Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Best Practices In Weaning Children Off Tube Feeds To Oral Intake, Kylie Abernathy, Andrea Newton

Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Evidenced-Based Research Reviews

In an outpatient pediatric clinic, the multidisciplinary team frequently works with the child to promote oral intake. Assessments and questionnaires were utilized to identify challenges faced by the client ability to properly intake food. The OT was approached by the child’s family to help meet their feeding goals to make mealtime more enjoyable. As the OT is generally not involved in the act of proper weaning technique, they are interested in what steps they can take to provide the family with support and to develop subsequent feeding skills.family with support and to develop subsequent feeding skills. family with support and …

Addressing Ataxia Among Children With Cerebellar Disorders, Maureen Mcconville, Shane O’Shea

Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Evidenced-Based Research Reviews

Valerie is a 7-year-old girl who presents with cerebellar ataxia, causing lack of coordination in her movements. Among dysmetria, she displays many other symptoms of ataxia that cause dysfunction in her daily life such as clumsy gait and dysdiadochokinesia. She is unable to control her arms and hands. Valerie has difficulty with bilateral tasks of her upper and lower extremities. Valerie’s Occupational Therapist is determined to help improve her symptoms but is limited in specific interventions designed to help ataxia. The occupational therapist is interested in determining the most effective treatment for improving upper extremity function in children with ataxia.

An Effective Cognition Assessment In Ventilated Patients, Gabrielle Lober, Rachel Walker

Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Evidenced-Based Research Reviews

No abstract provided.

Functional Electrical Stimulation Compared To Stretching/Strengthening Interventions For The Multiple Sclerosis Individual, Kara Johnsen, Jessica Tariske

Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Evidenced-Based Research Reviews

In an outpatient clinic for adults, the OT frequently works with clients diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Personalized interventions that include stretching and strengthening to maintain UE function are typically used for this clientele within this setting. The OT has seen results with UE stretching and strengthening but is curious to know if there are any other interventions that can be used with his MS patients in order to maintain function. The therapist has looked into a new intervention of functional electrical stimulation. FMES is an emerging intervention that is being used to strengthen muscles through electrical impulses. Repetitive muscle contractions …

The Effectiveness Of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy On Burns And Scars, Brandon Lubish, Patrick Yee

Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Evidenced-Based Research Reviews

In an outpatient clinic, an occupational therapist is treating a client who has recently suffered a thermal burn on his left forearm 2 weeks prior to the session. The therapist wants to know if Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) would be an appropriate treatment for their client to improve healing, appearance and mobility of the scar.

Sling Use With The Flaccid Upper Extremity: Central Nervous System Brain Injury, Cameron Guster, Brittany Domin

Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Evidenced-Based Research Reviews

In the acute care setting, an occupational therapist often evaluates and treats patients after a central nervous system (CNS) brain injury. There are many intervention strategies used to help treat these conditions. Slings are most commonly used short-term with patients who present with a flaccid upper extremity. The main concern is the efficacy for the sling use with patients who fall under this diagnosis.

The Effectiveness Of Compression Gloves For Reducing Hand Edema, Colleen Pastunink, Ryan Steele

Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Evidenced-Based Research Reviews

Sally is a 72-year-old Caucasian female. She is 8 weeks post left Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) which resulted in left hemiparesis and expressive aphasia. She has now been discharged to home and is to attend outpatient therapy twice per week for 12 weeks. Prior to her stroke, Sally was independent in all self-care activities and was very socially active in her community. During an initial occupational therapy evaluation, therapists report that Sally is independent in all transfers and ambulates with the use of a quad cane. Circumferential measurements were taken during evaluation of the right upper extremity secondary to the …

Efficacy Of Eye Patching In Post-Stroke Patients, Ann Marta, Elizabeth Kos

Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Evidenced-Based Research Reviews

The question is in regards to occupational therapy in an acute care setting. The treatment team is considering eye patching as a treatment for post stroke victims suffering from visual field deficits. They are interested in how eye patching can improve the effectiveness and use of the affected visual field. The team is also interested in having better long term outcomes for their patients.

Three-Year Trajectories Of Global Perceived Quality Of Life For Youth With Chronic Health Conditions, Janette Mcdougall, David J. Dewit, Megan Nichols, Linda Miller, F. Virginia Wright

Occupational Therapy Publications

Purpose Objectives of this longitudinal study were to examine 3-year trajectories of global perceived quality of life (QOL) for youth with chronic health conditions, as obtained from youth and parent reports, and to identify personal and environmental factors associated with the trajectory groups for each perspective.

