Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Curriculum Development For Occupational Therapy Education: Integrating Collaboration And The Use Of Simulation Laboratories, Janine Albert, Danielle Nielsen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The Scholarly Project titled Curriculum Development for Occupational Therapy Education: Integrating Collaboration and the Use of Simulation Laboratories by Janine Albert and Danielle Nielsen and advised by Nicole Harris, MOTR/L and Breann Lamborn, MPA was developed to meet the demands of collaborative education in the field of occupational therapy. A literature review was completed to determine the need of collaborative education between Occupational Therapy education and Occupational Therapy Assistant education and the use of simulation laboratories. From the literature review there was a gap found linking the use of simulation laboratories, the occupational therapy process and occupational therapy education. Following …

The Post-Secondary School-To-Work Transitional Program: An Occupational Therapist's Guide To Service Delivery, Annemarie Assel, Erin Haugen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are one of the most prevalent childhood diagnoses, occurring in every 1 in 68 children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Although ASDs are considered childhood disorders, they persist throughout one’s life and are often more pronounced during common life transitions. For adults with ASDs, this is a time marked by fragmented services, as well as disengagement from services (Baldwin, Costley, & Warren, 2014; Friedman, Warfield, & Parish, 2013; Shattuck, Wagner, Narendorg, Sterzing, & Hensley, 2011; Strickland, Coles, & Southern, 2013). Those with ASDs have skills deemed valuable by employers that include being: reliable, …

An Occupational Therapist's Guide For Mindful Practice Under High Productivity Standards, Breanna E. Coleman, Whitney J. Wilhelmi

Occupational Therapy Capstones

In recent years, healthcare service delivery has been influenced by one factor that has shown to considerably limit occupational therapy (OT) practitioners’ ability to be mindful in the work setting (Black, 2010). This influential factor involves increased productivity standards resulting in high burnout, empathic fatigue, job dissatisfaction, lack of mindful practice, and distress to the point of clinical effectiveness (Irving, Dobkin, & Park, 2009; Poulsen et al., 2014; Vadnais, 2014). In the midst of high productivity standards, a need surfaced for the production of a tool that assisted OT practitioners to overcome these standards as well as to incorporate a …

Prosthetics Guide For Occupational Therapy Students And New Graduates, Chelsea De Bruto, Kayla Oates

Occupational Therapy Capstones

"The prosthetic technology is effectively an interface between that person and the life they wish to lead" (Gallagher, 2004, p. 828). Occupational therapy can help individuals with prosthetics deal with psychosocial and physical aspects of his or her condition (Gulick, 2011). Current literature covers all aspects of prosthetics, but it is scattered in many different places. The results of a study conducted by Mitchell, Gorelick, Anderson, and Atkins (2014), approximately 3-5 hours or less are spent on prosthetic training, while 85% of respondents felt that it was considered to be “very important”. This scholarly project focuses to bridge this gap …

Factors Influencing Minority Group Pursuit Of Occupational Therapy Education, Heber Hepworth, Courtney Schafer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

There is limited representation of minority groups in the OT workforce and a dearth of research on factors influencing minority groups to pursue and successfully complete OT education. The CINAHL and PUBMED databases were used to explore factors influencing minority population enrollment, experiences in health care programs, and barriers to educational participation. A survey was constructed based on the literature and sent to students in OT programs at the doctorate, master and assistant levels through the AOTA Program Director list-serv. One hundred and thirteen masters (93%) and doctorate (7%) OT students completed the survey. The majority of participants heard about …

Occupational Therapy Interventions For Adhd: A Systematic Review, Kamela L. Kelsch, Kaci L. Miller

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: ADHD can have a negative impact on occupational performance of a child, interfering with ADLs, IADLs, education, leisure, and play. However, at this time, a cumulative review of evidence based occupational therapy interventions for children with ADHD do not exist.

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to complete a systematic review of what occupational therapy interventions are effective for school-aged children with ADHD.

Methods: An extensive systematic review for level T, II, or II research articles was completed using CINAHL and OT Search. Inclusion, exclusion, subject terms, and words or phrases were determined with assistance from the …

The Experiences Of Individuals With Visual Changes After A Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi): An Emphasis On Coping, Katie Kruger, Suzanne Vetter

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: The Center for Disease Control Prevention (CDC, 2010) reports that 2,611,129 individuals visit the Emergency Room each year due to a traumatic brain injury (TBI). In addition, approximately 50% of individuals who have a TBI report visual inefficiencies (Bulson, Jun, and Hayes, 2012; Lew et al., 2009; McKenna, Cooke, Fleming, Jefferson, & Ogden, 2006). Researchers have identified the effects these diagnoses have on ADLs and IADLs. Yet, there is a further need for understanding the experiences of persons post-TBI who have visual inefficiencies, including their coping in everyday life. Aims: This qualitative research study is aimed at determining the …

Use Of Assessments In Occupational Therapy Physical Disability Settings, Caitlin Brown, Jana Carroll

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate occupational therapists’ (OTs) perceptions and use of informal observation and formal assessments in order to understand if differences exist between acute care and non-acute care occupational therapy (OT) adult physical disability settings. Non-acute settings may include but are not limited to home health, inpatient rehabilitation, transitional care, outpatient rehabilitation, and long term care.

