course content, student learning and certification exams, but little is known about the graduate student’s perspective. This study was intended to describe current trends in graduate students’ point of view, habits and opinions related to buying and using textbooks and other resources in allied health education. Methods: This was a multi-site collaborative research project. An electronic survey was developed to gather data on student habits and perspectives regarding textbook preferences including digital texts, academic reading, exam preparation, and obtaining course materials. The survey was distributed across four academic institutions. …

Mealtime Experiences Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder From The Perspectives Of Filipino Occupational Therapists In Cebu: Implications For Practice, Blaise Audre V. Barrientos, Alyanna Freyse T. Badajos, Erika Faye M. Bucog, Rosse Velle C. Mauro, Paolo Miguel P. Bulan

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Occupational therapists (OTs) handle children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and a common concern is how their sensory processing issues affect their feeding habits. There is limited information regarding interventions about this issue both locally and internationally. This study aims to know the experiences of OTs providing feeding interventions associated with sensory issues for children with ASD. It will also describe what approaches they used for these interventions. Method: Qualitative phenomenology using in-depth interviews with nine OTs in Cebu, Philippines was conducted, and data underwent thematic analysis. Results: Five themes emerged: 1) a family that feeds together, stays …

Occupational Therapy Students' Perceptions Of Their Own Notetaking, Marie-Christine Potvin, Monique C. Chabot, Kathleen Carr

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Notetaking is a critical skill for higher-level thinking and information integration in graduate students, including occupational therapy students. Though there is a growing body of literature about notetaking modalities, strategies utilized, and self-perceptions of skills in college students, studies about occupational therapy (OT) students’ notetaking preferences have been absent from the literature. This study examines how OT students take notes and their perceptions of their notes. Method: This descriptive study of students in a Master of Occupational Therapy program (n=57) completed the Notetaking Abilities and Strategies of University Students (NASUS) questionnaire which captures the constructs of notetaking methods, reasons …

Influence Of Years Of Experience On Clinical Competence Of Novice Physical And Occupational Therapists In Japan, Hiroaki Sakurai, Soichiro Koyama, Shigeo Tanabe, Kazuya Takeda, Yoshikiyo Kanada

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: To increase the clinical competence of novice physical and occupational therapists, an accurate assessment of their clinical competence is necessary. However, no previous study has objectively analyzed the changes in novice therapists’ clinical competence in Japan. Hence, this study investigated and evaluated the changes in the clinical competence of such therapists using an objective analysis. Method: The study included 34 novice therapists with 1–3 years of experience in clinical practice. Participants were divided into groups according to their years of experience. The clinical competence of the novice therapists was evaluated twice using a clinical competency evaluation scale. For comparison …

The Clinical Reasoning Assessment Tool For Learning From Standardized Patient Experiences: A Pilot Study, Mary A. Riopel, Sara Benham, Jennifer Landis, Stephanie Falcone, Sarah Harvey

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Clinical reasoning (CR) is the ability to integrate the knowledge of diagnoses with the use of supporting theories to create effective, client-centered interventions. One means of teaching CR to rehabilitation students is using standardized patient (SP) experiences. The relationship between faculty and student CR ratings after SP experiences has not been researched. The purpose of the study was to determine if there would be correlations between physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) student and faculty ratings of CR skills after an SP experience. Method: The Clinical Reasoning Assessment Tool (CRAT) was used by students to self-reflect on their …

Covid-19 And Telehealth Use Among Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, And Speech-Language Pathology Practitioners In The United States, Caesarinne Sprianu, Dragana Krpalek, Julie D. Kugel, Gurinder Bains, Lida Gharibvand

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: To explore occupational, physical, and speech-language pathology therapists’ perceived effectiveness of telehealth and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their professional roles. Method: Participants were recruited for the study through a research flyer distrusted via postal mail, emails, social media, and national association websites. An anonymous electronic 19-item survey was developed for this study by the researchers based on a review of the literature and clinical experience. Results. In total, 186 survey responses were obtained, with 152 meeting the inclusion criteria. The average age of participants was 38.6 years with an average work duration of 12.7 years ± 12.5 …

Effectiveness Of Interprofessional Education Modules On Cultural Competency Of Physical Therapy And Occupational Therapy Students, Ayse Ozcan Edeer, Nadia Rust

