Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

A Pilot Program To Inform High School Students About Allied Healthcare Professions, Nhu Mac

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The literature revealed the lack of diversity in the workforce, limited recruiting and retention methods, and lack of exposure to these professions as the contributions to the shortage and demand for the profession of occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), and speech- language pathology (SLP). As a result, the fourteen-week program to inform high school students about OT, PT, and SLP roles in the community and public health was implemented at Desert Pines High School in Clark County School District (CCSD) to see if it would influence their perceived attitudes, knowledge, beliefs, and the likelihood of pursuing these careers. Using …

Occupational Therapy Fieldwork In An Emerging Justice-Based Setting: Hope For Prisoners, Noah Claypool

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This capstone occurred through a partnership with HOPE for Prisoners in Las Vegas, Nevada. As an emerging area of practice, the occupational therapy profession needs more resources and programs focused on the justice system. The lack of evidence-based resources to support future level I fieldwork students at HOPE for Prisoners poses a barrier for students to maximize their fieldwork experience and effectively engage with the organization’s population of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated men, women, and young adults in southern Nevada.This capstone experience involved a 14-week immersion at HOPE for Prisoners, including participation in training and workshops and engagement with clients, …

Anatomy Academy Service-Learning Project: Attacking The Epidemic Of Childhood Obesity, Kelsey Kjer, Rosedaveia Howell, Brennan Kitchen, Francesca Schutte

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The World Health Organization has classified childhood obesity as one of the most serious public health concerns in the world. Obesity is known to have detrimental health consequences and be a risk for comorbidities. On top of the consequences of obesity already seen in young children at school, a lack of health education interventions in many elementary schools remains a significant health disparity. Anatomy Academy (AA) is a seven-week curriculum designed to educate children about their bodies and the importance of gaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of this service-learning project was to educate elementary school students in …

An Ergonomic Approach For Esport Athletes: The Potential For Less Injury And Increased Occupational Performance, Nicholas Nalic Pierides Jr.

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of developing the case study was to determine the satisfaction of implementing an ergonomic protocol tailored to esport athletes in addition to tracking improvements in performance through KovaaK’s tracking trainer while reducing the risk of repetitive strain injuries. Occupational therapists are trained to assess individuals with a holistic lens while treating the deficits that prevent them from living a meaningful life. Occupational therapists advise ergonomically correct positioning for their clients to decrease the risk of injury and to optimize the person’s performance. There is a need for an ergonomic protocol tailored to esport athletes because of the increase …

Implementing The Use Of Lesson Plan Templates Within The Mentorship Program For Dignity Health Hand Therapists, Ronell Matthew Sueno

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Occupational therapists (OT) have a wide range of specialties following graduation, one of which is hand therapy. This specialty requires a certain level of knowledge and clinical reasoning, especially concerning hand anatomy and physiology. It is hard to transition into hand therapy as a new occupational therapist due to extensive knowledge, additional patient-care hours, specialty certifications require, and lack of opportunity. A smoother transition into the workforce can be achieved through mentorship programs that allow for meetings with mentors to ask questions and get clarification on different treatments and diagnoses. This quality improvement project focused on gaining perspectives of hand …

Development Of Online Modules To Introduce Prospective Students To The Profession Of Occupational Therapy, Hosia Towery

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Prospective students interested in Occupational Therapy academic programs are subject to the admission criteria of each educational institution, including experiential learning, clinical observation hours, volunteer experiences, or similar prerequisites. There are no standardized criteria established for these prerequisite requirements b the accreditation agency, as it is within the scope of Higher Education. There is no accountability at the regional or local level to ensure educational opportunities for prospective students interested in higher education, creating a gap as highlighted in the recent global pandemic, where student access to education was further challenged. Students are reliant on a variable set of requirements …

Examining The Experiences Of Lgbtq Dpt Students: A Critical Ethnography, Catherine Turner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of LGBTQ Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students at a large public university in the south-western United States, as it relates to the culture and climate of the program and campus. The LGBTQ community faces its own unique health disparities. Research in medicine suggests improving the diversity of the healthcare profession is a vital component in improving access to care, and this requires the creation of inclusive and supportive educational environments for LGBTQ identifying healthcare students. However, minimal research exists examining the experiences of LGBTQ physical therapy students.

The study …

The Percussionist Bodybuilder: Optimizing Performance Through Exercise And Nutrition, Anthony Joseph Merlino

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Do preventive therapies have the potential to help avoid common injuries among percussionists? This document investigates physiological therapy and nutrition in relation to percussion performance. My interest in this subject matter is derived from my personal experiences with injuries related to the performance of percussion. Although I have studied and played percussion professionally for more than a decade, I was unaware of certain methods of rehabilitation that were available to me prior to my injuries. As I learned about the rehabilitation process through first hand experience, I discovered that my injuries were very common among percussionists. This raised the question: …

Effects Of Environment On Children's Motor Scores, Eligibility Status, And Administration Times, Derrick Mittelstadt, Abigail Parker, Kirsten Pickett, Heather Temkin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Best practices for assessing developmental skills in young children focus on naturalistic observation in everyday settings, but the effects of environment on test scores, eligibility status and administration time have not been explored. The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-Second Edition (PDMS-2) was administered to 34 children aged 18 to 59 months in natural and pull-out settings. PDMS-2 total, gross, and fine motor quotient (TMQ, GMQ, and FMQ) scores were significantly lower in the natural environment (p’s≤.014). Based on our results, more children would qualify for services when tested in natural environments using TMQ and GMQ scores. It also took significantly longer …