Methods: Study design involved a nonexperimental survey. Qualtrics software was utilized to disseminate the survey across a five-state region to the population under study. Response rate included 88 OTs who answered consistently to the questions analyzed. Data analyses …

Intentional Integration Of Service And Therapy Dogs In An Occupational Therapy Program Curriculum, Stephanie Rehovsky, Brittni Danner

Occupational Therapy Capstones

This scholarly project involves the intentional integration of Buddy, the service/therapy dog of the University of North Dakota’s Occupational Therapy graduate program. This project contains researched evidence regarding the variety of benefits involved with the implementation of animal assisted therapy (AAT) into the curriculum. The final product contains instructor materials for six existing courses in the graduate and undergraduate program. We have also included future implications for this product including adaptation to other similar graduate occupational therapy programs and future use at the University of North Dakota.

Physical Activities In The Nys/Bya Program On The Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation: A Resource Guide For Adaptation, Lauren Herbert, Melissa Hoffman

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The percentage of children with disabilities in the United States (U.S.) is increasing at an alarming rate. According to the 2000 census, 3.9% of all families reported having a child with disabilities. As of the 2010 census, there were 53.9 million school-aged children (aged 5 to 17) in the U.S with about 2.8 million (5.2%) reporting a disability. Among the American Indian population, these rates are increasing at an even higher rate. American Indians have the highest rates of disability of any group in the United States (Nichols & Keltner, 2005). According to Waldman, Perlman, and Swerdloff (2008), more than …

A Pilot Study To Document Outcomes Of Occupational Therapy Intervention With Individuals Who Experience Upper Extremity Trauma Using The Role Checklist 2 And Quickdash Assessments, Devan Henderson, Jacob Kucera

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) quick form is a selfadministered patient perception questionnaire used to measure upper extremity disability and symptoms. The Quick DASH (QD) gauges the patient’s difficulty with task performance when impacted by an upper extremity injury. The Role Checklist: Version 2 (RC-V2) is a self-administered, patient perception that focuses mainly on the individual’s daily life roles, role competence, performance, and interest in performing those roles (Scott, 2013). The purpose of this study was to determine which of these assessments best measured progress of occupational therapy interventions for patients who sustained a traumatic upper …

Enhancing Single Custodial Father's Parenting Skills: A Group Protocol, Jordyn Johnson, Alicea Steir

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The rate of single-custodial fathers is increasing (Leininger & Ziol-Guest, 2008). As single-custodial fathers have become more prevalent (Leininger & Ziol-Guest, 2008), programs are needed to provide them with support and information regarding the skills needed to raise children at each developmental stage (Panter-Brick et al., 2014). The purpose of this project is to create a set of group protocols that will provide single-custodial fathers that are living in transitional housing with the skills necessary to raise children at different stages of development.

An extensive literature review was conducted, and information pertinent to parenting programs for single-custodial fathers was collected …

Modernizing Leisure Assessment Through Technology Applications, Brooke Johnson, Hanna Stevenson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of the product was to create an electronic based leisure interest companion for occupational therapists to utilize when treating clients. An electronic based leisure assessment would illustrate for the occupational therapy a more comprehensive understanding of the clients’ leisure interests.

Methods: A literature review was conducted using the CINAHL, OTSEARCH, Pub Med, and Google Scholar databases. The literature review results supported the value of leisure, and leisure assessment tools were explored. The UK Modified Interest Checklist was chosen as a focal point for the My Leisure Activities (MyLA™) companion tool development. A storyboard was created by the …

The Effects Of Self-Stigma On Occupational Engagement For Adults With Mental Illness, Alyssa A. Kostreba, Taylor E. Lavoi

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the impacts of self-stigma on everyday occupations of persons with serious and persistent mental illness. Greater understanding of the impacts of self-stigma is important to development of occupation-based interventions used by occupational therapists in mental health settings.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological approach was utilized to interview six participants between the ages of 31-58 years old with severe and persistent mental illness. High level in vivo coding was used to interpret participant responses.

