Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Level I Fieldwork: Could Simulation Be The Answer? A Descriptive Study, Darla Coss, Stephanie De Sam Lazaro, Katelyn Brady

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This article describes the creation and outcomes of simulation as Level I Fieldwork for entry level graduate occupational therapy students. The simulations were created by a team of interprofessional educators following the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning best practices. Additionally, the simulations were designed to meet the student learning outcomes of Level I Fieldwork. Students participated in eight high-fidelity simulations and were evaluated with self-ratings, peer ratings, and faculty ratings. Each student completed a student evaluation of the fieldwork experience, with rating scales and open-ended questions to understand student perceptions of the experience. The vast majority of …

Book Review: Clinical Simulation For Health Care Professionals, Loriann Helgeson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This paper is a review of Clinical Simulation for Health Care Professionals (Zapletal et al., 2022), which is designed to be a step-by-step manual for those interested in designing simulated learning experiences for students in health care fields and for clinicians who need to refresh or advance their skills to gain essential competencies for practice as a health care professional. Authors chose the Kern’s Model of Curriculum Development to serve as the theoretical framework for development of a simulated learning experience, which also lends itself to organization of the material in an easy-to-use resource. While the book is authored by …

Diversity, Equity, Justice, And Inclusion In Occupational Therapy Education, Dana M. Howell, Renee Causey-Upton, Cindy Hayden

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Racism And Ethnic Discrimination On Students' Educational Experiences, Melissa Luong, Julie D. Kugel, Sharon Pavlovich, Liane Hewitt, Lida Gharibvand

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study explored how occupational therapy students’ perceptions of racism and ethnic discrimination impacted their educational experiences. Participants included 226 students ages 18-60 years old enrolled in occupational therapy entry-level, post-professional, or assistant programs throughout the United States. Students completed an anonymous web-based survey that included a demographic questionnaire, the Brief Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire-Community Version (PEDQ-CV), and open-ended survey questions. Results found that students’ educational performance were negatively impacted by their experiences with racism and ethnic discrimination. While students reported to have experienced racism or ethnic discrimination within the classroom and fieldwork settings, classroom conversations and content related to …

Exploring Supports And Barriers To Inclusion In Occupational Therapy Education, Arielle Ramirez, Anne F. Kiraly-Alvarez

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The recent innumerable social and racial injustices and healthcare disparities experienced globally have catapulted diversity and inclusion discussions to the forefront. The purpose of this study was to identify the supports and barriers to inclusion in occupational therapy (OT) education from the experiences of OT students from historically marginalized groups and the perspectives of OT faculty/staff. The authors used a convergent mixed methods design for the study, which consisted of an online survey and semi-structured interviews. 131 students and 35 faculty/staff completed the survey, while 20 students and 11 faculty completed interviews. Five themes emerged from the data: 1) Barriers …

Belonging In Graduate Health Professions Education- Implications For Occupational Therapy Education: A Scoping Review, Quinn P. Tyminski, Jenna N. Johnston, Vicky Hung, Jenna Gopman

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Individuals who report a high sense of belonging with their academic institution demonstrate increased levels of academic success, as measured by greater class attendance, increased appropriate classroom behaviors, and better mental health and self-concept. The available literature on this topic focuses minimally on sense of belonging in graduate health professions education and available evidence is even more sparse specific to occupational therapy education. Thus, the aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review to gather foundational knowledge regarding barriers and facilitators to belonging in graduate health professions education to determine implications for occupational therapy education. A total of …

Belonging: A Phenomenological Study Of Systemic Racism Experienced Among Black Students In Occupational Therapy Programs, Nardia A. Aldridge, Chloe Hill, Vanessa Johnson, Sierra Green, Cassandra Oladunni, Lillian Maglaris-Gabaldon, Victoria Madera, Ivanie Carswell

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Belonging, a crucial aspect of humanity and justice, is negated by racism. Formal analyses have shown that racial and ethnic minorities experience significantly higher rates of racial discrimination, with the greatest disparity being among Blacks. Incidences of racism toward healthcare professionals of color indicate that comprehensive and unbiased academic content is warranted in occupational therapy education. This study explored the lived experiences of systemic racism among Black occupational therapy students and their preparation to deal with racism and bias within didactic and clinical settings. This study featured a phenomenological design with data collection through semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Transcripts …

The Impact Of An Educational Human Trafficking Panel On Occupational Therapy Students’ Knowledge And Self-Efficacy, Sarbinaz Bekmuratova, Andrea Thinnes, Yongyue Qi, Arduizur Carli Richie Zavaleta, Ashlynn York

