Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Peer Mentoring On Success And Satisfaction In Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Pilot Study, Rebecca Fraley

Honors Theses

Studying the impact of a mentorship program involving undergraduate nursing students can inform educators of methods to increase student success and decrease attrition in baccalaureate nursing programs. This study aimed to determine if a mentoring session every three weeks between a first semester Bronson School of Nursing (BSON) student and a senior year nursing student increased the confidence and satisfaction of the first semester BSON student. A Student Success Survey (see Appendix A) was filled out at the beginning, middle and conclusion of the mentee students fall semester. The Student Success Survey was also administered to a control group made …

Research Day 2024 Program, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School Of Medicine

Research Day

No abstract provided.

Speech Language Pathologists’ Confidence And Preparedness Working With Clients With Hearing Loss, Katherine Rosa Giustino

Masters Theses

Speech language pathologists (SLP) are professionals who may work with clients with hearing loss. With hearing loss, there are many devices, such as hearing aids, that must be functioning to provide effective speech and language therapy. Therefore, SLPs must be familiar with how to check and maintain these devices to provide optimal therapy. However, it is unknown how confident SLPs are with working with such devices. Data from a Qualtrics survey with questions that assess SLPs’ confidence in working with hearing assistive devices and communicating effectively with individuals with hearing loss was analyzed.

Overall, this study found confidence across all …

Longitudinal Evaluation Of Vitamin D Concentrations In Relation To The Onset Of Type 2 Diabetes In American Adults: A Secondary Data Analysis, Kathryn Michelle Schurr

Dissertations

Background: Prior research has suggested that low levels of Vitamin D may have negative effects on various biological functions, including Type 2 diabetes. The relationship between Vitamin D and the risk of Type 2 Diabetes has not yet been fully investigated. The objective of this research is to examine patients’ laboratory test data longitudinally to determine how vitamin D and other covariates of interest affect Type 2 diabetes status over time.

Methods: This study used retrospective data review from Quest Diagnostics from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2022. Patients included in the study were required to have consecutive test …

Evaluation Of Dietary Probiotic Supplements On Methamphetamine-Induced Impulsive Action In Rats Maintained On A Differential Reinforcement Of Low Rate Schedule, Kaitlyn Steck

Masters Theses

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a chronic, debilitating condition often comorbid with anxiety and depression. Both SUD and affective disorders are characterized by cognitive dysfunction, including impaired decision-making and impulsivity. A mounting body of research implicates gut microbiome alterations as a contributing factor to the pathophysiology of affective disorders. No published studies have assessed behavioral effects of dietary interventions targeting psychostimulant-induced gut microbiome changes. The present study utilized a differential reinforcement of low rate responding schedule (DRL 18 s) as a behavioral index of drug-induced impulsive action to determine if a dietary probiotic supplement alters the behavioral effects of (+)-methamphetamine …

A Pilot Intervention For Adolescent Adoptees: The Interoception Curriculum, Francie X. Bailey

Capstone Projects

This pilot study sought to evaluate the efficacy of Mahler’s (2019) Interoception Curriculum on increasing emotional regulation and interoceptive awareness among adolescent adoptees. A pre - posttest design was employed to assess changes in emotional regulation and interoceptive awareness following a condensed, 10 - week version of the curriculum. Six participants, and their respective parent, completed pretest and posttest assessments following the completion of the weekly intervention. Results demonstrated minimal improvements in both parent and adolescent perceived emotional regulation competency but significant improvement in adolescents’ ability to notice and attend to their bodily sensations, listen to their body cues, and …

Program Development For Group Interventions Targeting Loneliness In Older Adults, Antoinette Cave

Capstone Projects

The topic of loneliness is complex and subjective in nature, and treatment of the condition requires the client-centered approach that occupational therapy encompasses within its scope of practice. Using an occupation-based, mental health approach to develop the program, weekly focus groups were created based on participant-preferred activities to decrease loneliness among older adults at PACE InnovAge’s outpatient and assisted living locations in Thornton, Colorado. Education was provided to participants and staff throughout the 14-week experience. Further training and sustainability efforts were created and distributed among participants and staff at the end of the experience through an occupation-based handout with external …

A How-To Guide For Implementing Level I Faculty-Facilitated Fieldwork Sites: A Western Michigan University Model, Jordyn Diaz

Capstone Projects

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, community partners and fieldwork educators have been overwhelmed by the demand of occupational therapy (OT) students seeking fieldwork placements. The faculty-facilitated model is a desirable option to relieve this burden and provide services for the community. Faculty-facilitated sites have a 1:6 fieldwork educator- to-student ratio. These sites can occur on-campus, within a community organization, or virtually as demonstrated by Western Michigan University (WMU). However, barriers to implementing this model include financial concerns, time constraints, space limitations, and the associated workload required to sustain these sites.