Results: Four themes emerged from participant interviews: 1) negative impact on self, 2) coping with negative social encounters, 3) …

Studying With Successful Sensory Environments: A Pilot Study, Katrina Kotta

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background/Purpose: Higher education institutions are facing pressure by state and federal authorities to retain and efficiently graduate students. The University of North Dakota (UND) has responded by implementing initiatives in light of declining retention rates within recent years. University of North Dakota’s approach focused on best teaching practices and classroom learning approaches versus individualized student programs for academic success. Studying With Successful Sensory Environments (SWSSE) is an individualized approach created within occupational therapy, which focuses on effective management of the environment through knowledge of sensory processing patterns to enhance focus and productivity in higher education. The purpose of this study …

Virtual Reality: An Evidence-Based Guide For Occupational Therapy, Grant Mitchell, Kyle Nelson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that serves to position the user in control of a virtual environment to maximize interest and function. VR is a context for intervention included in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process 3rd edition (OTPF-3; AOTA, 2014). It is crucial that occupational therapy (OT) practitioners enhance their knowledge about VR technology used by their clients to provide effective client-centered practice (AOTA, 2010). There is a lack of organization of the literature and research evidence regarding the use of VR as an intervention modality. While there has been a significant increase in …

The Occupation Of Driving: A Guide For Occupational Therapists Working With Adolescents Who Have Adhd, Molly Schmitz, Morgan Voss

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Driving is a rite of passage for all teens with or without a disability. Individuals with ADHD are at a far greater risk of being in an accident or receiving a traffic violation as a compared to their developmental counterparts. In addition, parents and practitioners are often unaware of an individual’s readiness to drive skills prior to receiving formal driver’s education. Thus, this can be a stressful transition or learning process with individuals with ADHD and their families. For parents, practitioners, and teens, it is important that they understand the resources available to them and the steps to access those …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Primary Care With Older Adults, Kate Gearman, Tessa Richards

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The older adult population in the United States (U.S.) is projected to increase over the next 30 years (United States Census Bureau, 2014). With that, nearly two-thirds of older adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with at least one chronic health condition (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016b). These findings highlight a need for more specialized services for this population. Primary care is one sector of healthcare service delivery operating within the U.S. healthcare system. Presently, occupational therapy services are limited in primary care settings as defined in this scholarly project. Occupational therapy services have demonstrated efficacy in …

Student Organization For Accessibility And Resources (Soar) Program: A Policies And Procedures Manual, Molly Hofmeister, Kelsey Schiller

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Students with disabilities who attend college face many challenges with little support; and therefore are at a higher risk of preemptively dropping out of college (Mamiseishvili & Koch, 2011). Some of these challenges and barriers include but are not limited to roles and responsibilities of support staff and a greater demand for students’ self-reliance (Garrison-Wade, 2012). The Student Organization for Accessibility and Resources (SOAR) Program is a current peer mentorship program missioned to provide guidance and mentorship for college students with disabilities as they negotiate the complexities of transitioning and attending college (Morrison, personal communication, September 13, 2016). Peer mentorship …

Happy Hearts: A Caregiver's Guide To Assisting Patients With Heart Failure, Stephanie Carlson, Ashley Waller

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop a holistic guide that could be provided by occupational therapists (OTs) to caregivers of individuals with heart failure (HF). A thorough literature review was completed on the impact that caregiving for individuals with HF has on mental, physical and environmental aspects of the caregiver and their role as a caregiver. The literature revealed that there is a significant number of individuals with HF and the role of caregiving is on the rise. As the need for caregivers’ increases, the demands associated with caregiving responsibilities increases accordingly. Activities that caregivers assist HF …

Parent Guide For Therapeutic Play, Amber Brown, Corey Lof

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this project was to create a guide for parents of children ages three through six who have transitioned from early intervention services and did not qualify for early special education services. Delays may be present in many areas including cognitive, fine motor, gross motor, social-emotional, and adaptive development (North Dakota Department of Human Services, 2013), creating difficulty for the child to engage in everyday occupations including play.

An extensive literature review was conducted in order to obtain up to date information on the importance of play in development and facilitation of parent led play sessions. Research articles, …

Resource Guide For Secondary Complications Of Individuals Aging With A Spinal Cord Injury, Allison Laska, Emily Proctor

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop an easy to use resource guide to aid occupational therapists in working with those aging with a spinal cord injury (SCI) that have endured a secondary complication and advocating to other healthcare professionals the usefulness of occupational therapy in treatment of these individuals.

Method: An extensive literature review was conducted using Cinahl, OT Search, PubMed, PsycInfo, various medical journals, OT course textbooks, and documents obtained from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) website. Information was gathered about aging with SCI, common secondary complications in SCI, OT’s role in SCI, OT’s …

A Resource Manual For Occupational Therapists To Use With Parents Of Infants Transitioning Home From The Nicu, Alyssa N. Briggs, Nicholle R. Clouse

Occupational Therapy Capstones

One of the many challenges facing health care professionals practicing in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is providing appropriate care and support for parents throughout the transition process from hospital to home. Because the families are often the ultimate advocates and caregivers for infants it is important that they are well equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to take part in their infant’s care. Therefore, by providing clear and easy to use resources that address parental confidence, skills, knowledge, roles, routines, and the environment, professionals can help alleviate parental stress and uncertainty throughout the transition process.