Methods Youth with various chronic conditions aged 11–17 years and one of their parents were recruited from eight children’s treatment centers. Latent class growth analysis was used to investigate perceived QOL trajectories (separately for youth and parent perspectives) over a 3-year period (four data collection time points spaced 12 months apart). Multinomial logistic regression …

Development Of The Motivation Assessment For Team Readiness, Integration, And Collaboration (Matricx) Self-Scored Report Form: A Qualitative Study On Translating Measurement Findings For Team Development, John Liu Jr.

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Capstone Projects

The Motivation Assessment for Team Readiness, Integration, and Collaboration (MATRICx) has been shown to provide information on intrapersonal readiness to collaborate within a team. This study aims to understand and develop an innovative approach to presenting a self-scoring format for the MATRICx and to determine how results of the assessment tool could be interpreted to understand individual motivation in collaborative healthcare and biomedical teams. The MATRICx Report Form is a self-scoring version of the MATRICx that can help users interpret their own motivational profile. A qualitative study was conducted to examine user’s experience with the report form, ways of interpreting …

Student Perceptions Of Scholarly Writing, Shirley P. O'Brien, Dory Marken, Kelsey B. Petrey

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Learning the process of scholarly writing, including the significance of peer review, is an essential element in the preparation of students for professional practice. This descriptive research study, using Scholarship of Teaching and Learning methodology, explores one approach to teaching scholarly writing in an occupational science/occupational therapy curriculum. The writing assignment was designed to offer multiple points for feedback and revision and instructional features to reinforce learning. A survey of students [n = 169] participating in this scholarly writing project was conducted yearly to gather their perceptions of learning. The results revealed four key elements: instructional strategies are needed …

Cuestionario De Proceso Sensorial En Adultos: Comparación De Resultados Entre Población De Usa Y De Chile: Resultados Preliminares/Sensory Processing Questionnaire In Adults: Comparison Of Results Between Usa And Chile Population: Preliminary Results, Silvia Gómez, Megan Chang, Dianne Parham, Erna Imperatore

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Spanish: Existen escasos estudios sobre la forma de evaluar el proceso sensorial en adultos; una de estas formas es el uso de perfil sensorial desarrollado por Brown y Dunn en el año 2002, aplicable tanto para la población infantil como adulta de habla inglesa. Hasta el momento no existe una evaluación de procesamiento sensorial del adulto validada en castellano. En base a estos antecedentes, el principal objetivo de este estudio es validar la construcción interna de una escala de procesamiento sensorial en el adulto a través del Cuestionario del Proceso Sensorial del Adulto (CPSA) con una población de habla hispana, …

Exploring The Occupation Of Dating For Young Women Living In Ireland, Karen Mccarthy, Jeanne Jackson

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Background:
The discipline of occupational science has called for an increase in research focusing on the study of occupations. Gray (1997) stated that occupational therapy could benefit from “a more profound understanding of the essence of occupation” (p. 15). Dickie (2003) argues that “one way to achieve this understanding is to examine occupations directly” (p. 120).
Dating is an occupation that has not been examined directly and has recently undergone rapid changes in its practice. Although occupational science research has been done on mate selection (Krishnagiri, 1996), there is a dearth of literature exploring the actual activities surrounding mate selection, …

Dating As An Occupation: Swipe Right For Ot, Karen Mccarthy

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Background As occupational therapists (OTs) we claim to treat our clients holistically, yet despite research indicating the importance of sexuality in practice (White et al 1992, Northcott and Chard 2000) sexuality and the occupations surrounding it, such as dating, can often be ignored in practice. Sexuality is expressed through many forms including sexual activity, self care and dating. As OTs, how often do we acknowledge or actively address a client’s desire to find a partner and the occupations that surround such a goal? Krishnagiri discusses “mate selection” as an important occupation with rich cultural and personal significance to the person …

Occupational Therapy On College Campuses: Facilitating Student Success Through Occupation, Kristy Coen, Carlin Daley, Kieran Lewis, Susan Madigan, Karen Mccarthy, Clodagh Nolan, Áine O'Dea, Linda Reen, Liath Sheehan, Orla Sullivan

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Conference Presentations

Purpose: To explore how occupational therapy services fit into a supported education model on college campuses.

Rationale: College students present with many strengths and challenges in college settings. There are limited services for young adults to succeed in college and students with various diagnoses face challenges in the areas of time management, organization, academic skills, and in social areas of college (Orentlicher, & Olson, 2010; Rogers, Kash-MacDonald, Bruker, & Maru, 2010). Higher education is a role emerging area for occupational therapists, and there are some pioneering occupational therapists who have discovered multiple ways to provide services to students who are …

Inter-Professional Collaboration: The Impact Of Serial Versus Merged Treatment On The Behavior Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Robyn Starry