The focus of this doctoral capstone experience was to create a …

Enhancing Self-Regulation Skills With The Zones Of Regulation, Sara Hayes

Capstone Projects

It has been highlighted that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Cognitive Impairments, Emotional Impairments, and other Sensory Processing Disorders. often lack the ability to self-regulate appropriately. Self-regulation is defined as the ability to control one’s emotions and behaviors, get along with others and engage in learning. Self-regulation helps children learn effectively, obtain, and maintain relationships, and communicate appropriately. A tool proven to teach and implement appropriate self-regulation is Leah Kupyers’ Zones of Regulation curriculum. The purpose of this literature review is to analyze the potential for OT involvement in the implementation of the Zones of Regulation curriculum within the …

Inclusive Yoga Programming For Children With Diverse Needs, Allison H. Hansel

Capstone Projects

Limited research exists to support the use of yoga as an occupational therapy intervention for children with disabilities. In the studies that are available, yoga is primarily used to target children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Currently there is no research available that explores use of yoga in a group of children with a variety of disabilities and diagnoses. The aim of my doctoral capstone experience was to design and implement an inclusive yoga group for children with diverse needs. Objectives were created to guide this capstone project such as creating intake forms, pre/post surveys, weekly yoga curriculum and weekly …

Integrative Sensory Room For General Education And Special Education 3rd-5th, Julia Henderson

Capstone Projects

Everyone has a unique sensory system that continues to change and adapt throughout their lifespan. In an 8-hour school day, children take in so much information with very little consideration of how their sensory systems may be reacting in response to varying environments and social situations. The gap within the school system remains to be seen as a lack of understanding of sensory systems and how they affect children’s learning capabilities. The objective throughout my capstone experience was to support Greyhound Intermediate School by creating a sensory room for both special education and general education students. This was done by …

Trauma Informed Care Resources For Foster And Adoptive Families, Nitasha Cooper

Capstone Projects

Trauma informed care is meeting the needs of children who have undergone trauma by addressing the direct impact caused by the trauma the child experienced. My objectives looked to assist parents in the carryover from the occupational therapy clinic to home by providing videos on techniques to address behaviors occurring in and out of the home and building a connected relationship between child and caregiver as well as resources such as books for children and caregivers; podcasts; social media personnel; support groups; and a respite list. These objectives resulted in a plethora of resources for caregivers and families to access …

Friends At Work: Creating A Peer-To-Peer Program For Individuals With Disabilities In The Workplace, Claire Johnson

Capstone Projects

Students with disabilities face social isolation, loneliness, mental health conditions, and unemployment rates at a disproportionately high rate compared to their typically developing peers (Choiseul-Praslin et al., 2019). Peer support programs and transition to work organizations have the ability to combat these factors. The following Doctoral Capstone Experience depicts the development and implementation of a peer-to-peer program within a transition to work program to increase social participation amongst transitional students with disabilities. The program was implemented at Project SEARCH at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital. Additionally, this project attempts to quantitatively qualify the effectiveness of the Project SEARCH program in …

The Integration Of Occupational Therapy In Transition Programs To Improve Outcomes For Students, Morgan Jagiela

Capstone Projects

Numerous studies exist depicting the benefit and efficacy of an occupational therapy (OT) presence within post-secondary transition programs. Both transition programs and occupational therapists aim to help students with disabilities improve independent living skills, vocational skills, and social/communication skills, so they may live functional adult lives with as few supports as possible. Despite this success and the overlap in scope, OT is rarely found in transition programs. The purpose of this doctoral capstone experience (DCE) was to develop a program that would implement occupational therapy into the Empower U transition program. Through the creation and completion of objectives, success and …

Grant Funding For Non-Profit Organizations And Community Focused Entrepreneurship, Tyler Turnquist

Capstone Projects

The primary objective of this Capstone project was centered around developing grant writing skills and the ways it aids both nonprofits and small businesses to promote increased opportunities within the community. One facet of this project focused on researching and writing grants for the nonprofit, Renew Mobility to increase their operation budget, as well as creating a central database of their funding sources. This database fills the need for better organization of deadlines, interactions, and documents that can reduce the number of missed grant opportunities and increase overall funding. The second objective of this capstone was writing a grant for, …

Development Of Occupation-Based And Trauma-Informed Care Resources To Promote Successful Reentry Following Release From Prison, Anna Burch

Capstone Projects

This 14-week capstone project focused on program development and education to establish occupational therapy-based resources into the Region 4 OS Reentry program through Michigan Department of correction (MDOC). The project was based out of Kent County Parole Office with the target population focusing on people who are actively on parole. Region 4 OS Reentry provides those on parole with many resources including bus cards, transitional housing, food vouchers, clothing/self-care assistance, trauma counseling and more. The purpose of this project was to utilize an occupational therapy lens to create resources revolving around ADL/IADLs, mental health, connecting the program with other community …

