Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Safety Analysis Of Battery-Powered Adaptive Ride-On Toys For Children With Disabilities, Abbey Fraser

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modified battery-powered ride-on toy cars, or adaptive ride-on toys, represent novel rehabilitation tools and developmental aids for children with disabilities. Studies have shown that children are benefiting socially and developmentally from their use. However, the use of these toys by children with disabilities potentially poses a risk of injury and it is vitally important to ensure the safe use of these toys, particularly for the benefit of those with developmental challenges.

Within this context, the purpose of the first study was to determine whether modifications to ride-on toys are sufficient to prevent common modes of injury such as falls, passenger …

Effect Of Case Presentation On Physical Therapy Students’ Clinical Reasoning, Nicholas Larosa

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study investigated the effects of case method presentation on the clinical reasoning hypotheses generated, strategies implemented, and errors made by physical therapy students working through a musculoskeletal clinical problem. The study was framed by Marton and Säljö’s levels of processing, McCrudden’s et al. goal-focusing model, Cognitive Load Theory, and the Model of Domain Learning. Verbatim transcriptions for each problem-solving session was created and coded. Cohen’s kappa was κ = .75 indicating substantial inter-rater reliability for the finalized coding schemes. Quantitative analysis included mean and standard deviation calculations followed by Mann Whitney-U comparisons which detected several significant differences …

Educating For Engagement: The Influence Of Physical Therapist Education On Lifelong Learning And Professional Engagement, Raine Osborne

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare professions educational programs have a responsibility to develop professionally engaged lifelong learners. Knowledge of the factors important to the development of these desirable characteristics may inform educational leaders’ decisions about program and curriculum design. This study aimed to investigate the relation between level of education and an orientation towards lifelong learning and future professional engagement. In addition, the influence of learners’ type of motivation for continued learning, and learning goal orientation on this relation was also assessed.

A cross-sectional survey of learners from a single healthcare profession, physical therapy was conducted to investigate these relations. Physical therapist learners from …

Power Mobility Sensor Data Collection Verified Through Standardized Pediatric Assessments, Ayshka Elise Rodriguez-Velez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The collaboration between the School of Engineering and the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of North Florida has introduced the possibility of creating a new environment for pediatric physical therapy assessments. There are currently no methods for remotely monitoring children with impairments. However, with embedded sensor technology in the form of power mobility and accepted therapy assessment tools, remote monitoring can become a possibility. As a part of this work, a ride-on toy car was developed as a remote monitoring device and a case study with a child with a mobility impairment was used as a proof of …

Increasing Physical Activity In Post Liver Transplant Patients, Jennifer Lynn Serotta

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase physical activity among postoperative adult liver transplant patients, improve documentation of daily activity, and ultimately influence quality of life (QOL). Quality of life has been shown to improve dramatically after liver transplant, as patients enter transplant severely debilitated with limitations on their physical activity which carry over following transplant. The literature supports that liver transplant patients should engage in physical activity which may improve QOL. Thirteen liver transplant patients were recruited within the seven days of their post-operative hospitalization. Twelve patients consented, were educated about the benefits of walking, given …