Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Osces’ Impact On Occupational Therapy Student Learning: Insights From Second- And Third-Year Focus Groups, Craig R. St. Jean, Karin Werther, Mary R. Roberts

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are widely used in health programs to assess clinical skills. We present results of a qualitative study investigating occupational therapy students’ perceptions of OSCEs’ impact on their learning and readiness for clinical practice.

Method: Six second and six third year students in the University of Alberta’s Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program were interviewed in separate focus groups. Independent reviewers applied thematic analysis to the focus group transcripts to identify, analyze, and report themes in the data.

Results: Five themes were constructed from the data: from learning to action, transition …

The Student Occupational Therapist Experience Of Bullying On Fieldwork Placement: An Exploratory Study, Jeffrey D. Boniface, Donna Drynan

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Bullying is a widespread issue in higher education, notably in healthcare disciplines like nursing, medicine, and physical therapy. However, there is a paucity of research addressing bullying within occupational therapy, which is a relational healthcare discipline emphasizing meaningful relationships, mutual trust, and respect. This study investigated the experiences of student occupational therapists in Canada regarding bullying during their fieldwork placements through exploratory phenomenology. Data from nine former occupational therapy students were collected via focus groups and interviews. Thematic analysis unveiled common experiences including passive aggression, demeaning comments, and a lack of support. Three key themes emerged: the impact of power …

Student Occupational Therapists Experience Of Bullying In Placements: Exploratory Study Across Canada, Palvi Dhillon, Lisa Mahil, Jeffrey D. Boniface, Danielle Burrell-Kim, Donna Drynan

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Bullying in placements is a phenomenon that is reported by numerous healthcare disciplines. The limited literature on occupational therapy and student bullying accounts that incivility during placement is both widespread and significantly impacts learning. This study aimed to 1) gather data on the prevalence, type, and effects of bullying that Canadian occupational therapy students experienced while on placement, and 2) explore students’ perspectives on current reporting processes and potential mitigation strategies. Using a phenomenological approach, a mixed-methods descriptive and exploratory study was conducted. An anonymous Qualtrics survey consisting of multiple-choice, Likert scale and open-ended questions was completed by past occupational …

A Model For Interprofessional Education Between Occupational Therapy And Accounting Students: A Mixed-Methods Study, Angela Lampe, Brenda Coppard, Alison Maloy, Yongyue Qi

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This interprofessional education (IPE) project was designed to prepare students to work and lead in an increasingly complex healthcare environment. The purpose of this project is to describe and measure accounting and occupational therapy students’ perception and value of participating in an IPE learning activity and how the activity enriched the learning environment and identified gaps of knowledge to improve teaching. A mixed methods pre- post-survey design was used to collect quantitative data from a modified version of the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-9a) from 115 occupational therapy and 21 accounting students. Qualitative data was collected from a post-survey …

Mentored Practice In Aota Fellowship Programs: An Exploratory Phenomenological Study, Jennifer L. Bergstrom

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

American Occupational Therapy Association fellowship programs are an emerging post-professional educational opportunity aimed at developing practitioners in specialized areas of occupational therapy practice. Mentored practice is a critical and substantial component of fellowship programs; however, the experiences of mentors and fellows have not been well described in the literature. The purpose of this study was to describe the mentored practice experience from the perspectives of the fellow and mentor. This study sought to understand the perceived influence mentored practice may have on the advancement of skills and knowledge in specialty practice areas of occupational therapy. A qualitative exploratory phenomenological design …

Dementia Education Opportunities For Pre-Registration Occupational Therapy And Physiotherapy Students- A Scoping Review, Samita Kirve, Alice Teague

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The number of dementia diagnoses is ever-increasing in the aging population, meaning that healthcare staff need to be equipped with the appropriate knowledge, attitudes, and skills to care for people with dementia. However, recent research suggests that globally, both healthcare workers and students require greater dementia education opportunities to meet the needs of people with dementia. There seems to be limited research exploring dementia education opportunities within occupational therapy (OT) and physiotherapy (PT) programs. A scoping review methodology was chosen to explore the literature about dementia education in global OT and PT programs. There was limited literature in this area …