Occupational Therapy Health & Wellness Promotion For Adults Living With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, Sydni Rodriguez

Capstone Projects

Based on educational principles and program development, this occupational therapy doctoral capstone experience (DCE) was centered on addressing the health and wellness needs of adults living with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) at Self-Help Alternative Living Opportunities Michigan (SHALOM), a Christian non-profit organization. Research has shown that adults living with I/DD have an increased chance of having health complications related to health disparities when compared to the general population of adults. Occupational therapists have a profound role in health and wellness as it relates to access and engagement in daily occupations. This DCE was accomplished through development of a recurrent monthly walking …

Improving The Care Of Individuals With Neurogenic Bowel And Bladder Dysfunction In An Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting, Brooke Loucks

Capstone Projects

Neurogenic bladder and bowel dysfunction can lead to serious health complications and negatively impacts one’s mental health and quality of life (Kurze et al., 2022l; Borsh et al., 2019 ). Despite the abundance of research on the topic concerning the spinal cord injury population, there is limited generalization to other neurologic conditions with similar presentation. There is also a need for practical implementation and clinical guidelines in health care systems (Kurze et al., 2022l; Borsh et al., 2019). Toileting is one of the main activities of daily living listed in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework ( AOTA, 2020) yet the …

Student Comprehension Of Addressing Acote Standards Related To Fieldwork Educators And Level I Fieldwork Sites, Baileigh Grabow

Capstone Projects

Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards are the rules and procedures occupational therapy academic programs across the country are mandated to follow and uphold (ACOTE, 2018). The standards are the framework to ensure quality education of the same rigor across OT/OTA programs preparing the future practitioners of occupational therapy. The ACOTE Standards (2018) have an “A” section related the resources, faculty experience, public policies, curriculum framework, and strategic plan requirements, a “B” section related to didactic program content requirements, a “C” section for fieldwork requirements, and a “D” section related to capstone requirements.

The purpose of this doctoral …

Occupational Therapy's Role In Post-Secondary Transition Programing For Young Adults With Disabilities, Mallory Rubley

Capstone Projects

Post-secondary transition programs for young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) are designed to support young adults with IDD in areas of independent living, academics, relationships, financial management, health and safety, and employment. All of which are within the scope of occupational therapy (OT). Within the limited post-secondary transition programs that exist for these young adults, OT is rarely included as a provided service, creating an unintentional disadvantage to the students and clients. The purpose of this Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) was program development and advocacy for the role of occupational therapy within Ready for Life (RFL), a post-secondary …

The Development Of An 8-Week Neurodiversity-Affirming Caregiver Co-Regulation Coaching Program., Carissa Heestand

Capstone Projects

The realm of pediatric care is witnessing the rapid emergence of two innovative practices centered on nurturing safety within a child's nervous system. This program development endeavors to synergize these practices to optimize occupational balance within the familial unit. The first pioneering approach involves Neurodiversity (ND) affirming care, which is seamlessly integrated into therapy sessions. Here, therapists honor and embrace the diverse nature of each child's brain, while acknowledging and celebrating their unique abilities. The second innovative practice involves caregiver coaching sessions, with a primary focus on educating caregivers about co-regulation techniques. Previous research has highlighted the efficacy of such …

Recollection-Based Occupational Therapy: An Activities Program For Catholic Dominican Sisters With Dementia, Alyssa J. Visockis

Capstone Projects

Recollection-based occupational therapy is a nonpharmacological approach to dementia, involving five categories of activities: horticultural, physical, art, musical, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). The purpose of this approach is to incorporate memories of a person’s childhood, adulthood, and older adulthood before dementia in activities. Furthermore, the Grand Rapids Catholic Dominican sisters at Aquinata Hall needed a method to gather psychosocial history on their residents as well as new activity programming on the dementia- care unit that had meaningful purpose. Therefore, during this capstone experience, a psychosocial history assessment was created and conducted with the sisters. Using the results …

Utilizing The Functional Mobility Assessment/Uniform Data Set (Fma/Uds) Registry To Conduct Research Related To Wheelchair Repair Frequency, Brooke Wilson

Capstone Projects

Issues with wheelchair equipment is a common experience for users, but access to repairs and maintenance isn’t always the most efficient process. A large portion of occupational therapy’s (OT) patient population includes wheelchair users, so it’s important to consider the impact of wheelchair breakdown on a patient’s daily function. There has been a lack of research on wheelchair repair frequency during the first year of ownership, so this capstone project focused on developing a manuscript for journal submission on this topic. This was achieved utilizing data from the Functional Mobility Assessment/Uniform Data Set (FMA/UDS) Registry. Client characteristics were extracted from …

