Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Making Strides: An Occupational Therapy Program Developing Work Readiness Skills In Adolescents With Aces, Using Equine And Barn Tasks., Lauren Alexis Fischer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: The Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2022) defines adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as any traumatic event that occurs from birth to 18 years. ACEs can lead to various issues in the child's future, such as health problems, mental illness, substance abuse, and challenges with education and employment (CDC, 2022). Associated barriers that inhibit at-risk youth when transitioning into the workforce include lack of work skills, habits, knowledge about labor rights, realistic job opportunities, and how to pursue employment (Ivzori et al., 2020). Increasing support in their pre-vocational skills can increase their success in employment. Rhew et al. …

An Occupation-Based Approach To Stroke Recovery In Rural America, Julia Warmack

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose In the United States, strokes are one of the leading causes of death as well as a leading cause of long-term disability (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022). Due to the disease's demanding and intense nature, occupational therapists must provide evidence-based care to help support those in need. Occupation-based treatment has been proven to provide better long-term results and improve the transferability of skills (Rostami et al., 2017). However, many practitioners still rely on rote exercise due to lacking resources, access, or training (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2017).

Methodology A model-guided literature review was …

Real Individuals Striving For Excellence (Rise): An Occupational Therapy Based Re-Entry Program For A Rural Jail Facility, Kennedy Tooke

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Real Individuals Striving for Excellence (RISE): An occupational therapy based re-entry program for a rural jail facility.

Introduction: The United States criminal justice system continues to be known for currently holding over 2 million people within state, federal, local, and juvenile correctional facilities (prisonpolicy.org, 2021). Jail incarceration rates have increased 15% from 2020 to 2021 following a 26% decline from midyear 2019 (Zeng, 2022). Many individuals involved in the criminal justice system will be arrested again within the same year due to unsuccessful transitions back into the community. The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop a program …

Childhood Feeding And Eating Evaluation And Home Programming, Alexis Paige Lehmann

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Up to 20% of typically developing and about 80% of atypically developing infants and children suffer from feeding difficulties (Chatoor & Macaoay, 2008; Nichols et al., 2018). These feeding difficulties may lead to delays in growth and development, refusal to eat, behavioral issues, and medical complications (Chatoor & Macaoay, 2008). Occupational therapists address these feeding difficulties through the therapeutic process, which includes initial evaluation, intervention, re-evaluation, and discharge planning (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2020). When completing a feeding evaluation, practitioners often rely on skilled observation and their clinical judgment to determine what is developmentally appropriate. Practitioners also may …

It’S “Goni” Be Okay: A Guide To Developing Your Occupational Therapy Career Within The Athletic Population, Grace Kleinvachter

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: With around 30 million people participating in athletics each year, injury prevention, management, and treatment are a necessity with the inevitability of injuries (Host & Mankie, 2018). Occupational therapy (OT) is a versatile profession that has the scope of practice to provide many different types of treatment as well as education to athletes and their supporters (Host & Mankie, 2018). In general, OT as a whole has previously overlooked how the profession can be of use to a population such as athletes who are more commonly seen in the sports medicine setting by physical therapists and athletic trainers (Host …

Enriching Social Connections: A Handbook For Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Lauryne Griego

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Enriching Social Connections: A Handbook for Occupational Therapy Practitioners

Introduction: For many children and adolescents with a neurological or neurodevelopmental disorder, navigating social relationships can be challenging. The multifaceted nature of these challenges significantly impacts their ability to engage in meaningful social participation (Hilton & Kramer, 2020). Children and adolescents encountering inherent barriers, including deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication, may lack the foundational skills needed for successful participation in social events, thereby interfering with their overall success (Hilton & Kramer, 2020). Social participation, an area of occupation frequently addressed in occupational therapy, is instrumental in child and adolescent …

Specialized Knowledge Of Feeding And Eating Best Practices, Katie Anne Deboer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The process of gradually developing from complete dependence to independent self-feeding for a child is critical in social, emotional, physical, and cultural maturation (Korth & Maune, 2020). Of all developing children in America, 25-50% have feeding, eating and/or swallowing difficulties, with the percentage even higher for children that are autistic, premature, and/or have other developmental delays (Gronski & Doherty, 2020). The purpose of this Doctoral Experiential Capstone is to complete a thorough needs assessment to find the current gaps in the literature, frequently used and effective evaluation methods, and research-based interventions in the area of feeding, eating, and swallowing …

Editorial Welcome, Stacy Smallfield, Nancy Krusen, Nicole Martino

Translational Science in Occupation

No abstract provided.