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Interdisciplinary collaboration is an innovative, resourceful approach to healthcare intended to positively affect patient outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to determine the efficacy of the serial exposure to three treatments, Applied Behavior Analysis, Speech Language Pathology, and Occupational Therapy, in comparison with an exposure to a merge of these treatments on child outcomes. During the serial treatment phases of intervention, three licensed professionals implemented core techniques from their respective disciplines. During merged treatment phases, a graduate clinician combined and implemented techniques from all three fields: differential attention, request sequences, sensory exposure, verbal/tactile cueing for postural alignment/control and …

Stand Tall, Don’T Fall: A Systematic Review On The Effectiveness Of Tai Chi For Improving Balance In Healthy Older Adults, Miya Cho, Ots, Moira Frain, Ots, Courtney Monk, Ots, Caitlin O'Neill, Ots, Kathryn Ricciardi, Ots

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives:

•Identify and describe the need for effective balance related interventions among the healthy older adult population

• Recognize occupational therapy’s role in improving balance to decrease risk of falls

• Discuss the effectiveness of Tai Chi as an intervention for improving balance within this population

PICO

• Is Tai Chi an effective intervention for improving balance in the healthy older adult population?

Presentation: 40:55

Handout at bottom of page.

Reframe The Pain: A Systematic Review Of Occupational Therapy Interventions To Promote Quality Of Life For Adults With Fibromyalgia, Alyssa Armstrong, Ots, Jonathan Forkin, Ots, Emma Jablonski, Ots, Shelby Moyer, Ots, Suzanne Sager, Ots

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives:

1. Define clinical presentation and three common characteristics of fibromyalgia (FMS) as it impacts quality of life (QOL).

2. Recognize the importance of an occupational therapy (OT) approach as an alternative to current practice methods.

3. Identify at least three effective EBP interventions within the scope of OT to address quality of life for individuals with FMS.

PICO:

What is the evidence to support the effectiveness of interventions within the scope of OT on improving quality of life for adults diagnosed with fibromyalgia?

Presentation: 43:56

Handout with references at bottom of page.

Keeping Up With The Preemies: Early Interventions In Occupational Therapy For Children Born Premature, Jennifer Donnelly, Ots, Angela Mancini, Ots, Heidi Miller, Ots, Taylor Vile, Ots

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives:

1. Identify areas of occupational performance that may be impacted by premature birth.

2. Understand current themes of interventions for promoting development after premature birth.

3. Apply evidence-based practice to interventions for children born prematurely.

PICO:

What is the evidence to support the use of early interventions in the scope of OT to promote development in children born prematurely?

Presentation: 53:18

Ergonomic Intervention For Injury Prevention In Healthcare Personnel: A Systematic Review, Marisa Andrews, Ots, Kory Collier, Ots, Erin Dougherty, Ots, Alyssa Vidovich, Ots

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives:

1. Recognize the magnitude of work-related injury in healthcare and the need for intervention in this area

2. Discuss 2 ergonomic interventions within the scope of OT practice that can improve work-related injury

3. Recall 2 common themes that have emerged based on current literature for ergonomic intervention

Clinical Research Question:

Does ergonomic intervention prevent work-related injuries and associated outcomes for healthcare personnel engaged in patienthandling?

Presentation: 39:05

Facilitating Effective Communication Between First Responders And Older Adults During Fall Incidents: An Educational Intervention, Krystin M. Beeman, Erica L. Berger, Isabel A. Cabezas, Nicole M. Mathews

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

PURPOSE. The purpose of this project was to provide first responders with communication strategies for older adults that may help when responding to fall- related calls. General information was also provided to First Responders on working with older adults with a focus on the aging process, fall risk factors, and communications strategies.

METHODS. A series of educational sessions to first responders at a local fire district were developed and presented by occupational therapy students. Materials were developed by presenters from evidence-based resources and tailored to the target population. Each presentation focused on statistics about older adults, the aging process, fall …

The Lifestyle-Integrated Functional Exercise Program For Older Adults, Anna Lee, Courtney Beyer, Jessica Lim, Sienna Anderson

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the most common cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults over the age of 65 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2009). Falls can lead to a myriad of traumatic physical and emotional consequences. Integrated exercise programs such as the Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise (LiFE) program are effective in preventing falls and increasing fall efficacy in individuals who have previously fallen (Clemson et al., 2012). The purpose of our study was to examine if the LiFE program is as effective in reducing fall risk and increasing fall …

Increasing Occupational Participation Of Older Adults With Low Vision Through An Occupation-Based Exercise Video, Valerie J. Deroos, Skyler Moon

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

With the increasingly large population of older adults with low vision, many older adults would benefit from having a guide dog as an assistive device. When walking with a guide dog, different upper extremity muscles and postures are adopted to handle the guide dog. However, older adults with low vision may not be in the proper physical condition to meet the strenuous demands of handling a guide dog due to the normal aging process and decreased mobility. To prevent pain and injury, stretching and strengthening muscles used when handling a guide dog may benefit older adults before entering the Guide …