Implementing The Positive Approach To Care® Methods As An Effective Training Curriculum For Staff At An Adult Day Center, Delaney Acri

Capstone Projects

Dementia, a neurodegenerative disorder affecting multiple brain regions, significantly disrupts daily life (Feurich, 2023). Occupational therapists, guided by the Occupational Therapy and Performance Framework (OTPF-4), address cognitive and functional challenges in individuals with dementia (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2020). Therapists employ compensatory strategies to enhance quality of life of people with dementia, as well as their family caregivers. Adult day centers serve as valuable resources for family caregivers, offering respite care during working hours. Despite regulations in most states, Michigan lacks specific dementia training laws in some healthcare settings (Burke & Orlowski, 2015). As a result, many facilities that serve …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Transition Programs For High School Students With Disabilities, Kara Hutchison

Capstone Projects

Students with disabilities frequently experience a gap in services as they grow older and after exiting the public education system. During school, students have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) to support their education, but once they graduate, the services they were receiving expire. Occupational therapy is under- utilized in transition planning for students after graduating high school and entering adulthood. The purpose of this DCE was program development and advocacy with the Project SEARCH transition program while exploring the role of occupational therapy has in transition planning for high school students with disabilities. The goal of this project was to improve …

Combating Social Isolation Among Older Adults Through Intergenerational Relationships With Children; Facilitating Meaningful Connection During Intergenerational Interactions By Improving Sensory Environment And Increasing Engagement During Group Activities, Lillian John

Capstone Projects

The following capstone project focused on the enhancement of meaningful engagement among all participants of an intergenerational care center. The interventions implemented within the intergenerational program were put in place to facilitate communication, improve behavioral regulation, modify sensory environment, create the just right challenge for group activities, and increase independence to promote meaningful engagement and social connection. The implementation of the interventions was completed through on-site education to the employees, the creation of various educational binders to support the participants individually, and adjustments to the environment and group activities. This capstones projects’ primary goal was to improve the efficacy of …

Enhancing Pre-Vocational Programs For High School Students With Disabilities: The Impact Of Occupational Therapy And Support Staff Education, Maria Calzada

Capstone Projects

Pre-vocational programs in high school serve as a crucial platform for supporting students in the transition from education to the workplace. These programs provide classroom instruction, hands-on training, and practical experiences to maximize students’ vocational skills post-high school. Pre-vocational programs provide a crucial platform for the development of IADL skills, task analysis, and the promotion of occupational engagement among diverse populations. The purpose of this DCE was program development within the pre-vocational program and provide additional education for the support staff at the high school setting. The goal was to improve vocational skills, including problem solving, self-advocacy, sequencing, and sustained …

Implementation Of A Bilingual Feeding Program For Hispanic Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sarah Aguilar

Capstone Projects

Feeding is an important occupation that contributes to a child’s physical, emotional, and social development and is also influenced by cultural and environmental factors, (Korth & Maune, 2020). In individuals with developmental delays, specifically autism spectrum disorder (ASD), feeding difficulties have been reported in as many as 75% of children (Nygren et al., 2021). These difficulties often result in increased feelings of anxiety experienced by the child and caregiver. Limited information exists on the impact of these on minority populations, such as Spanish speaking families that face many challenges when accessing healthcare services like language and cultural barriers. Similarly, group …

Pediatric Developmental Milestones And Surveillance; Understanding Pediatrician, Ot, Slp, Bcba, And Respective Pre-Professionals’ Current Knowledge, Roles, And Confidence, Gabrielle A. Jones

Capstone Projects

Limited literature exists on developmental surveillance, particularly occupational therapist’s role, and clinicians’ current knowledge and understanding of the CDC milestones. A pilot study was conducted to better understand the current knowledge, role, and confidence of primary care pediatricians, Speech and Language Pathologists, Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Occupational Therapists and respective pre-professionals regarding utilization of updated CDC developmental milestones and developmental surveillance. My objectives involved gaining knowledge and collaborating to create, administer, collect data, and analyze data using an anonymous survey. This also included collaborating to create, edit, and submit an HSIRB application. Results of this study provide supporting evidence that …

Implementation Of A Life Skills Program With Houseless Youth, Stephanie Velasco

Capstone Projects

The goal of my capstone project was to use occupational therapy knowledge and processes to integrate life skills training into a pre-existing program of services at a not-for-profit organization that helps youth overcome being houseless on Oahu, Hawaii. Occupational therapy as a profession helps individuals to engage in everyday meaningful activities as independently as possible. The scope of occupational therapy includes education and practice of life skills. Life skills are practical abilities and behaviors that allow individuals to effectively meet the demands and challenges of everyday life. Examples of these are knowledge of food and nutrition, meal preparation, home cleanliness …