Rehabilitation Therapy Versus Drug-Only Therapy In Patients With Multiple Sclerosis, Florin Mihai Marcu, Doriana Ciobanu, Ioan Cosmin Boca, Elena Sirbu, Paul Alexandru Deme, Nicolae Catalin Hreniuc, Dorina Ianc

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) does not cure the disease, but it is intended to reduce the intensity, duration, and frequency of symptoms. Rehabilitation therapy (RT), including an individualized physical therapy program (PTP) and adapted occupational therapy (OT), has benefits in terms of aerobic capacity, muscle strength, coordination, and ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL). The primary objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of RT comprising PTP, OT, and drug treatment (DT) versus DT alone in patients with MS. Another objective was to highlight the importance of continuing the PT and OT at home, …

Effective Communication With People With Dementia: An Exploratory Study Of Pre-Registration Occupational Therapy Students, Samita Kirve, Lucy Perkins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Dementia is a major global concern, with 50 million people already affected worldwide in 2018, and this number is expected to triple by 2050. Healthcare practitioners, specifically occupational therapists, are responsible for providing care and ensuring the well-being of people with dementia. However, occupational therapy students may not always have the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively communicate and support dementia patients, which could negatively impact the quality of care they provide. To explore this issue, a study was conducted with final-year pre-registration occupational therapy students at a public university in England. The study used a qualitative methodology, with semi-structured …

Educational Interventions For Managing Ethical Problems In Occupational Therapy: A Survey, Brenda S. Howard, Payton Berger, Mckayla Hendricks, Allison Moll, Erin Rusconi, Abigail Shamdin, Julia Swindeman, Zoe Chasnick

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Little is known about how to mitigate moral distress within occupational therapy, but ethics education may reduce its impact by providing practitioners with tools for managing ethical problems. This study aimed to explore the impact of ethics education on managing ethical problems among occupational therapy practitioners within the first five years of practice using a pre-existing survey dataset collected in the spring of 2020. The investigators examined the formats and types of ethics education practitioners reported they received and how helpful they found that education. Investigators analyzed correlations between education and confidence with ethical problem-solving using Spearman’s rho. Results included …

How Traits Of Emotional Intelligence Affect Perceived Stress In Entry-Level Doctor Of Occupational Therapy Students, Heidi A. Carpenter, Chelsey Edwards, Scott Richardson

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Students in an entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) programs are subject to high levels of stress and emotional burnout. Effective management of stress impacts life satisfaction and academic performance. Emotional intelligence (EI) has been shown to relate to lower stress levels in allied health students. Despite this, little has been done to investigate the emotional demands of an occupational therapy education. Methods: Participants were a convenience sample of 51 entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy Students recruited from the Southwest and Midwest cohorts of an OTD program. The participants were surveyed approximately 30 days after beginning their semester curriculum. …

Feasibility Of A Stress Reduction Program Among Foster Youth In College, Alexis Melinda Ferioli Morin, Jennifer E. Lape

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Foster youth endure traumatic adversities, which can lead to obstacles when transitioning to young adulthood and pursuing postsecondary education. This vulnerable population is required to navigate independent living while also managing stress that commonly arises from postsecondary education.

Method: A pre test, post test pilot design was employed to determine the potential impact and feasibility of an evidenced-based multi-factorial stress management program in reducing foster youth’s perceived stress during postsecondary education. Participants (n = 3) received one, 90-min individual occupational therapy session weekly over 6 weeks. Author-generated stress management surveys along with the Perceived Stress Scale …

Designing A Conceptual Framework To Align Learning Objectives To The Interprofessional Education Collaborative Core Competencies: A Narrative Review, Norman C. Belleza, Maureen E. Johnson

Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy

Introduction: Early placement of interprofessional education (IPE) in academic curricula may foster foundational learning to shape student attitudes, knowledge, and skills and better prepare practice-ready clinicians for future team-based collaboration. The purpose of this narrative review was to investigate and analyze the current use of IPE in OT and PT higher education.

