Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Use Of Visual Thinking Strategies To Enhance Observation Skills Of Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Students, Joanne Gallagher Worthley, Tanya Trudell

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Observation is a critical skill that deserves increased attention in occupational therapy education programs as it can directly affect patient care. Art has been used as a pedagogical tool to explicitly teach observational skills in medical and allied health programs. The use of art has a positive effect on the clinical skills needed for patient care. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine how students’ observation skills changed using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) with works of art. This quasi-experimental, single-group, pretest-posttest design included 33 occupational therapy students who observed four different works of art using an observation log …

Community-Based Ot Program Planning: A Virtual Level Ii Fieldwork Program Developed In Response To The Global Pandemic, Tara Collins, Virginia E. Koenig, Stephanie J. Wong, Michelle Buccinna, Rena B. Purohit, Shifra K. Leiser, Debra Cullinane

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this article is to explain how an occupational therapy (OT) program in a university setting developed a virtual Level II community-based fieldwork program in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. This virtual fieldwork program, guided by the PRECEDE-PROCEED Planning Model (PPM), was designed to help keep students on track with their academic goals while providing them with experiential learning that would increase their confidence in OT program planning and promote their professional development. Outcome measures for this study consisted of a pre-and post-fieldwork survey that asked participants to rank their self-perceived confidence in five distinct areas of …

Implementation And Outcomes Of An Education Focused Professional Development Series For Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Oaklee Rogers, Sara Stephenson, Gina Buban

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

As new educational programs emerge and student enrollment increases, the demand for new academicians, fieldwork educators, and capstone mentors is growing rapidly within the occupational therapy (OT) profession. Academic programs must prepare practitioners to teach and supervise their students who will become OTs and occupational therapy assistants (OTA). In conjunction with the state OT association, one university doctoral OT program created and implemented a free education-focused professional development series for community partners who were interested in developing their teaching knowledge and skills. The series covered unique aspects of OT and OTA education: fieldwork, the doctoral capstone experience and project, and …

Occupation-Centered Anatomy And Applied Biomechanics Courses: Design And Outcomes, Rose Mcandrew, Vicki K. Kaskutas

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupation-centered course design allows occupational therapy (OT) educators to differentiate ourselves from other professions while communicating the distinct value of occupation to our students. While there have been numerous calls to action for centering occupation in the OT classroom and proposed models to approach course design, there is limited literature on occupation-centered course design in specific courses, notably foundational science courses like anatomy and applied biomechanics. In this study, we outline our course design process in two courses taught concurrently, as well as our prospective study to determine if an occupation-centered course design allowed students to meet objectives and the …

Active Learning And Occupational Therapy Theory: A Mixed Methods Study Of A Course Redesign, Mackenzie L. Feldhacker, Diana R. Feldhacker

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The use of theory to guide practice is what distinguishes an occupational therapist’s professional judgment and reasoning from simply technical skills. However, occupational therapists continue to lack confidence and skills in understanding application of theory to inform practice. Thus, effective course design related to theory is imperative in professional formation. This study assessed the effectiveness of a graduate-level occupational therapy theory course redesigned using andragogical, learner-centered, and active learning principles to address gaps in applying and understanding theory. A mixed methods retrospective cohort design was utilized. This included a pretest/post-test survey along with end-of-semester course and instructor evaluation. Eighty-four students …

Improving Empathy Of Occupational Therapy Students Through Reading Literary Narratives, Cavenaugh Kelly

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study explored the impact of teaching empathy to occupational therapy students through the close reading of literary narratives. The study defined empathy as a dynamic process involving Theory of Mind (ToM), emotional resonance, and empathy as a willful act. Empathy is an espoused value of occupational therapy challenged by the modern demands of the market-driven health care system, and research suggests reading literary narratives, or stories with qualities of literature, facilitates greater empathy. Prior studies have also indicated that practicing with greater empathy improves health outcomes and makes occupational therapy sessions more client centered. In this study, a quasi-experimental …