Translational Science Is Occupation, Stacy Smallfield, Wanda J. Mahoney

Translational Science in Occupation

No abstract provided.

Intersections Of Occupational Therapy And Translational Science, M Nicole Martino

Translational Science in Occupation

No abstract provided.

Knowledge Translation Through A Camera Lens, Nancy E. Krusen

Translational Science in Occupation

The journal Translational Science in Occupation (TSO) embraces art and science through the inclusion of a humanities section within the journal. Health humanities gives insight into the human condition (Health Humanities Consortium, 2021). Health humanities enables us to explore daily life occupation, reveal our similarities and differences, and to translate human experience through a variety of media. The following photographs represent concepts of knowledge translation through my camera lens.

Pilot Study Evaluating A Brief Chronic Pain Education Program In Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Occupational Therapy Students, And Lay People, Rose Mcandrew, Jacob Sturtevant, Vicki K. Kaskutas

Translational Science in Occupation

Background: Chronic pain and resultant disability can persist long after tissue healing. Past research suggests educating individuals about chronic pain is efficacious in changing knowledge, health beliefs, and healthcare utilization. This study piloted an educational intervention to teach participants about the nature of chronic, nociplastic pain.

Design: Pre-post study using three groups: occupational therapy (OT) practitioners, OT students, and lay people.

Methods: Participants rated their agreement with four statements pre-intervention regarding the relationship between chronic pain, tissue damage, and activity performance to ascertain accurate knowledge. Participants were presented with studies comparing acute and chronic pain and acknowledging that some people …

Evaluation Of A Student Experiential Learning Clinic For Hand Therapy Using A Logic Model, Rose Mcandrew, Nathaniel Baniqued, Vicki Kaskutas

Translational Science in Occupation

Student clinics (SC) provide experiential learning opportunities in occupational therapy (OT) education that develop clinical reasoning, while providing much needed rehabilitation to under and un-insured patients in the community. The Student Experiential Learning Clinic for Hand Therapy (SELC-HT) is a SC that used a logic model for planning, implementing, and evaluating the SELC-HT. The purpose of this study is to report on outcome data on students and patients, as outlined in the evaluation phase of the logic model.

The 13 OT master/doctorate students, who delivered care in the SELC-HT, demonstrated growth in self-reported hand therapy knowledge (p=0.002) measured with …

Examining Occupation-Based Outcome Measure Use In A Neurologic Outpatient Occupational Therapy Setting: A Knowledge Translation Initiative, Elizabeth Yost, Suzanne Trojanowski, Taylor Jarnigin, Kevin De Bear, Amy Yorke

Translational Science in Occupation

Abstract

Importance: Occupation-based outcome measures (OBOMs) are an evidence-based recommendation for occupational therapy evaluations. Knowledge translation (KT) is a process used to help integrate evidence into clinical practice. The authors identified a KT opportunity to examine occupational therapy practitioners’ (OTPs) use of outcome measures in an outpatient practice setting and assess a Know-Do Gap as the first step in the Action phase of a KT initiative.

Objective: Describe the frequency and types of outcome measures documented in occupational therapy (OT) evaluations, with a focus on OBOMs.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Setting: Three outpatient clinic sites (under one parent company) in …

Mapping Occupational Therapy Interventions In Adult Patients With Post-Covid Diagnosis: A Scoping Review, Jennifer Ng, Hannah Franks, Marissa Halvorson, Sarah Malone, Claudia L. Hilton Phd, Karthik Mani

Translational Science in Occupation

Importance: Post-COVID patients experience difficulties in their everyday lives due to the persistent nature of their symptoms. This scoping review explores the role of occupational therapists in treating post-COVID patients and examines occupational therapy intervention options for this population.