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

A rise in attention to and assistance for human trafficking (HT) victims and survivors has resulted in a call to action for occupational therapists and other healthcare professionals. Victims and survivors often seek healthcare services in a variety of settings, yet ill-equipped healthcare professionals lacking training and self-efficacy with this population have left many unidentified needs unaddressed. Occupational therapists possess the skills necessary to support and assist survivors of HT in their reintegration and healing processes. However, little to no specific training for practitioners in this field has been developed. This study explored how an educational panel of OTs and …

Cultural Competence With Humility Using Interprofessional Multicultural Learning Activities: Student Perceptions, Michele L. Tilstra, Cara A. Berg-Carramusa, Tiffany J. Peets, Karen M. Keptner

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study examined students’ perceptions of interprofessional multicultural learning activities used to develop cultural competence with humility (CCH). Limited research exists on student perceptions of learning activities for CCH in entry-level occupational therapy educational programs. This exploratory, mixed methods study used an anonymous online survey, the Learning Activities Survey (LAS), to collect student quantitative ratings and qualitative feedback about CCH learning activities and their experience within the Counselors and Occupational Therapists Professionally Engaged in the Community (COPE) program. A deductive thematic approach was used by two investigators for qualitative analyses of COPE learning activities by alignment …

Gender Career Stereotypes, Implicit Bias, And Occupational Therapy, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck, Carli Friedman

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Implicit (unconscious) gender bias and stereotypes can affect clinical decisions and interactions between healthcare professionals, as well as impact careers. However, there is no research exploring the implicit gender bias or stereotypes of occupational therapy students or practitioners. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the gender-career bias of occupational therapy students. To do so, occupational therapy students (n = 54) from three Midwestern United States graduate occupational therapy programs completed the gender-career attitudes implicit association test (IAT) – biases associating women with family, and men with career – as well as a survey polling demographic information. …

An Exploratory Survey Of Incivility Experienced By Novice Occupational Therapists Educated Using A Servant Leadership Model, Deborah J. Bolding, Jennifer C. Radloff, Kim Dudzinski

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence of incivility experienced by a purposive sample of novice occupational therapists who graduated from a master’s level program that focused on developing servant leaders as part of its mission. Data from this group was then compared to outcomes from a previous national survey of novice occupational therapists. Incivility in both studies was measured using the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R). An independent samples t-test showed that NAQ-R total scores and person-related incivility subscores were significantly (p

Exploring Coloniality In Occupation-Based Education: Perspectives Of Ghanaian Occupational Therapists, Joana Nana Serwaa Akrofi, Amber M. Angell, Bright Gyamfi, Stefanie Bodison

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The history, scope, and practice of occupational therapy are taught in many parts of the world using western perspectives. Recently, occupational scientists have explored occupation-based education, including the extent to which occupation is central in occupational therapy programs and the mechanisms of teaching occupation. This study explores how western ideologies have influenced occupation-based education in Ghana by examining the teaching and practice of occupational therapy. We conducted a qualitative study using purposive sampling to recruit four participants from the first four cohorts of practitioners. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Our analysis yielded three main themes: Power, participants described power …

Lived Experiences Of Filipino Male Occupational Therapy Students, Tiaura U. Macabagdal, Lila Amaryllis C. Caniete, Eryn Jahn Fernandez, Airica Henncell C. Roldan, Rod Charlie Delos Reyes, Mark Andre Blanco

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The historical dominance of women working in occupational therapy, coupled with the underrepresentation of males in the field globally, creates a need to investigate the experiences of male students in occupational therapy programs. In the context of the Philippines, where women make up 74.72% of the occupational therapy workforce, this study aims to address the following scaffolding problem by exploring the experiences and motivations of male students in Philippine occupational therapy programs. This study seeks to shed light on the factors influencing their educational journey and contribute to a better understanding of gender dynamics within the field. A qualitative design …

Generative Disruptive Questions: Operationalizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, And Accessibility In Occupational Therapy Education, Jaime P. Muñoz, Catherine Hoyt, Razan Hamed, Arameh Anvarizadeh, Steven D. Taff

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is one of five pillars upholding the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) strategic plan. Ensuring organizational, educational and governance structures, policies, programs, and services all reflect diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and accessibility (DEIJA) is a priority for the profession. Yet, addressing DEIJA remains a significant challenge in the occupational therapy academic community. Educational programs are a gateway to the profession and play a critical role in whether minoritized persons feel they belong in occupational therapy. This paper proposes a set of Generative Disruptive Questions (GDQ) that can be used to critically examine practices within education that …