Exploring Evidence Based Practice Implementation By Occupational Therapists: Implications For Fieldwork, Angela Benfield, Helen Jeffery

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

A fieldwork education model is used in occupational therapy to develop competency of professional skills, including evidence-based practice (EBP) and clinical reasoning. This quantitative study explored factors influencing implementation rates of EBP in New Zealand registered occupational therapists to better understand students’ experience of evidence-based practice while on fieldwork. An online survey exploring beliefs and practices related to clinical competence, professional reasoning and EBP was conducted. The survey included questions about related beliefs, the measure of Evidence Informed Professional Thinking (EIPT; Benfield & Johnston, 2020), and the Implementation Climate Scale (ICS; Ehrhart et al., 2014). The mean scores on the …

A Snapshot Of How Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Programs Collect And Use Doctoral Capstone Outcomes, Andrew D. Rivera, Theresa Delbert, Whitney Lucas Molitor, Anne F. Kiraly-Alvarez, Danielle Friberg, Anna Domina, Autumn Clegg

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Entry-level occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) programs are required to gather program evaluation data regarding the doctoral capstone for accreditation purposes. This study aims to describe the processes used by a sample of OTD programs to gather doctoral capstone outcome data and to determine the type of data collected in order to understand the perspectives regarding doctoral capstone outcomes by doctoral capstone coordinators (DCCs) within the United States. The investigators used purposeful sampling to recruit DCCs at accredited entry-level OTD programs in the United States. The most common outcome data collected included information about the doctoral capstone experience from students, student …

A Process Framework For The Education-Focused Capstone: Supporting Expansion And Sustainable Outcomes, Sierra Clair, Sarah Corcoran, Emily Bubel, Debbie Amini

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This article aims to share a process framework created to guide entry-level occupational therapy doctoral programs in operationalizing and expanding the scope of the education-focused capstone described by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE^®).The impetus for this work was the completion of a professional development, education-focused capstone that proved to be novel, sustainable, and transformative for the capstone team, including the student, faculty mentor, site mentor, and doctoral capstone coordinator. This capstone ultimately created a professional development course covering the social determinants of health for occupational therapy practitioners, now offered through the American Occupational Therapy Association. …

Situated Cognition And Self-Directed Learning: Pedagogical Approaches To Developing Skills In Advocacy, Kathleen Eglseder, Sonia Lawson, Reanna Beatty

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Advocacy for clients and the profession are important aspects of occupational therapy practice. Accreditation requirements for educational programs demand students are taught about advocacy. However, effective methods of teaching advocacy to future occupational therapy practitioners have not been widely studied. This article aims to highlight the use of situated cognition and self-directed learning in developing advocacy skills among occupational therapy students. Pre and post-test scores of the Advocacy Competencies Self-Assessment Survey obtained from 39 students were examined for changes in perception of personal advocacy skills and beliefs associated with a required advocacy course. Statistically significant improvement was noted across all …

The Intentional Fieldwork Education Model: Guiding Fieldwork Educators Toward Intentionality And Competency To Enhance Student Learning, E. Joy Crawford, Nadine Hanner

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork education is an essential component of occupational therapy education. The level of competency and preparedness of fieldwork educators may vary substantially and may significantly impact student learning outcomes. The availability of an evidence-based comprehensive fieldwork model to guide the fieldwork educator, clarify issues related to teaching-learning, and provide insightful solutions to issues the educator may encounter, is warranted but is not currently available. The intentional fieldwork education model, introduced in this article, was developed to provide a framework to enhance fieldwork educator competency, self-efficacy, and student learning outcomes. In addition, the model emphasizes the significance of intentionality in the …

Cohort Analysis Of Four Graduating Classes Of Occupational Therapy Students' Knowledge Of Aging, Lavona Traywick, Brittany N. Saviers, Terry Wayne Griffin, Teressa Brown