Methods: Three databases, Academic Search Complete, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and ERIC, were searched from 2017 to 2022. Inclusion criteria were articles with full text availability, published within the 5 year search time range from the time of the narrative review process, peer reviewed studies, …

Lessons Learnt By An Experienced Clinician-Novice Researcher Throughout The Process Of Qualitative Research Interviewing, Heidi Lavis, Paulette Van Vliet, Meredith Tavener

The Qualitative Report

Within occupational therapy, the complex process of transitioning from clinician to clinician-researcher often presents challenges demanding critical contemplation. Methodological issues and ethical challenges can arise throughout the emergent transition into role duality, potentially impacting upon novice clinician-researcher development, influencing research processes and quality. As part of the Task-AT Home qualitative study, a reflexive critique of interview processes, guided by the reflection-on-action rubric and a typology of catalysts for dual-role experiences was conducted. The reflective critique identified commonalities and differences between clinical and research interviewing. Additionally, through three exemplars of experience, the critique provided insights into how clinical reasoning processes were …

Collaborative Fieldwork Supervision Model Supports Identified By Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Educators, Oaklee Rogers, Debra J. Hanson, Cherie Graves, Tamara Turner, Marilyn G. Klug

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Within the occupational therapy (OT) profession, the collaborative fieldwork supervision model is considered a non-traditional approach to fieldwork education. Although supportive strategies for fieldwork education have been developed, there is little data to validate fieldwork educators' perspectives on the value and helpfulness of these supports for this model. Using a mixed-methods research design, this study aimed to identify what supports influenced fieldwork educators to use the collaborative fieldwork supervision model, what supports are valued when implementing it, and what supports would be considered helpful for those who have not used it. A total of 382 fieldwork educators completed the study, …

Occupational Therapy Graduate Students’, Recent Graduates’, And Educators’ Perceptions Of The Value Of Anatomy Knowledge, Karissa Legleiter

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This non-experimental descriptive survey study examined the relationship between occupational therapy (OT) graduate students’, recent graduates’, and educators' values of the regional and specific anatomy knowledge required for OT clinical practice. The researcher collected survey data from 94 OT graduate students, recent graduates, and educators at a private university. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics used to analyze the value of anatomical regions and structures and a one-way ANOVA with a post-hoc Tukey to compare the group means on the value of anatomical structures. Results revealed that the regions of the highest value were the back and spine, thorax, and …

Studi Kasus Penatalaksanaan Terapi Okupasi Bersumberdayamasyarakat Dalam Aktivitas Memasak Pada Penderita Strokedi Desa Setisari, Hermito Gidion, Muhammad Luthfi, Dini Fajariani, Aditya Denny Pratama

Jurnal Fisioterapi Terapan Indonesia or Indonesian Journal of Applied Physiotherapy

Stroke is a health problem that affects a person's independence. Occupational therapists can carry out community-based occupational therapy (TOBM) in intervening in stroke patients. The aim of this intervention is to improve the patient's ability to cook from an occupational therapy perspective. In community service through TOBM, stroke patients in Siteari village were given an intervention for 1 month to assess an increase in independence in cooking. There are results that TOBM can increase patient independence in cooking.

Addressing Sexuality: The Comfort And Preparedness Of Occupational Therapy Students, Claire Lynch, Annette V. Joosten

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Undergraduate sexual health education has the potential to increase confidence and the likelihood that healthcare professionals address sexual health in practice. This study explored Australian final year occupational therapy students’ perceptions about their education, and their preparedness and comfort to address sexuality in their final practice placements and into their future careers. An online questionnaire with three sections for (a) demographics; (b) the students' attitudes towards sexual health (SA-SH) questionnaire, which is a 22-item Likert scale about student attitudes toward sexual health issues in their future profession; and (c) nine open questions regarding students’ comfort and preparedness to address sexuality …

Copilot – Development And Implementation Of International Cooperative Online Intercultural Learning, Liliya Todorova, Elisabeth Fattinger, Elisabeth Url, Siska Vandemaele, Ulla Pott, Helen Strebel, Claudia Merklein De Freitas, Anja Christopher, Sabine Hendriks, Maria Prellwitz