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The United States is a melting pot of diverse ethnicities and cultures. Graduate-level teaching methods must prepare students to work with diverse populations and in various contexts. The outcome of instruction should be technically competent and culturally humble health care providers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of collaborative interprofessional instruction on cultural competency levels of Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (DPT) and Master of Science Occupational Therapy Program (MSOT) students. Methods: This was a pre-posttest quasi experimental study. A total 58 students from the DPT (28) and MSOT (30) programs participated and provided demographic …

Expanding Rehabilitation Beyond The Clinic—Strategies To Increase Total Restorative Therapy Time For Adults With Hemiplegia, Niamh M. Tunney, Ellen R. Perlow

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Positive neuroplastic changes involving cortical reorganization after stroke are experience dependent and are facilitated more effectively when rehabilitation occurs with high volume. Structured experiences to promote adaptive changes can be implemented during scheduled therapies in any rehabilitation setting. However, time spent in supervised restorative therapy is limited regardless of setting. Time spent in therapeutic activity can be extended by a variety of options that patients can engage in independently, that are low-cost, and that have evidence to support their use as a supplement to physical and occupational therapy. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present four …

Cultural Competency: Integrating An Evidence-Based Course For Increasing Inclusive Practices, Tracy A. Chappell, Ingrid Provident

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

PURPOSE: The United States is rapidly becoming more culturally diverse; thus, therapists need to be equipped with an adequate skill set to provide culturally inclusive services. Although educational institutions and continuing education courses provide some form of cultural competency training, there is no standardized approach currently for occupational therapists. METHODS: This article describes an evidenced-based course which was used to develop cultural competence among 11 occupational therapy practitioners. The online components included activities to increase knowledge, skills, comfort, awareness, and resources for practice settings. A pre-test/post-test format using the Clinical Cultural Competency Questionnaire (CCCQ) was used to gather quantitative information. …

A Pilot Study Exploring The Impact Of Interprofessional Simulation On Role Clarity And Student Readiness For Collaborative Clinical Practice, Shira Schecter Weiner, Laura Hagan, Julie F. Kardachi

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Interprofessional collaboration is recognized as a healthcare practice paradigm that may decrease overall costs and minimize errors. Yet it remains common for practitioners to provide care within silos, inadequately considering the impact of their decisions on other providers and overall costs, which ultimately may negatively impact the patient. Integrating interprofessional collaboration in school curricula can establish the importance of this approach to healthcare. For optimal efficacy, every professional in the healthcare team must recognize their unique role and the roles of others, to allow for seamless interprofessional collaboration. Simulation is a teaching tool that provides students with the opportunity …

Use Of The Kawa Model To Facilitate Interprofessional Collaboration: A Pilot Study, Jennifer E. Lape, Ashley Lukose, Diana R.M. Ritter, Brian D. Scaife

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The Kawa (river in Japanese) model uses the metaphor of a river to view one’s life from a metaphysical perspective, with consideration given to the interaction between social and physical environments, life circumstances, assets, and liabilities. Preliminary research suggests that the Kawa model may be an effective tool for interprofessional collaboration, but studies employing the model with diverse groups of healthcare professionals have not been undertaken. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if the Kawa model could serve as an effective collaboration tool for a diverse healthcare team within a skilled nursing facility.

Method: A pilot …

The Use Of An Experiential Educational Activity To Promote Interprofessional Education In Physical And Occupational Therapist Students, Amy L. Brzuz, Beth Gustafson

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

In many healthcare settings, interprofessional collaborative practice is expected of healthcare professionals to facilitate optimal patient outcomes. To prepare healthcare professionals to provide this collaborative practice, institutions of higher education are infusing interprofessional education activities into their healthcare curricula. While interprofessional education activities have been demonstrated to be beneficial for students, the creation and implementation of these types of activities by higher education faculty can be challenging. Factors such as logistics, curricular differences, and already busy course schedules can sway faculty from developing interprofessional experiences for their students. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and implementation …

Patient Experiences When Preparing For Discharge Home After Total Knee Replacement, Renee Causey-Upton, Dana M. Howell