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

At the same time that the number of senior adults in the United States is steadily rising, there is also a rising shortage of allied health care professionals, including occupational therapists, to meet the current and expected needs of the senior adult population. There are national standards that all occupational therapy programs must meet; however, there is not a set national curriculum. It is assumed that students will enter their respective occupational therapy programs with a base knowledge of aging due to prerequisite requirements. To test that assumption, with Institutional Review Board approval, over four consecutive years 192 first-year, first-semester …

Intraprofessional Collaboration In Ot/Ota Academia: Immersive Innovations For Skill Building, Terri Reichley Dennehy

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Intraprofessionalism is vital to service delivery. This inquiry sought to develop and examine a college elective combining occupational therapy (OT) with occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students, to foster collaborative relationships, and to provide intraprofessional innovations in academia across an entire semester, immersing learners from multiple colleges/universities. Qualitative participatory action research (PAR) was used to determine ways to integrate OT and OTA students from four disparate programs in intraprofessional learning, and to understand students’ perspectives regarding the immersive, learner-centered educational programming. The research cycled through planning, acting, observing, and reflecting on topics related to OT/OTA integration, supervision, and role delineation. Inquiry …

Exploring The Perspectives Of Community Mentors In Occupational Therapy Education, Julia Jansen-Van Vuuren, Nicole Bobbette, Rosemary Lysaght

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Involving people with disabilities in the education of occupational therapy students is important for improving knowledge, skills, and attitudes that promote client-centered practice. At Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, community mentors with disabilities are involved in an occupational therapy course designed to enhance student understanding and empathy for the lived experience of disability. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the course required adjustment to adhere to health and safety precautions. We explored the perspectives of community mentors with disabilities who participated in the course during the pandemic to better understand how pandemic-related restrictions affected the mentoring experience, their relationships …

The Price Of “Normal”: Masking In The Autistic Community, Phyllis Elizabeth Holloway

Online Theses and Dissertations

The Autistic community has a rich history that often includes poor mental health outcomes due to the increased stress and anxiety surrounding the push to have “normal” social skills. On Twitter, many autistic people utilize a hashtag to connect with others in the online Autistic community. This qualitative study analyzes the Twitter hashtag, #ActuallyAutistic, to understand masking and camouflaging from the autistic point of view. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to perform this analysis. The themes found emphasize the need for professionals to increase their understanding of the Autistic community’s value and contributions. By improving the ability of non-autistic …

Occupational Therapists’ Clinical Reasoning In Aat With Dogs In Pediatric Therapy, Catherine C. Goodman

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to understand the clinical reasoning used by occupational therapists to select animal assisted therapy with a dog to be included in a treatment plan for their pediatric occupational therapy clients

Theoretical Framework. The Ecology of Human Performance model supports the study purpose and emphasizes the effect of a person’s context and environment on their ability to function and perform tasks.

Methods. The descriptive qualitative study used interviews of seven occupational therapy practitioners who have included dogs in therapy sessions with children. Interactive coding and theme development was employed with member checking applied to …

Understanding The Experiences Of Occupational Therapists Assessing And Treating Functional Cognition Following Stroke, Emma R. Gregg

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background. Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disability in the United States, with many stroke survivors experiencing cognitive impairment. Despite the prevalence and impact of cognitive impairment amongst the post stroke population, the evidence for functional cognition assessment and intervention in occupational therapy practice is not well described, and there is currently no evidence available exploring the perceptions of occupational therapists regarding functional cognition for stroke survivors.

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of occupational therapists assessing and treating functional cognition in individuals following stroke.