An extensive …

A Resource Manual To College And University Academic Return For Young Adults With A Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Rachel Gromek, Emily Hermanson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Reportedly, in the United States 75% of traumatic brain injuries that occur each year are referred to as mild (Centers for Disease Control Prevention, 2010). Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of disability each year with the highest prevalence being between ages 15-24 years (Willmott, Ponsford, Downing, & Carty, 2014). The greatest deficits experienced by college or university students with a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are cognitive, psychosocial, and physical (Kennedy, Krause, & O’Brien, 2014; Marschark, Richtsmeier, Richardson, Crovitz, & Henry, 2000). The purpose of this project was to address the limited resources available to individuals with …

Current Knowledge Of Occupational Therapists In Wyoming Regarding The Affordable Care Act: A Quantitative Pilot Study, Christopher J. Greenman, Lauren C. Harvey

Occupational Therapy Capstones

There is little information and research addressing occupational therapists’ knowledge level and ability to implement the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This leads to the following problem statements: occupational therapists’ knowledge level of and ability to implement changes to practice is unknown; furthermore, it is unknown if there is a difference in knowledge level based on professional membership, years of practice, and area of practice; and it is also unknown which aspects or areas of the ACA occupational therapists would like to know more about, and if there is a difference based upon professional membership, years of practice or area of …

Gaming: Occupation-Based Nbcot Exam Preparation, Ilse Coleman, Jamie Kauffman

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project was to create a novel, unique, and effective preparation tool for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification examination.

A literature review of 40 evidence-based journal articles addressed adult learning principles; guidelines for facilitating learning; types of, advantages, and disadvantages of using gaming in higher education; and preparation methods for high-stakes examinations. Information reviewed also included current preparation tools; exam blueprint; and domain, task, and knowledge statements ofthe NBCOT certification examination.

An Open Book: NBCOT Exam Prep Game is a board game that can be used as a supplementary preparation tool …

An After-School Wellness Program For Children In Low Socioeconomic Neighborhoods, Sarah Faehnrich, Kalee Mccann

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop an interdisciplinary after-school program for fifth graders living in low socioeconomic neighborhoods. This program entitled Let’s Move, Cook, and Learn With Friends! is intended to reduce obesity through promoting healthy habits in children by increasing physical activity, consumption of healthy food, and positive interactions with peers. Childhood obesity is a worldwide epidemic that can result in lifelong health problems if not treated proactively (Vizcaino et al., 2008). Therefore, the goal of this scholarly project is to raise their knowledge about obesity and decrease the risk factors for childhood obesity.

A literature …

Cross-Generational Occupation-Based Interventions For Upper Extremity Injuries, William B. Creel, Blake L. Sweney

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Decreased adherence to therapy protocols after upper extremity injury has been correlated with increased risk of re-injury and decreased general therapy outcomes. Occupation-based therapy has been shown to increase adherence to therapy protocol. To date, there have been several occupation-based protocols in upper-extremity musculoskeletal rehabilitation, but never one that addresses occupation across the lifespan and attempts to develop a tool to assist therapist in developing occupation based protocols specific to the developmental group.

The main theoretical background for the development of the clinical tool was the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and Erickson's Developmental Stages Model. An extensive literature review …

Transitioning To Retirement: Useful Topics For A Wellness Program With Retired Older Adults, Katie Spitzmueller, Amy Feller

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Retirement has evolved from traditional stereotypes to an individualized plan. Transitioning into retirement can be a stressful time and it is generally accepted that pre-retirement attitudes impact post-retirement success (Marshall, Clarke & Ballantyne, 2001). A wellness program can make the transition into retirement less difficult by incorporating different dimensions of wellness: social, intellectual, occupational, physical, emotional, and spiritual (Strout & Howard, 2012). Currently there is very little research indicating the effectiveness of a wellness program that addresses these dimensions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain insight into useful topics for a wellness program based on perspectives of …

A School-Based Reintegration Program For Children With Limb Loss: The Role Of Occupational Therapy, Allison Sussman, Samantha Hoy

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to assist in treatment planning for school-based occupational therapists providing services to children who have suffered a traumatic limb loss. The goal of this scholarly project was to promote successful reintegration into the school setting as children with traumatic limb loss have been found to encounter difficulties returning to full participation in valued occupations including being a student and a friend (Michelsen, Van Wijk, & Ketelaar, 2010). There has been limited research conducted focusing on the role of occupational therapists when working with children in the school setting who have experienced traumatic …