Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Ace: A Recipe For Occupational Competence, Brittany J. Miller

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Adverse childhood experiences are increasing in society and the lack of knowledge surrounding the condition from the adults who frequently interact with them is concerning. This concern lays the foundation for the development of a targeted approach to pediatric intervention by occupational therapists. The problem this capstone project addresses is expanding the understanding of how adverse childhood experiences mirror other common conditions as well as the need for more competent and confident occupational therapists in identifying and treating children with adverse childhood experiences.

An Exploration Of Financial Management Programming For Residents In One Homeless Shelter: A Qualitative Institutional Case Study, Amy M. Heiser

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Introduction: Homelessness affects the economy, societies, and individuals’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Occupational therapy is a holistic profession that works with all populations across the lifespan. Financial management is a life skill that many Americans struggle with. Evidence on financial management skill development within homeless shelters and occupational therapy is sparse. Occupational justice is a theoretical framework that supports the right for residents in a homeless shelter to have direct interventions toward skill development, such as education in financial management. Methods: This institutional case study explored a homeless shelter to gain knowledge of real-life program phenomena, with focus on …

Strategic Planning For A Psychosocial Occupational Therapy Program: A Swot Analysis, Kellie Roy

OT Student Capstones

PURPOSE

To examine and evaluate the Northern Arizona Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (NAVAHCS) psychosocial occupational therapy (OT) program using a SWOT analysis to inform solution-oriented strategies for future directions of the program.

A Comparison Of Populations: Formerly Incarcerated Men With Substance Use Disorder And Adolescent Psychiatric Patients, Jeanie Fairchild

OT Student Capstones

Aims of the project:

• Equip Maricopa Reentry Center (MRC) residents with life skills necessary for successful reentry.
• Utilize knowledge gained at MRC to teach life skills to adolescents patients at St. Luke’s Behavioral Center (SLBC).

Barriers In Cancer Related Experiences: Where Can Ots Fill In The Gaps, Zoe Hoberman-Kelly

OT Student Capstones

Over the last two decades, oncology has made vast improvements in the treatment and management of cancer. Medical advancements in diagnostic imaging, treatment agents and improved surgical techniques have transformed the effectiveness of cancer delivery and care. However treatment related obstacles and health concerns of survivors trails behind that of the treatment for the actual cancer. The literature identified a growing need for increased psychosocial and self-management services to help provide a more cohesive spectrum of care. The inclusion of occupational therapy services within the cancer care continuum can strengthen functional practice and help treat physical and psychosocial barriers. This …

Multidisciplinary Concussion Rehabilitation Team Referral Demographics, Assessments And Intervention Focus: A Retrospective Analysis, Angela A. Tauer

OT Student Capstones

Objective To review the demographic factors, mechanism of injury, assessments, and treatment by health professionals on a multidisciplinary concussion rehabilitation team in an outpatient clinic setting. Methods: Retrospective chart review of 360 patients attending the outpatient concussion clinic over a 15-month period. Patient data was included for 139 patients meeting inclusion criteria. Data collected on an electronic database was reviewed and analyzed. Results Patients aged 16-82 years (n=139; mean 42 years of age, 65.5% female) were evaluated on average 48 weeks following initial head injury. Patients referred by a physician had a mechanism of injury prevalence of motor vehicle accident …

Experiences Of Caregivers And Healthcare Practitioners Working With Children With Histories Of Family Trauma And Substance Abuse, Alexandra Contreras

OT Student Capstones

While the number of infants born with substance abuse exposure continues to grow, the United States lacks a national monitoring system (CDC, 2019). This may contribute to the discrepancy of services and supports available to those working with children with histories of family trauma and substance abuse. The purpose of this study was to investigate the needs and challenges of caregivers and healthcare practitioners working with children with histories of family trauma and substance abuse. To obtain a better understanding and well-rounded image of the challenges and needs, information was gathered from various perspectives of those involved. This OT doctoral …

Outcomes Of Capstone Experience: Playing Together: Outcomes Of An Online Telehealth Sensory-Motor Development Program For Parents With Children Between The Ages Of 1.0-6.11 Years, Sarah Cunningham