Methods. This qualitative descriptive study included occupational …

The Effects Of Education With Healthcare Providers On Low Vision Assistive Devices And Their Ability To Improve Self-Care Skills, Lora L. Jester-Rains

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Results of a study by Casten et al., (2005) confirmed low rates of use of devices and services for low vision by the older adult. Older adults with low vision are receptive to using low vision resources but are often unaware of them (Lighthouse International, 2021). Casten et al. (2005) further suggested that the lack of services or use of devices may be due to a lack of awareness of health care professionals. Low vision assistive devices (LVAD), whether high or low tech, or mainstream, can help maximize a client’s vision so that they can perform everyday tasks …

Maintaining Occupations For Long-Term Care Residents, Lara Albano

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

This Capstone project focused on client-chosen occupations and the use of client-centered evaluations and interventions for long-term care residents. Client-chosen occupations keep our clients actively engaged in therapy, gives them a sense of control, and maintains their identity. The purpose was to prepare occupational therapists to address long-term care residents’ unique occupational needs and promote participation in their chosen and meaningful occupations. It aimed to examine how occupational therapists interpret and include client-chosen occupations and occupation-based assessments in evaluations and interventions for long-term care residents in skilled nursing facilities.

Effectiveness Of Electrical Stimulation In Treating Upper Extremity Pain For Older Adult Clients Residing In A Skilled Nursing Facility, Cody L. West

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: It is estimated that 55% of older adults who reside in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) have chronic pain that affects their daily function. However, limited research has been conducted on the effectiveness of electrical stimulation (e-stim) in treating upper extremity (UE) pain for the older adult population specifically.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether electrical stimulation can decrease UE pain in clients age 65+ residing in a SNF. A sub-question in the study was whether e-stim can improve UE functional performance in older adult clients.

Theoretical Framework: There are two guiding theoretical …

Impacting Students: Students With Disabilities Participating In A Theater Occupation-Based Program, Markii D. Landry

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Acting Creates Therapeutic Success (ACTS Jr.) is a program that uses theater and drama activities to address a variety of skills. Theater advantageously offers a variety of activities that suit the individual (costume and prop making, set design, screenplay writing, etc.), many that fall under the scope of occupational therapy, and is executed well as a form of group therapy given its innate camaraderie of actors and production members working together to form a final cohesive product (Phillips, 1996). The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how theater can be used as a meaningful activity for students with disabilities …

Interprofessional Collaboration Practice Between Nurses And Occupational Therapists, Kimberly Lamke

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: There is limited research on the interprofessional relationship between occupational therapists and nurses in pediatric outpatient settings, as well as the understanding nurses have of occupational therapy. Interprofessional collaboration is a key component in pediatric client care, regardless of the setting. Interprofessional collaboration is imperative to ensure that health care teams are efficient and able to provide clients with the highest quality of care (Loy et al., 2015).

Purpose: The purpose of this Capstone is to determine how nursing students perceive occupational therapy in a pediatric setting and to examine their perceptions of the interprofessional relationship. Further, it will …

Coaching, Capacity, And Change: Youth Sport Providers' Perceptions On Creating A Health-Promoting Environment, Jennifer Papenfuse

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Rising youth public health disparities can be attributed to the social determinants of health that influence health and wellness. Youth sport providers can be influential in creating healthier environments that facilitate positive youth development, positively impacting life-long healthy behaviors.

Purpose: The purpose of this Capstone Project was to explore youth sport provider’s perceptions, after completing an educational module, of their capacity to implement positive youth development and to create a health-promoting environment. Theoretical Framework. The Model of Human Occupation and the Transtheoretical Model of Behavioral Change guided this project’s assumption that the multicontextual environment’s influence on the process of …

Occupational Therapy Practitioners’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Employer-Sponsored Evidence-Based Practice Activities, Kelli Spayd

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Evidence-based practice is an expectation for the practice of occupational therapy, however, practitioners are not engaging regularly in it. Employers have started to offer activities, such as journal clubs and case studies, or access to research articles and continuing education activities, to help increase evidence-based practice use.

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive open-ended survey study was to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of employer-sponsored evidence-based practice activities by occupational therapy practitioners. It was the goal of the research to answer the question: what are occupational therapists’ perceptions regarding employer-sponsored evidence-based activities?