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This article presents the products and evaluation results of COPILOT (Cooperative Online Peer-assisted and Intercultural Learning in Occupational Therapy), an Erasmus+ funded project undertaken by a consortium of six European universities from 2018 to 2021, which addresses the need for internationalization and intercultural learning by developing competences graduates will need in the future. Internationalization has become one of the main avenues to developing global learning in higher education. Online education has a significant role in providing opportunities for internationalization online without the high cost of travel that might deter some students. The interest in online intercultural exchange has been significantly …

The Effect Of An Online Journal Club On Fieldwork Educators’ Perspectives On Student Professionalism, Nathaniel R. Dare, William Janes

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study examined the effect of an online journal club on fieldwork educators’ perspectives on student professionalism. Fieldwork educators participated in a five-week journal club on the topic of professionalism. Thirty-nine fieldwork educators completed the experience, which entailed a pre-posttest survey, reading one article, and participating in a weekly, asynchronous discussion. Ratings of confidence in supervising students who exhibit unprofessional behaviors increased at a statistically significant level from pretest to posttest. Qualitative themes are presented for pre-posttest questions, in addition to the weekly discussion responses. An online journal club for fieldwork educators increased self-ratings of confidence in supervising students who …

Using Self-Assessment And Reflection To Develop Self-Efficacy In Occupational Therapy Assistant Fieldwork Students, Kristy Meyer, Julie Hunley

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Many occupational therapy students navigate the transition to the Level II fieldwork experience effortlessly, while others require support due to a lack of perceived self-efficacy. This perception dramatically impacts fieldwork performance and challenges academic fieldwork coordinators to support students struggling to believe in their own capabilities. This study utilized a quantitative quasi-experimental research design with a purposive sample of 16 occupational therapy assistant students to determine if an educational intervention increased perceived self-efficacy and overall confidence. Data collected from the Student Confidence Questionnaire (SCQ) pre, and post-intervention provided insight into the students’ report of perceived self-efficacy and overall confidence during …

Impact Of An Interprofessional Student-Led Concussion Clinic, Anne W. Hunt, Kathryn Parker, Nick Reed

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This article describes the impact on the learners and health care institution of the OnTRACK-Concussion program, an innovative student-led clinic at a children’s rehabilitation hospital. The clinic, developed and operated by occupational therapists, serves the community full-time year-round. Interprofessional health care learners work together to provide education and intervention for youth with concussion and their families and to support research and community outreach initiatives. To determine the program’s impact on student learning, a post-placement questionnaire was used to capture feedback about their clinical education experience. To determine the program impact more broadly, the most significant change method was used to …

Level Ii Fieldwork Educators' Perceived And Experienced Challenges With Using The Collaborative Fieldwork Supervision Model, Oaklee Rogers, Cherie Graves, Tamara Turner, Debra J. Hanson, Marilyn G. Klug

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork shortages have been noted in the literature for some time. With the ever-changing healthcare system and an increasing number of students in occupational therapy programs, the scarcity of fieldwork placements is dire. Rooted in adult learning principles, the collaborative fieldwork supervision model is one approach to fieldwork education that may alleviate the shortage of placements, while also supporting student learning. This model is designed to have one fieldwork educator supervising two or more students throughout a fieldwork experience. The strengths and challenges of this model are well documented, although it is unclear if the identified challenges are the same …

Barriers, Challenges, And Supports To The Implementation Of Standardized Patients And Simulated Environments By Occupational Therapy Education Programs, Amanda Mack, Anne Escher, John Wong

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

A national survey examined the implementation rates, barriers, challenges, and supports to implementation of two types of simulation (standardized patients and simulated environments) by entry-level occupational therapy education programs in the United States. It also sought to identify relationships between program characteristics and implementation of these types of simulation. An online survey inquiring about academic program characteristics and use of simulation was sent to all occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs in the United States in 2017 prior to the implementation of the 2018 Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education Standards and the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Data …

Exploring Simulation Design For Mental Health Practice Preparation: A Pilot Study With Learners And Preceptors, Diane E. Mackenzie, Niki Kiepek, Leanne Picketts, Stephanie Zubriski, Karen Landry, Jonathan Harris

