Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Considerations In The Use Of Podcasts For Teaching And Learning In Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Study, Sarah Briand, Ingrid Malo-Leclerc, Michaël Beaudoin, Étienne Croisetière, Alexandre Tremblay, Mariane Côté-Boulanger, Annie Carrier

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Evidence-based practice integrates and supports the best interventions in clinical practice. However, a gap of about ten years may elapse between the production of evidence and integration of best practices in clinical settings. Some technologies, such as podcasting, have become increasingly popular and are emerging as an innovative teaching modality that can support knowledge acquisition and integration. This scoping study gathered and synthesized the information in the literature regarding the use of podcasts by occupational therapy clinicians and students as a means for teaching and learning evidence-based knowledge. A scoping study approach was used following the five stages defined by …

Is Compressed And Limited Synchronous Delivery Of Anatomy Content In A Hybrid Delivery Format Effective In Transitional Ot Student Learning?, Reivian Berrios Barillas, Kathy J. Lemley

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Hybrid occupational therapy (OT) students transitioning from certified OT assistants (COTAs) to OTs can successfully learn graduate-level anatomy in a compressed format with limited synchronous instruction time. The effectiveness of a human anatomy course with limited synchronous instruction time for transitional hybrid occupational therapy students was investigated. A retrospective, non-randomized study was used. A university graduate level human anatomy course for transitional OT students used prosected (previously dissected) cadavers. Students (n=46, 32 instruction hours over 16 weeks) final anatomy course grades for three cohorts were measured retrospectively. There was a 98% first-time pass rate and 100% second time …

Evaluation Of A Simulation-Based Training Program On Childhood Trauma With Occupational Therapy Students, Julie Miller-Cribbs, Jedediah E. Bragg, Mary Isaacson, Eden D. E. Nay, Daniel Howell, Kristin Rodriguez, Frances Wen, Martina Jelley, Kim Coon

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

An educational and simulation-based training model, the Professional ACEs-Informed Training for Health Professionals designed for allied health students was evaluated using a pre-and-post design. The training model emphasizes trauma-informed care and uses social simulation to educate and train students with skills to address adverse childhood experiences. This study evaluated occupational therapy students’ (N=70) levels of self-efficacy and knowledge of trauma-informed care at both pre- and post-training. Analysis of variance results indicated a statistically significant improvement in students’ levels of general self-efficacy and knowledge from pre- to post-assessment (p < .01). These results are suggestive of the usefulness of brief …

Evaluation Of An On-Campus Program Bridging The Theory-Practice Gap In Occupational Therapy Education: Student Perspective, Homa Zahedi, Sarah-Jayne Rowe

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The transfer of learning from an academic setting to fieldwork and vice versa is not straightforward and occupational therapy students often report this as challenging. In acknowledgement of this, the fieldwork placement learning structure within the Bachelor and Master occupational therapy entry-level programs at a higher education institute was redesigned to enhance links between taught content at university and fieldwork placement. The aim of this study was to explore occupational therapy students’ perspectives of this new educational initiative. The students attended university for a set number of days over the course of their first and second fieldwork placements. The sessions …

All Work Or All Play? The Impact Of Cultural And Clinical Activities On Perceived Cultural Sensitivity Development During An Occupational Therapy Service Learning Experience, Monique C. Chabot, Adair Sanchez, Said Nafai, Elizabeth Stevens-Nafai

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

International service learning experiences provide invaluable opportunities for occupational therapy practitioners and students to practice clinical skills while also being exposed to different cultures and experiences not available in their home country. Studies have shown that clinical activities during international service learning experiences increase students’ cultural awareness and sensitivity, however the effect of cultural activities on students’ development is not known. Over the span of two years, multiple groups of American occupational therapy students traveled to Morocco for a ten day service learning experience and served in a variety of clinical activities across the lifespan and population. Students also participated …

Outcomes Of International Service Learning (Isl): Alumni Perspectives, Karen Schnedl, Lauren E. Milton

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Service learning is an active method that combines academic knowledge and hands-on experience while serving a community. Service learning is well established within occupational therapy (OT) and allied health education, as many institutions have organized both domestic and international service learning experiences. Literature supports student benefits of participation in international service learning (ISL), but limited literature exists on the long-term impact of participation in ISL throughout allied health education. Many OT students participate in ISL during their education, but there is limited literature on the impact of an ISL experience on participants’ careers in OT. In this qualitative study, an …

Occupation-Focused Learning And Personal Development Through Service-Learning, Sarah Quinn, Katie Cremin

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Experiential learning is not without its challenges. Following a pilot examination of student feedback on practical and learning difficulties they encountered, students’ experiences of their occupation-focused, service-learning module was systematically explored using a case study design. Concurrent mixed methods were employed to collect data with emphasis on qualitative data gathered through weekly, guided reflective journals and online forums. Students were also surveyed pre and post module to validate data on their experiences regarding their concerns, perceived learning, and evaluation of the module. Four themes were identified. These related to students’ increased understanding of the use and value of occupation; their …