OT Student Capstones

Children with developmental delays or cognitive impairments are more at risk for trauma, attachment, and adverse childhood experiences. The purpose of this pilot study of the telehealth program entitled “Playing Together” is to analyze whether an occupational therapy telehealth parent-training play program is an effective way to deliver services and potentially mitigate the effects of for trauma, attachment, and adverse childhood experiences. Quantitative data was gathered via the standardized assessments of the Short Child Occupational Profile and the Canadian Occupational Profile Measure and qualitative data was gathered using parent interviews, researcher journals, and session observation notes. Participants completed five one- …

Supporting Successful Community Reintegration For Maricopa Reentry Center Residentsjustine, Justine C. Gonzales

OT Student Capstones

In 2018, the combined state and federal imprisonment rate was 431 sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents (BJS, 2020). Arizona is #5 in the nation with the highest imprisonment rate, 559 sentenced prisoners per 100,000 state residents (BJS, 2020). As of May 2020, there are currently approximately 5,300 offenders under community supervision in Arizona with a majority (4,600 offenders) serving a Truth in Sentencing (TIS) (ADC, 2020).

Barriers to reintegration: laws and legal restrictions, societal stigma and employer attitudes, limited education, limited cognitive skills, limited work experience, inadequate job skills, unstable housing, inadequate social services, lack of a state-issued identification …

Occupational Therapy For A Child With Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis In An Outpatient Multidisciplinary Intensive Feeding Program: A Case Report, Kristel Ferrer

OT Student Capstones

Objective: This article presents a case report of a child with food protein induced enterocolitis,

various feeding difficulties, and poor sensory processing. It discusses the significance of occupational therapy in a multidisciplinary feeding therapy team and describes the outpatient occupational therapy-based plan and interventions during 14 weeks of an intensive feeding therapy program.

Method: Chart review of assessments and daily treatment notes and clinical observations were examined. Progress towards goals was obtained through daily treatment notes and informal parental interviews. Results: Improvement in occupational performance and participation in mealtime and play is captured through daily treatment notes and clinical observations. …

Pet Pals Program: Experiences Of Volunteer Residents Providing Friendly Pet Visits To Individuals In A Memory Support Unit, Kelsey Odell

OT Student Capstones

Studies show that animal-assisted therapy modalities have an effect on motivation for participation, behavioral or psychosocial regulation, and physical and cognitive functions in individuals with dementia. Dementia is a progressive neurocognitive disorder that affects cognition and memory. As the disease progresses, skills needed to participate in activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), community engagement and socialization decrease, making maximal independence more difficult. The Pet Pals Program provides educational and teaching concepts to volunteers and their pets to provide friendly pet visits to those in the memory support units. The program emphasizes the benefits of …

Use Of Intentional Play On Emotional Self-Regulation In Children With Trauma Histories, Erin Sullivan

OT Student Capstones

The purpose of this Capstone research project was to examine the impact of intentional play as a means to increase emotional self-regulation skills in children with traumatic histories and explore how Occupational therapists (OTs) can use such strategies while working with this population. The research was conducted at an emergency children’s shelter and consisted of an educational component for staff and direct contact with the children. Eight staff members participated, and data was gathered on 22 children (N=22) over a span of five weeks. An outcome measurement adapted from the Short Child Occupational Profile (citation needed) was used to obtain …

Incorporating Functional Hand Assessments As Outcome Measures In Burn Rehabilitation: A Pilot Study, Kristin Hazak

OT Student Capstones

Purpose: To incorporate the use of two hand function assessments, the Sollerman Hand Function Test (SHT) and the Brief-Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (bMHQ), in the outcomes measure protocol at a regional burn center for improving functional assessment and recovery progress tracking of burn injured hands. Methods: Seven participants were included in this pilot study. Inclusion criteria were individuals 10 years of age and older with current admission to the Arizona Burn Center with a primary diagnosis of partial thickness (2nd degree) to full thickness (3rd degree) burn injury, including at least one hand, with no restriction on TBSA or agent. …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Self-Determination And Transition To Adulthood For High School Students In Special Education Programming, Kylee A. Read