Evaluating Communication And Collaboration Among Healthcare Students, Lisa J. Knecht-Sabres, Daniel Provencher, Kristy Luciano, Sarah Zera, Susanne Higgins, Dana Lingle, Patricia A. Higgins, Charlotte Bolch

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if the Interprofessional Collaborator Assessment Rubric (ICAR): Communication and Collaboration Dimensions would demonstrate good inter-rater reliability and be a useful and efficient tool to evaluate professional communication and collaboration between occupational therapy (OT) and physician assistant (PA) students. An additional aim of this study was to assess students’ thoughts, perceptions, and perceived value regarding these types of interprofessional opportunities. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used. An interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) examined the inter-rater reliability of the instrument for both faculty raters (n = 7) and standardized patient (SP) raters …

Ot Graduate Students’ Perceived Preparedness For Level Ii Fieldwork: Traditional, Nontraditional And Mixed Fieldwork I Experiences, Reagan Bergstresser-Simpson, Emily Sweetman, Claudia Maloberti, Miranda Hall, Francis Hermes, Brody Worl

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study explored the perceived level of preparedness of occupational therapy (OT) graduate students for entering Level II fieldwork after completing nontraditional, traditional, and mixed Level I fieldwork experiences. This mixed-methods exploratory study included an online 22-question survey that was delivered to Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) and Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) programs throughout the United States. Participants were selected through voluntary convenience response sampling. Students (N=145) self-reported their level of preparedness for Level II fieldwork experiences. The quantitative data collected in this study reflected a statistically significant difference between Level I fieldwork experience-related questions for the three groups, …

Exploring Professional Behavior Development In Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Students, Courtney J. Taylor, Kate G. Barlow, Christine Helfrich

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Professional behaviors are critical for fieldwork success and entry-level competency. A convergent mixed-methods institutional case study was utilized as a means to enhance professional behavior outcomes. The Philadelphia Region Fieldwork Consortium (PRFC) Level I Fieldwork Student Evaluation (2^nd ed.) was implemented as a pretest posttest measure, in the didactic context, to track one cohort of entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy (OT) students’ professional behavior development during their last academic semester. Students (n=46) and academic professors (n=5) completed pre and posttest ratings across one semester. Paired t-tests demonstrated significant differences between student and faculty ratings and within group difference among …

Developing The Change Agent Competencies Of Occupational Therapy University Students: Using A Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning Approach In A Canadian Program, Étienne Lavoie-Trudeau, Tim Dubé, Michaël Beaudoin, Annie Carrier

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Canadian occupational therapy (OT) university programs must teach change agent competencies. These include promoting social justice and empowering clients, which United States occupational therapists also do. Change agent competency requirements are challenging to teach and involve multidisciplinary knowledge and non-traditional skills. As few occupational therapists feel competent to act as change agents, university programs must engage in a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) approach and identify areas of improvement. The aim of this study, informed by SoTL, was to document, as described by participants, the pedagogical activities related to teaching the change agent role in an OT program in …

Applying An Anti-Racist Pedagogy To Develop And Deliver A Racial Microaggressions Workshop For Occupational Therapy Students, Shannon Giannitsopoulou, Jane A. Davis, Bismah Khalid, Ruheena Sangrar

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Many workshops about identifying, understanding, and responding to microaggressions have been designed and delivered to learners within health education. However, few workshops implement an anti-racist pedagogical approach, and none presented in the literature have been created specifically for occupational therapy students. Anti-racist pedagogical approaches explicitly link interpersonal and institutional/structural oppressions to ensure that the impacts of microaggressions are not minimized by focusing solely on interpersonal interactions. A specific workshop is needed to address the noted persistence of racial microaggressions directed at clients, families, students, and practitioners within occupational therapy contexts and due to the embeddedness of practitioners in clients’ daily …

Increasing Self-Efficacy And Engagement In Occupational Therapy Education Through The Use Of An Unfolding Case Study Curricular Design, Michael J. Jensen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The unfolding case study, which has the case study client evolve over time, has been shown to positively influence both academic and affective performance, though to this point has not been studied in terms of development of self-efficacy in clinical skills or engagement with course content. This study used a quasi-experimental design as well as retrospective data analysis to examine two case study designs (one static or unchanging and one unfolding) within an occupational therapy doctorate program. The study found that occupational therapy students (n = 16) reported a statistically significant difference in the development of clinical skill self-efficacy (p < .05) after engaging in a semester long unfolding case study compared to a semester long static case study. Additionally, the study found that occupational therapy students (n = 47) demonstrated greater engagement with the online curricular content supporting the unfolding case study compared to the static case study (p < .001). The findings of the study suggest that there may be benefits to using an unfolding case study as a curricular design strategy in relation to increased clinical skill self-efficacy and enhanced engagement with course content.