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this exploratory pilot study was to determine the feasibility of delivering mental health practice simulations for occupational therapy learners, and whether different debriefing approaches yielded performance differences over successive simulations. Five clinical preceptors and nine first year MScOT students participated in this mixed-method study. In week one simulations, one student group received preceptor facilitated debriefing while the other group used self-debriefing. Both groups used the same scripted questions informed by an advocacy-inquiry approach. In the second week, both groups received the preceptor-led debriefing. Preceptors rated student performances while students self-rated their confidence, competence screen, and satisfaction using …

Application Of The Kinesio® Taping Method For A Child With Hypotonia: A Pilot Case Study, Margaret M. Griffin, Christina Ann A. Mcguff, Nicole C. Willse, Mackenzie D. Twaddell, Julia Shin

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This study explored the application of the Kinesio® Taping (KT®) method in conjunction with traditional occupational therapy (OT) intervention for a child with hypotonia. Specifically, differences in functional hand outcomes (manual dexterity and grasp pattern) were examined between the sessions with and without the application of the KT® method.

Methods: A 9-year and 5-month-old male subject, at the time of enrollment, diagnosed with hypotonia, global developmental delay, and autism spectrum disorder participated in the study. A single-subject alternating treatment design was employed. A total of 14 OT sessions were conducted across baseline (n=3), alternating treatment (n=8), and replication (n=3) …

The Potential Of Virtual Reality In Social Skills Training For Autism: Bridging The Gap Between Research And Adoption Of Virtual Reality In Occupational Therapy Practice, Vineeta Pandey, Lori Vaughn

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Impairments in social functioning greatly hinder children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from responding appropriately and adapting to various social situations. As a result, individuals with ASD get fewer opportunities for social inclusion, physical well-being, and forming interpersonal relationships. Virtual reality (VR) has been studied extensively in this area, where a large body of evidence shows that VR is a promising tool for social skills training (SST) in individuals with ASD. With the flexibility and projected effectiveness that VR offers, it can provide more opportunities to learn and practice strategies for recognizing daily challenges that involve forming social …

Clinical Utility Of The Adapted Biopsychosocial Model: An Initial Validation Through Peer Review, Keith K. Gentry Jr., Karen Snyder, Jennifer Jordan Utley

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The World Health Organization has called on health care providers to adopt a biopsychosocial approach to improve health and well-being and reduce disability. While a variety of holistic models exist in occupational therapy, none are explicitly biopsychosocial and use language consistent with both the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework. Following the recent introduction of the Adapted Biopsychosocial Model (A-BPSM), this study served as an initial step toward validation of this model for use in occupational therapy.

Method: A qualitative descriptive design was implemented with a maximum variation …

Interprofessional Education And Collaborative Competency Development: A Realist Evaluation, Rabina Raveendrakumar, Salihah Faroze, David Rojas, Sylvia Langlois

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Collaboration among healthcare professionals has been widely cited as critical in ensuring optimal and efficient client care. To foster the development of this interprofessional competency in healthcare graduates, the University of Toronto created an Interprofessional Education (IPE) curriculum. However, the means by which the IPE curriculum developed interprofessional collaborative competencies in occupational therapy (OT) graduates had not been explored. The study identified the mechanisms and outcomes of University of Toronto’s IPE curriculum that contributed to OT graduates’ collaborative competency development. This study also identified the contexts in which this development occurred, and why such patterns were observed. This study employed …

The Kawa Model’S Value For Level Ii Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Students, Terri Blakely, Marie-Christine Potvin, Michael Iwama

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork (FW) plays a crucial role in occupational therapy (OT) education by fostering students to become competent entry-level practitioners. Reflective journaling promotes increased competence in OT FW students. The Kawa Model can be used as a journaling framework that uses metaphorical illustrations to self-reflect. It has been described as useful in multiple contexts. No study has yet investigated the use of the Kawa Model as a self-reflection tool with OT FW students. Video self-reflections of their Kawa Model drawings and audio recorded semi-structured interviews were used to explore Level II FW students’ perceptions of the usefulness of the Kawa Model. …

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 …