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Following total knee replacement (TKR), patients must prepare quickly for discharge to home via education and rehabilitation. Patient needs may not fully be met prior to discharge after TKR surgery. The purpose of this descriptive study using transcendental phenomenology methods was to understand patients’ experiences when preparing to return home after TKR surgery. Method: Data was collected using semi-structured interviews that occurred 1 to 2 days prior to discharge in patients’ hospital rooms. Four participants were interviewed prior to discharge and interviews were transcribed verbatim for data analysis. Data analysis and data collection were concurrent, permitting subsequent interviews to …

Factors Influencing The Use Of Evidence-Based Practice Among Physiotherapists And Occupational Therapists In Their Clinical Work, Sofi Fristedt, Kristina Areskoug Josefsson, Ann-Sofi Kammerlind

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a process through which research is applied in daily clinical practice. Occupational therapists (OTs) and physiotherapists (PTs) are expected to work in line with EBP in order to optimise health care resources. This expectation is too seldom fulfilled. Consequently, research findings may not be implemented in clinical practice in a timely manner, or at all. To remedy this situation, additional knowledge is needed regarding what factors influence the process of EBP among practitioners. The purpose of the present study was to identify factors that influence the use of EBP and the experienced effects of the …

Learning Style Preferences Of Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy And Speech Pathology Students: A Comparative Study, Ted Brown, Tessa Cosgriff, Glenys French

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Educating future health care practitioners is an important role of universities. Optimal learning environments consider how students learn and utilise various teaching methods to tailor curriculum delivery to match specified student learning preferences. Method: This paper presents a comparative study examining the learning style preferences of first-year undergraduate occupational therapy (n = 116), physiotherapy (n = 60) and speech pathology students (n = 42) at one Australian university. Each student group completed the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI) and the VARK Questionnaire during the first semester of year one of their courses. Results: Minimal significant differences were identified between …

Introduction Of An Emerging Technology Device Through Powerpoint® Training, Rebecca I. Estes, Jimmy H. Ishee

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Successful inclusion of assistive technology in intervention is limited by training and the level of comfort with technology of treating occupational therapists. Experienced and new therapists need exposure and training on high technology assistive devices newly introduced on the market. The purpose of the study was to identify the effect of a PowerPoint presentation to introduce an emerging high technology device on two groups: 30 licensed occupational therapists and 27 students in an entry level master of occupational therapy program. The PowerPoint developed introduced and educated participants on the Assistive Dining Device. Participants completed a demographic form, the Survey of …

The Importance Of The Community Of Practice In Identity Development, Janis Davis

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine what processes facilitate, temper, or impede occupational therapy identity development in a community of practice. Methods: A multiple case design organized data collected from five in-depth interviews with occupational therapy students on level II fieldwork. A cross-case analysis was used to arrive at multiple case themes. Results: Themes emerged as responses to participation in a community of practice: a) professional relationships; b) supervision types; and c) responsibility for professional identity development. Results suggest that communities of practice have unique characteristics that either inhibit students from adopting professional identity or draw them …

Description And Evaluation Of An Interactive Jeopardy Game Designed To Foster Self-Assessment, Denise Bender, K.E. Randall

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Basic clinical skill courses require students to progress from early information acquisition toward the ability to synthesize and modify the information for various clinical scenarios. In our program, graduate physical and occupational therapy students obtain practice with this clinical reasoning process during a classroom version of the Jeopardy! game. This interactive game show format offers a low-risk environment that encourages student participation. The students divide into two interdisciplinary teams, and each team elects four persons to formally answer the questions. These spokespersons take turns selecting a category of questions. Since all students are assigned to a team, even those not …

The Low Vision Rehabilitation Service. Part Two: Putting The Program Into Practice, Joseph J. Pizzimenti, Elysa Roberts

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Low vision may affect a person's learning, daily functioning, and psychosocial status. Intervention in the form of vision rehabilitation has enabled many people to successfully meet and overcome the challenges posed by low vision. Part one of this two-part feature presented a four-phase, interdisciplinary model of low vision services that can be applied to any setting. This paper (part two) focuses on methods of assessing low vision, providing clinical services, and establishing an adaptive training and instructional program. The collaborative relationship between the patient/client, low vision physician (optometrist or ophthalmologist), and allied health professional (specifically, the occupational therapist) is described.