Preventing And Reducing Falls In Assisted Living Facilities: An Educational Intervention, Jennifer A. Borcich, Raquel F. Ramos, Taylor S. Wong

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

As the number of older adults continues to rise, falling in older adults has become a national health care issue. Many older adults who fall reside in assisted living facilities. Every time a fall incident occurs, first responders are called, utilizing a significant amount of first responder’s time and resources. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to implement a fall prevention program for residents of an assisted living facility (ALF) to reduce fall risk and fall-related calls to the local fire department. The project consisted of a four-week course given once weekly for 60 minutes to residents at an …

Capturing Success At Autistry Studios: A Qualitative Study, Ali Ives, Vince Colombano, Joey Bava

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This qualitative study examined the perceived outcomes of participation at Autistry Studios among young adult students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autistry Studios is a unique program offering services to individuals with ASD similar to that of a pre-vocational training program. The mission of Autistry Studios is to help students with ASD become independent adults by engaging in “project-based therapy.” A setting is provided where individuals with ASD can achieve personal and functional growth with the use of creative resources like art supplies, raw materials, and power tools to pursue and complete a project that is client-centered. The purpose of …

Effectiveness Of The Bridge/Adapt Program On Functional Skill Generalization After Acquired Brain Injury, Janice S. Li, Diana Lopez, Eugene Cheung, Angela Talamantez

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This study explored the effectiveness of the Bridge/Adapt program for generalizing increased cognition to functional skills. Three participants, identified as having significant cognitive impairments as measured by the Cognistat assessment, participated in the Bridge/Adapt program, an eight-week program that includes both remedial and compensatory components. The remedial component used was a computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program called Parrot Software. Past studies have proven computer-based cognitive rehabilitation to be effective in increasing overall cognition. The Bridge/Adapt module is the compensatory component that utilized a variety of strategies and everyday tasks to facilitate the generalization of improved cognition to functional performance. A homework …

Occupational Therapy Discharge Planning And Recommendations In Acute Care: An Action Research Study, Helene Smith-Gabai

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In today’s health care environment of quick discharges and shortened hospital stays discharge planning has become increasingly important in acute care occupational therapy practice. Discharge planning is a complex process and an important aspect of patient care as poor discharge planning has been associated with poor patient outcomes and increased risk of adverse events and readmission. This study addressed the following research questions: (a) How do acute care occupational therapists describe their role in the discharge planning process? (b) What guides acute care occupational therapists discharge decisions and recommendations? (c) How do acute care occupational therapists define optimal discharge planning? …

Tune Up Your Teaching Toolbox, Anne H. Zachry, J. Flick, S. B. Lancaster

Faculty Presentations

Occupational therapy (OT) educators strive to prepare entry-level practitioners who have the expertise to meet the diverse health care needs of society. A variety of instructional methods are used in the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) MOT program, including traditional lecture-based instruction (LBI), problem-based learning (PBL), team-based learning (TBL), and game-based learning (GBL). Research suggests that active learning strategies develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are necessary for effective clinical reasoning and decision-making abilities. PBL, TBL, GBL are being successfully implemented in the UTHSC MOT Program to enhance the learning process and improve student engagement.

Bridge/Adapt: Transfer From Computer Remediation To Functional Skill, Janice S. Li, Diana Lopez, Eugene Cheung, Angela Talamantez

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

This study explored the effectiveness of the Bridge/Adapt program for generalizing increased cognition to functional skills. Three participants, identified as having significant cognitive impairments as measured by the Cognistat assessment, participated in the Bridge/Adapt program, an eight-week program that includes both remedial and compensatory components. The remedial component used was a computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program called Parrot Software. Past studies have proven computer-based cognitive rehabilitation to be effective in increasing overall cognition. The Bridge/Adapt module is the compensatory component that utilized a variety of strategies and everyday tasks to facilitate the generalization of improved cognition to functional performance. A homework …

The Effect Of Therapeutic Listening On Bilateral Coordination, Avery Wilson, Michael Yra Munchua, Mios Buccat, Morgan Mousley, Amanda Grace Irao

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Therapeutic Listening® is a sound-based treatment developed by Sheila Frick, OTR, rooted in sensory integration (Frick & Young, 2009). In Therapeutic Listening® programs, clients listen to music that has been electronically altered (Hall & Case-Smith, 2007). Therapeutic Listening® is an intervention increasingly used by occupational therapists despite the lack of supporting evidence in current literature.

A previous thesis study attempted to determine the effectiveness of Therapeutic Listening® through the outcome measure of bilateral movement. In the previous thesis study, three assessments were used to measure bilateral coordination in typically developing children. However, the quantifiable results did not reflect the qualitative …