Addressing Suicide In Entry-To-Practice Occupational Therapy Programs: A Canadian Picture, Nadine Larivière, Marc Rouleau, Kim Hewitt-Mcvicker, Lorie Shimmell, Catherine White

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Worldwide, over 800,000 people die each year by suicide, leaving many behind to grieve the loss. Preventing suicide involves reaching people before they are in crisis (prevention), helping them to navigate a crisis that could result in suicide (intervention), and addressing the aftermath of a suicide loss or attempt (postvention). Healthcare professionals, including occupational therapists, unitedly acknowledge the lack of skills, knowledge, and competence in all facets of suicide awareness and prevention in their professional training and in practice. To improve this situation, suicide prevention skills must be taught in entry to practice programs, so they will filter into the …

Designing An Educational Program To Promote Diversity And Student Engagement In Professional Advocacy (Sepa), Jessica Alden, Lynda Hill, Felecia Moore Banks, Ronan Connolly, Julius Ngwa

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Little is understood about best educational strategies to engage diverse occupational therapy students in professional advocacy. The purpose of this research was to use design-based research (DBR) methods to design a novel educational intervention to promote professional engagement of diverse students over three subsequent years. This study used a pre/post design to design, implement, evaluate, and revise an educational program entitled “Student Engagement in Professional Advocacy” (SEPA). This manuscript reports on the first year of that study. The participants (N=27) were entry-level Master of Science occupational therapy students. The outcome measure was a survey measuring student knowledge, attitude, and participation …

Collaborative Learning And Critical Thinking: Use Of The Jigsaw Learning Activity In Occupational Therapy Teaching, Jessica L. Dashner, Christine Berg

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Collaborative team learning prepares future practitioners using well-crafted, guided collaborative learning activities. Collaborative learning distributes responsibility across team members as they engage socially to build knowledge and learner skills. Critical thinking is a learner skill that is fostered through challenging the team of learners’ assumptions through ill-defined, complex real-life cases that defy easy solutions. The ability of occupational therapists to create effective discharge plans has been found to positively alter hospital recidivism. By offering a Jigsaw Case focused on discharge planning at several points in time across the service delivery continuum of care, a team of learners engaged in collaborative …

The Admissions Process In Occupational Therapy Education: Investigating Academic And Non-Academic Metrics In The Applicant Selection Process, Zana A. Mcneil, Mallory Babin, Erin Pyles, Breanna Trueblood, Bailee Cloutier, Sharon M. Cosper

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The overall goal for any admissions process is to analyze criteria and identify the prospective students that have the highest potential for success in the program’s curriculum and in the field as a practicing clinician. The purpose of this study was to examine common academic and non-academic criteria utilized in occupational therapy (OT) admission processes and determine what criteria are used by programs with 100% student pass ratings on their National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam following completion of an OT program. Admissions criteria components and NBCOT pass rates were collected from the top 107 OT programs, …

Telehealth And Occupational Therapy Education, Angela Patterson, Diana R. Feldhacker, Bobbi S. Greiner, Marion Russell, Victoria Bergen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Accredited occupational therapy education programs are required to include telehealth technology in their curricula as outlined by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education. An innovative Doctor of Occupational Therapy program piloted a telehealth module with first- and second-year students. Both dynamic lecture content and active learning lab exercises were created to advance student knowledge in the use of telehealth technology and to inform occupational therapy telehealth education. The teaching approaches in lecture and lab were assessed using a mixed methods approach. A quantitative pre and posttest assessment of student self-efficacy and knowledge was collected at three time points. At …

Evaluating Interprofessional Competencies And Knowledge Of And Confidence In Addressing Social Determinants Of Health, Whitney Lucas Molitor, Moses N. Ikiugu, Ranelle Nissen, Mejai Avoseh, Denyelle Kenyon, Sabina Kupershmidt

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Promoting health requires coordinated, team-based interventions responsive to multiple determinants of health. This study aimed to determine if interprofessional competencies and knowledge of and confidence in addressing the social determinants of health improved following an interprofessional learning event. A two-group randomized controlled trial was used to determine study outcomes among 408 health science students from 14 health profession programs in the Midwest. Formed groups were randomly assigned to the customary medical-based (control) or social determinants of health focused (experimental) case study. In small groups students engaged in a case study simulation and offered recommendations for intervention. Small improvements in knowledge …

Cardiovascular Effects Of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation And Bimanual Training In Children With Cerebral Palsy, Manda L. Keller-Ross, Daniel P. Chantigian, Samuel Nemanich, Bernadette T. Gillick

Occupational Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose:

To determine the influence of combined transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to the motor cortex (M1) and bimanual training on cardiovascular function in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods:

Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and HR variability (HRV) were measured immediately before and after 20 minutes of cathodal tDCS to contralesional M1 and bimanual training on days 1, 6, and 10 of a 10-day trial in 8 participants (5 females, 7-19 years).