Objective: This scoping review seeks to answer the following questions: What does the literature say about the role of occupational therapy with post-COVID patients? Which rehabilitation interventions are currently being utilized for treatment? How often are occupational therapists involved in the treatment of and research of post-COVID patient care?

Data Sources: Articles were obtained through an exhaustive search in the following …

Computer-Based Simulation In Occupational Therapy Lecture Courses: A Program Evaluation Of Simulation Implementation, Lacy Wright, Lauren Foster, Lisa Mische Lawson

Translational Science in Occupation

The COVID-19 pandemic expedited the use of computer-based simulations in occupational therapy educational programs. Research supports computer-based simulations as an alternative to in-person clinical fieldwork experiences. However, a knowledge gap exists for the instructional design and implementation of computer-based simulations within occupational therapy lecture courses. In this program evaluation, faculty explored and implemented computer-based simulations in pediatric lecture courses, combining simulation best practices and varying instructional designs. Entry-level occupational therapy doctorate students shared their perspectives through a survey design quality improvement study. Student responses were gathered using the Simulation Evaluation Tool-Modified (SET-M) questionnaire and Student Feedback Survey to gather quantitative …

Sensory Processing And Trauma: A Practical Approach In A Clinical Context, Katya Kivi

Occupational Therapy Capstones

A large majority of people who are receiving mental health services have experienced a form of trauma (Arnaly et al., 2019; Champagne et al., 2010). Individuals who have experienced trauma-related sensory processing issues often have decreased occupational performance because of avoidance of the occupation or dysregulation during the occupation (Cerny, 2019; Gerney & Muffly, 2015). PTSD can affect an individual's overall quality of life and the creation and maintenance of social relationships, resulting in social isolation (Arnaly et al., 2019). The product is a guide to inform care within the adult mental health setting following sensory-based information and trauma-informed care. …

Helping Hands: Self-Managing Chronic Upper Extremity Pain, Kaylee Mae Athmann

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: This scholarly project aims to provide education on self-management techniques for chronic upper extremity (UE) pain. There are currently limited resources that properly educate clients on self-management techniques for chronic (UE) pain. Nevertheless, there is a need for a chronic UE pain self-management program because chronic pain affects individuals’ performance of all their occupations and has the potential to lead to social limitations, a decline in work ability and productivity and a decrease in quality of life. Furthermore, it is currently the leading cause of disability worldwide. Occupational therapy practitioners who focus on the UE are known as hand …

Implementation Of A Recreational Program For Those With Visual Impairments, Caitllyn Fussy

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Quality of life can be found through participation in meaningful and rewarding occupations (Cote-Letlerc, 2017). Studies have shown that individuals with visual impairments have impacted occupational performance and engagement in occupations leading to a loss of independence, changes to identity, and lowered self-esteem (Duquette, et. al., 2019; Kumar, et. al., 2022). Some barriers these individuals face that impact their ability to participate in meaningful occupations include having fewer opportunities available, difficulty navigating, having impaired proprioception, accessibility, and physical or cognitive impairments (Diaz, 2019; Hill, 2023). Opportunities to engage in recreational activities presented as a clear need for this scholarly …

A Holistic Approach To Occupational Therapy Intervention: Addressing Psychosocial Factors And Upper Extremity Injuries, Aleece N. Durbin

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) working in a hand therapy setting primarily focus on neuromusculoskeletal injuries of the upper extremity (UE) (Kurrus et al., 2023). However, clients who experience UE injuries can also experience adverse psychosocial factors limiting their performance in daily activities (Kurrus et al., 2023). Psychosocial factors are rarely addressed in the practice setting due to institutional barriers and a lack of confidence in OTPs (Kurrus et al., 2023). This project aims to provide OTPs with resources to provide occupational therapy intervention to address psychosocial factors despite the barriers present within the practice setting of hand therapy.

Methods: …