OT Student Capstones

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 list occupational therapists (OT) as transition service providers in schools under the related services category (PL 105-117, 1997) able to provide interventions to help students develop skills to access the school curriculum and transition-related activities (Cleary, Persh, & Spencer, 2015). However, OTs are currently not fully participating in providing appropriate services in the areas of secondary education, vocational training, employment, community participation, and independent living to the extent allowed by the law (PL 108-446, 2004). Self-determination is the best predictor of successful transition to adulthood in students with disabilities. Self-determination can …

Aging In Place: Causes And Importance Of Fall Prevention Education, Molly Banks, Danielle Halstead, Mariah Leroux

Critically Appraised Topics

Falls are a significant concern for older community-dwelling adults’ ability to age in place, specifically those who aged 60 and older. Many factors contribute to the risk of falls in older adults that need to be addressed by health care facilities, home health providers, and caretakers. Occupational therapy has a role to educate older adults, as well as health care providers on how to prevent the risk factors of older adults and falls. The purpose of this CAT is to take a deeper look at why this population has so many falls and examine the research addressing education and risk …

Technology In Healthcare: How Artificial Intelligence Will Revolutionize The Profession, Ashley L. Mccowan

Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

The topic of artificial intelligence is a hot topic in the U.S. healthcare system and despite some uncertainties, continues to be increasingly integrated into healthcare delivery. Artificial intelligence can be used for different purposes including but not limited to data storage, decision making and image analysis. Critics of artificial intelligence in healthcare are skeptical of its ability to provide security of medical information and afraid that it will eventually replace the need for human healthcare workers. Although the critics skepticisms seem rational, further research of artificial intelligence in healthcare shows that those fears are not based on fact. Artificial intelligence …

Best Practice For Teaching Manual Therapy Techniques To Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Deana K. Jackson

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Abstract

Occupational therapy practitioners do not always know how to treat the painful shoulder and this may be due to a lack of education regarding manual therapy. This research project is designed to determine the best practice for teaching manual therapy techniques to occupational therapy providers by providing an in-service to teach new knowledge and skills regarding manual therapy to improve patient care by reducing client shoulder pain. Three types of learning styles were used which include: behaviorist theory, constructivism, and active learning strategies. The design was a two-tailed T test with a pretest/posttest to evaluate knowledge of the participants …

Promoting Writing Development In Preschoolers, Claudia M. Ortiz

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Providing extended opportunities for early writing and early literacy for preschool children into the lessons will enhance their writing skills. Purpose: The purpose of this capstone was to examine the effectiveness of providing a structured early writing plan to the preschool children to promote writing development and early literacy skills.

Theoretical Framework. The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) guided this study. Methods. This quasi-experimental research measured the emerging writing and early literacy levels of a selected group of 12 preschool students. The Learning Without Tears (LWT) Pre-k Assessments, the Readiness & Writing, and the Language & Literacy were used …

The Occupational Therapy Examination And Practice Preparation (Otepp) Program: Development, Implementation And Evaluation Of An Educational Program For Internationally-Educated Occupational Therapists, Colleen E. Mcgrath

Occupational Therapy Publications

This paper provides a chronological overview of the development, implementation, and evaluation of an educational initiative aimed at ensuring internationally-educated occupational therapists are prepared to enter practice in their new country, Canada. The three major phases of the program’s 12-year evolution are described, to distill the key lessons learned at each phase. Data related to the demographics of participants, program content, results of the national examination, registration, and employment outcomes are included. An enhanced understanding of the transition experience of internationally educated occupational therapists provides a strong foundation from which to support internationally-educated colleagues and strengthen the occupational therapy profession.

Centering The Complexity Of Long-Term Unemployment: Lessons Learned From A Critical Occupational Science Inquiry, Rebecca Aldrich, Debbie Rudman, Na Eon(Esther) Park, Suzanne Huot

Occupational Therapy Publications

Inquiries that rely on temporal framings to demarcate long-term unemployment risk generating partial understandings and grounding unrealistic policy solutions. In contrast, this four-phase two-context study aimed to generate complex understandings of post-recession long-term unemployment in North America. Grounded in a critical occupational perspective, this collaborative ethnographic study also drew on street-level bureaucracy and governmentality perspectives to understand how social policies and discursive constructions shaped people’s everyday ‘doing’ within the arena of long-term unemployment. Across three phases, study methods included interviews with 15 organizational stakeholders who oversaw employment support services; interviews, participant observations, and focus groups with 18 people who provided …