Results:

Baseline MAP and HR were similar across days (93 ± 10 mm Hg and 90 ± 10 bpm, P > .05). MAP was similar from …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Addressing Mental Health Needs In Middle Schoolers, Taylor Anderson, Emily Annen, Seira Dick

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Adolescence is a period of time filled with many transitions. The transition from elementary to middle school comes with new academic, social, and environmental demands. Currently, adolescents often lack the skills and the support necessary to cope with these demands, leading to an increase in mental health challenges (Moksnes, Lohre, Lillefiell, Byrne, & Haugen, 2016). While there are many school-based interventions designed to support students throughout this difficult transition, many environmental barriers exist which prevent the effective implementation of these interventions. One category of barriers is the lack of school resources. Although there is significant positive research on social emotional …

A Guide For Occupational Therapist Working With Women With Postpartum Depression And Eating Disorders, Nathina Crabtree, Sara Gregoire

Occupational Therapy Capstones

An eating disorder (ED) is characterized by regular and constant disturbances in eating or an eating-related behavior that are associated with distress and impairments (Marcus, 2018). Schmidt et al., (2016), noted that the average duration of an ED illness is six years and young women make up the majority of people with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). According to Knoph et al., (2013) the majority of women with AN and BN that were pregnant appeared to turn to adaptive changes in eating behaviors. The researchers in the article by Knoph et al., (2013) found that pregnancy is a …

Creating An Adaptive In-School Sports Program To Increase Occupational Engagement And Performance In Children With Physical Disabilities: A Resource Manual For Occupational Therapists, Bethany Kasberger, Kaylee Loken

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Participating in physical activity, including sports programs, has been found to have many positive health benefits both physically and mentally (Moss, Lim, K, Prunty, & Norris, 2020). The purpose of creating adaptive sports programs within schools is to promote engagement in physical activity and achieve the many benefits that sports programs have to offer. Children with and without physical disabilities should have equal access to these benefits for appropriate development. Enabling individuals with physical disabilities to participate in sports can assist in improving their overall quality of life and begin building skills that will benefit them in adulthood.

Structured Ambassador Program For Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities In The Preschool Setting, Aspen Pitcher, Abby Wendel

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD) have multiple opportunities to participate in the community through a variety of programs. Most programs show significant benefits in immersing individuals with ID/DD in social and physical contexts. Ashley, Fossey, and Bigby (2019) explain that participation for individuals with ID/DD is influenced by motivation, abilities, and environmental conditions. The environment plays a key role in supporting or hindering occupational engagement for individuals with ID/DD (Ashley et al., 2019). The research supports the use of vocational programs, intergenerational programs, and peer mentorship to improve the quality of life for individuals with ID/DD …

Ot Is The Missing Link In Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction, Hope Schuster, Michaela Mayhood

Occupational Therapy Capstones

PURPOSE: The purpose of this scholarly project was to examine research regarding postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). As there is no current literature regarding POCD and occupational therapy, this project serves to be the first of its kind to address the role. Within this scholarly project, the literature reviewed served to generate an article for OT Practice, highlighting the role of occupational therapy and education about POCD.

Immersive Virtual Reality (Vr) And Telehealth To Promote Engagement In Occupations For Rural Populations: Manual For Occupational Therapists, Brock Wahlert, Emily Utech

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Abstract

Telehealth has been used to alleviate the impact of occupational deprivation in rural communities (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2018). There is continuing research on the development of telehealth in the occupational therapy profession. An emerging type of technology utilized in occupational therapy consists of using immersive VR interventions to increase client's performance skills (Karamians, Proffitt, Kline & Gauthier, 2019; Kwan, Park, Yoon & Park, 2012; Halton, 2008; Weiss Rand, Katz & Kizony, 2004). The combination of immersive VR and telehealth allows occupational therapy practitioners to interact, evaluate, and intervene with clients living in rural communities. The immersive VR …

Interdisciplinary Community-Based Support For Caregivers Of Individuals Living With Dementia, Gina Tucker-Roghi, Jamie Escoubas, Renee Tolliver, Sarah Tucker

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Evidence indicates family caregivers of individuals living with dementia (ILwD) are at risk for diminished physical and mental health; which may decrease their quality of life and directly impact their ability to provide care. An interdisciplinary approach to self-care and skill-building for caregivers is provided in a virtual support group offered by Council on Aging in Sonoma County, CA. As part of the nonprofit’s Adult Day Program, the group is offered to client caregivers and has two goals: First, creating a communitybased, long-term support system for ILwD who are agingin-place; second, fostering a safe and supportive community for family caregivers, …