Exploring The Experience Of Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Students On The Use Of Anatomage® Table To Learn Anatomy – A Survey, Karthik Mani, Amber B. Armstead, Lima Ghulmi, Flor Nunez, Amy Boyd

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Technology has transformed health science education delivery over the past decade. Students in all health science disciplines must learn and master anatomy to be successful in their education and career. Several virtual resources are available to learn anatomy. The University of Texas Medical Branch introduced Anatomage Table to its entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) students in 2021 to supplement anatomy learning. As students’ usage of educational technology depends on perceived usefulness, user-friendliness, and positive user experience, this study explored the experiences and perceptions of the students regarding the use of Anatomage Tables to learn anatomy. Students in the class of …

A Podcast’S Effect On Empathy And Client-Centeredness In Occupational Therapy Students, Stephanie Lancaster, Anne H. Zachry

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

There is mixed evidence on the effectiveness of educational approaches that address empathy and client-centeredness in occupational therapy (OT) education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of listening to a personal narrative-account podcast on empathy and client-centeredness in OT students. An experimental, posttest-only control group design was used. Master’s degree level OT students were stratified by year of study and were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or control group. Following a 5-week educational intervention, levels of empathy and client-centeredness were measured and compared using the Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale and the Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale via …

Understanding Occupational Therapy Admissions Decisions Related To Diversity, Bridget J. Hahn, Hillary Napier, June Park, Abigail Woollacott, Rachel Lee, Linda M. Olson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The vast majority of occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are white, leaving gaps between the representation of our profession and those we serve. Admission practices determine the future of the profession. This cross-sectional study aimed to understand how admission requirements, particularly the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and interview, influenced OT graduate students' application decisions, specifically those who identified as a first-generation college student (FGCS), underrepresented minority, English as a second language, or receiving public assistance. Methods included an online survey distributed to current OT graduate students. The survey consisted of background information, closed-ended questions on influence of application requirements, open-ended questions …

Oral History Service Learning: Veterans Studies And Sosa, Amanda S. Hansford

Veterans Studies Undergraduate Capstones

As professionals, it is important to promote interprofessional education and collaboration among disciplines. This project explores connections between Veterans Studies, Library Science, and Occupational Science / Therapy. An oral history protocol was developed between the student sponsored organization Student Occupational Science Association (SOSA) and the Eastern Kentucky University Veterans Studies academic program. The goal was to promote deeper learning and cultural competency about members of veteran and military communities. Participants also gain leadership and interviewing skills applicable in a variety of career settings.

The model of human occupation (MOHO) guided aspects of the project design is used to discover the …

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 …

School-Based Practitioners' Perceptions Of Working With Students With Challenging Behaviors, Candace Thrash

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: School-based occupational therapy practitioners must develop a skill set that allows effective service delivery to individuals, groups, and populations in the school setting in order to support students with varying disabilities achieving their occupation-based goals. There is limited research and literature regarding occupational therapy practitioners’ perceptions regarding working with students with challenging behaviors and what they feel has prepared them to work with these students. It is important to determine if additional training, professional development, fieldwork experiences or mentorships are necessary to prepare school-based therapists to manage students effectively and confidently on their caseload who have challenging behaviors.

Purpose: …

Understanding Perceptions Of Social Eating During Lunch For Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa: An Instrumental Case Study, Madelyn Duzyk

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Current literature on adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) show that social participation is a key factor of community reintegration and long-term recovery (Mekori et al., 2017; Preyde et al., 2017); however, there is little known about the impact of social eating for adolescents with AN.

Purpose: The purpose of this instrumental case study is to more fully understand the meaning of social eating during lunch for adolescents with AN and begin to illustrate social eating’s impact on treatment, community re-integration, and long-term remission.

Methods: A qualitative case-study methodology was developed to gain perceptions of social eating from adolescents with …

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 …

The Use Of Compression To Treat Phlebolymphedema Symptomology: A Systematic Review, Naomi Moran

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: There is a lack of clinical practice guidelines regarding treating phlebolymphedema symptomology. To facilitate client centered evidence-based practice, occupational therapists (OTs) who are Certified Lymphedema Therapists (CLTs) need disease specific evidence for treating phlebolymphedema. Finding available evidence regarding the use of complete decongestion therapy (CDT) for this population will support evidence-based practice. For this capstone compression usage is the one component of CDT that will be researched.

Purpose: A systematic review of evidence related to use of static compression for treatment of lower leg phlebolymphedema that is within the scope of a CLT who is not wound care certified. …

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 …