Theoretical Framework. The Model of Human Occupation provides …

Factors Influencing The Diversity Of Occupational Therapy Students, Donna Colaianni, Grace Tovar, Dominique Wilson, Heidi Zapanta

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The gender, ethnic, and racial diversity of occupational therapy professionals does not represent the diversity found in the population, and thus does not represent the diversity found in our patients and clients. In order to carry out the American Occupational Therapy Association’s vision to create a diverse workforce able to meet the needs of society, this study examined the factors influencing occupational therapy students’ choice of occupational therapy as a career using a survey. 538 participants responded to the survey. Results identify both influential factors and barriers to students pursuing occupational therapy as a career and have implications for diversifying …

Anti-Racism And Occupational Therapy Education: Beyond Diversity And Inclusion, Julia Sterman, Janet Njelesani, Shanteria Carr

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

There is a pressing need to address racism within healthcare education; however, occupational therapy educators lack a compilation of discipline-specific knowledge of anti-racist actions. The objective of this study was to examine anti-racist instructional practices for educators to employ in occupational therapy education. We conducted a scoping review and systematically searched six electronic databases to identify and synthesize anti-racist educational practices within the occupational therapy literature. The 20 included articles identified that educators should: use collaborative, anti-racist teaching strategies throughout the curriculum; engage in reflexivity including how intersecting identities impact occupational engagement; decolonize curricula through including Indigenous content and non-Western …

Impact Of Motivations For Volunteering On Well-Being Among Health Sciences Students, Allison J. Naber, Rebecca Benson, Katie Ericsson, Macey Genzlinger

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Motivations for volunteering as a meaningful occupation can influence well-being. This study explored the relationship between motivations for volunteering and perceived well-being among students enrolled in one of ten departments in a School of Health Sciences. A cross-sectional survey incorporating the RAND 36-Item Short Form Survey and Volunteer Function Inventory was employed. Most of the 95 participants were students enrolled in the health science undergraduate and occupational therapy graduate programs. Approximately 75% had volunteered in the past year. RAND SF-36 findings indicated good perceived well-being among many categories. Primary motivations for volunteering included values (Mdn = 30) and understanding …

Professional Behavior Attributes: A Survey Of Occupational Therapy Faculty Perspectives, Taylor A. Gurley, Kate E. Decleene Huber, Angella Chen, Kristen Dyson, Hannah Hackman, Paige Mcintire, Erika Wilson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Professionalism in occupational therapy has been challenging to define due to differing values and behaviors across contexts and professions. There is a difference between how occupational therapy students and faculty view and comprehend professionalism suggesting that occupational therapists may not have an established sense of professionalism when entering the health care field for the first time. The study's purpose was to examine occupational therapy faculty’s perceptions of essential professional behavior attributes that students should possess to succeed in occupational therapy practice. This study utilized a survey methodology to anonymously collect opinions from 150 occupational therapy faculty members across the United …

Perceptions On Non-Traditional Models Of Fieldwork Supervision, Michelle Forfa, Christine Helfrich, Rebecca Simon

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy fieldwork education has historically followed the traditional apprenticeship model, which pairs one student with one fieldwork educator for supervision and guidance through the transformational process from student to entry-level clinician. There is an absence of high-level evidence to support this model as best practice in fieldwork education. Despite data published to endorse alternative supervision models, fieldwork educators (FWEs) appear hesitant to embrace these approaches. The purpose of this investigation was to explore occupational therapy practitioners’ views on the value and challenges associated with the implementation of non-traditional models of supervision during Level II fieldwork education. The study specifically …

Group Action Planning To Promote Well-Being Of Non-Traditional Students In A Hybrid Program, Elena W. Espiritu

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Non-traditional occupational therapy students experience stress and occupational imbalance during their educational experience due to academic and non-academic factors, which decreases their well-being. Throughout the occupational therapy literature, participation in a variety of occupations is known to positively impact well-being. However, there are limited interventions available to foster occupational therapy students’ overall well-being through occupational engagement. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of interventions specifically designed to meet the unique needs of non-traditional occupational therapy students. Action planning is a structured goal setting format by which a person develops specific strategies to achieve desirable outcomes. This qualitative descriptive study described the …