Assessing Information Literacy Skills And Library Anxiety Of First-Year Occupational Therapy Graduate Students, Christine Moghimi, Mary C. Rickelman

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In today’s academic environment, students equipped with self-regulated learning and information literacy (IL) skills have an excellent opportunity for professional success given the current information-based practices in health care. Purposefully providing IL instruction to students early in their coursework will help them develop competent research skills applicable to their remaining studies and scholarly projects. Along with IL challenges, students can experience “library anxiety,” which the literature identifies as a contributing factor to poor academic performance. This study explored components of library anxiety in Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) students and identified opportunities for IL training that could help students become …

Collaborating With A Transitional Care Unit To Provide Student Hands-On Time: A Win-Win For Hospital And Academic Institution, Emily Grattan, Amanda K. Giles

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy students crave hands-on learning experiences that take place in authentic environments. This study describes an innovative experiential learning activity involving collaboration between an academic institution and an inpatient transitional care unit (TCU). Three cohorts of second year occupational therapy students (N=138) participated in the TCU learning activity, which involved reviewing the electronic medical record, planning and delivering a treatment, documenting the therapy session, and intentionally reflecting on the experience. Based on an optional, anonymous survey, one hundred percent of students reported that “this learning experience was valuable” and “provided opportunity to practice clinical reasoning.” Ninety-nine percent of students …

Needs Assessment, Program Development, And Pilot Testing: Training For Occupational Therapy Students Working With Survivors Of Gun Violence, Lea Fang, Aisha Mohammed, Vicki Kaskutas

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

After the first year of operation, members of a student-staffed occupational therapy (OT) clinic found that 36% of their patients’ injuries were violence-related, mostly due to gun violence. The purposes of this project were to identify unmet needs of survivors of violence seen in a clinic setting, identify treating professionals’ preparedness to meet these needs, and develop and pilot test a program within the scope of OT to address these needs. A literature review and key informant interviews, surveys, and focus groups identified potential solutions to address gaps between patients’ needs and professionals’ preparedness to meet those needs. The need …

Interweaving Teaching Strategies In Interprofessional Education: A Pilot Study With Graduate Occupational Therapy And Physician Assistant Students, Eric C. Nemec, Lola Halperin, Jaimee Betts Hegge

Physician Associate Studies Faculty Publications

The importance of interprofessional education (IPE) has been emphasized by the World Health Organization and is currently required by both the occupational therapy (OT) and physician assistant (PA) education accreditation agencies in the United States. Moreover, a growing body of evidence suggests that IPE fosters learners’ understanding of the roles different disciplines play in healthcare delivery and prepares future health professionals for patient-centered care. Authors designed and implemented an IPE event aimed to foster the following core Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competencies among graduate OT and PA students: Values/Ethics for Interprofessional Practice, Roles and Responsibilities, Interprofessional Communication, and Teams and …

Addressing Culture Throughout The Occupational Therapy Process: Beyond The Basics, Samantha Plutko, Jacey Savage

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Our product, a continuing education course for occupational therapy practitioners, was created with the purpose of giving attendees an opportunity to engage in hands-on learning exercises that will assist them with addressing culture throughout the occupational therapy process.

Improving School Readiness In Home-Based Care Settings, Malea Peters, Shelby Wittenberg

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: The purpose of this project was to create a resource guide for home-based daycare providers to promote school readiness skills in preschool-age children. Several national and local policies promote children’s school readiness in early childhood years (NEGP, 1995). Children in home-based daycares may be at-risk for lower school readiness skills upon school entry compared to similar-age children in other childcare arrangements (Bassok, Greenberg, Fitzpatrick, & Loeb, 2016). Occupational therapists can play a role in supporting home-based daycare providers to implement school readiness activities for preschool-age children into their daily routines.

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 …

Occupational Therapist’S Role In Addressing Transition Support Through Life Skills, Rupa Parikh

Student Capstone Papers

The transition period from high school to postsecondary education has been shown to be a difficult time for youth, especially those with disabilities. The use of occupational therapists in transition services can positively affect a student's ability to attend postsecondary education. Guidance and support are necessary to teach these individuals life skills needed for future success in the transition to postsecondary education. This capstone project aims to assess the needs of students at the Winston school to identify occupational limitations in the area of life skills. Through identification of problem areas, a detailed program was created and implemented to meet …

Impact Of Social Skills Groups On School Aged Children With Emotional Disturbance, Stephanie Coauette, Kaitlyn Ekre, Benjamin Stagg

Critically Appraised Topics

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2017, Sec. 300.8), emotional disturbance is defined as a condition in which there are one or more of the following symptoms that interferes with a child’s ability perform successfully in their education: “An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors, an inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers, inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances, a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression, and a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal …