Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Ota Students’ Perceptions Of An Inter & Intraprofessional Level I Experience In Morocco, Julia Sablom, Otas, Sophia Mascaro, Otas, Jeanne M. Coviello, Otd, Otr/L

Department of Occupational Therapy Posters and Presentations

• Cultural immersion experiences provide students with authentic, real-life opportunities to engage with clients serving as a powerful tool to enhance students’ global perspectives of occupation (Humbert, Burket, Deveney, & Kennedy, 2012).
• Interprofessional & intraprofessional education provides students with an increased understanding of the unique knowledge, skills, scope, function, & roles within their own & among other disciplines (IEC, 2011; Jung, Salvatori, & Martin, 2008).

Creation Of A Health And Wellness And Self Care Tool For Mothers Of Infants Requiring A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Stay, Genevieve Maccarthy

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Capstone Projects

Purpose: Despite occupational therapy’s established role in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in providing family centered intervention, mothers continue to report lack of readiness to discharge home and emotional distress while in the NICU and upon discharge home. Occupational therapists have the unique skillset to promote engagement in meaningful activities and facilitate overall health and wellness for mother’s during and after their NICU stay.

Method: A qualitative survey was distributed to a convenience sample of fifteen participants to identify emotional experiences in the NICU, how these experiences impact each mother fulfilling her role as a primary caretaker, and the …

A Discharge Checklist To Combat Patient Readmission: A Case Study In A Skilled Nursing Facility, Shaylin O’Connell

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Capstone Projects

A Discharge Checklist to Combat Patient Readmission: A Case Study in a Skilled Nursing Facility focuses on the creation of a discharge checklist, as an intervention, to increase the competency for occupational therapists working in skilled nursing facilities discharging clients back to their home environment. A SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility) provides post-acute healthcare services and rehabilitation for patients following a hospitalization prior to discharging home (Burke et al., 2017). This case study for clinical improvement uses the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) quality model and a multiple case study research design for evaluation. The goal of the quality improvement …

Effect Of Verbal Directions On Grip Strength Evaluated Using The Handheld Dynamometer, Laura Walsh, Otd, Otr/L, Cht, Marie-Christine Potvin, Phd, Otr/L

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Background: Grip strength measurement using the handheld dynamometer is a key aspect of the evaluation of an upper extremity injury. The handheld dynamometer manufacturer has established research-based guidelines outlining body positioning during grip strength measurement. However, verbal direction guidelines, while provided, have not yet been shown to be most effective through research. This study seeks to determine whether the use of one of two types of verbal directions, with and without encouragements, resulted in greater grip strength as measured by the handheld dynamometer.

Method: The grip strength of healthy females (n = 60) was compared using two sets of prerecorded …

The Meaning And Motivation Of Children Participating In Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Pilot Study, Beth Laskowski, Melissa Y. Winkle, Whitney Lucas Molitor

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Background: Despite claims that animal-assisted therapy is beneficial, there is limited empirical evidence supporting this. Current literature supports the physical, emotional, and psychological benefits an animal can provide, but few studies have explored the outcomes of incorporating an animal into skilled treatment facilitated by a healthcare professional. This study seeks to explore the effects of animal-assisted therapy in outpatient pediatric occupational therapy practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explore the meaningfulness and motivation animal-assisted therapy interventions provide for pediatric clients when compared with traditional occupational therapy treatment.

Methods: Researchers utilized a within-participants repeated-measures design for this study. …

Identifying The Prevalence Of Sensory Processing Dysfunction In A Post-Concussion Population And It's Relationship With Quality Of Life And Functional Indicators, Stephen Van Lew

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: Approximately 10-20% of individuals who sustain a concussion will experience post-concussion syndrome, defined as symptomology beyond the traditional 7-10-day concussion recovery period. A particular area of symptomology, sensory processing deficits was explored in this study to ascertain the prevalence of these deficits along with possible associations with QOL and everyday functional outcomes. Methods: This study was a prospective, cross-sectional, quantitative study using a consecutive and convenience sampling model. The research participants were recruited from an outpatient occupational therapy program at an academic medical center. Normative data from two different sensory processing outcome tools were used in the analysis. …

Identifying Opportunities For The Role Of Occupational Therapy In A Correctional Setting, Maxwell Sand

Student Capstone Papers

This study provides insight into the experiences of 7 individuals who had previous first-hand experience working in a correctional setting. Workplace culture related to health and wellness are discussed where participants disclose negative effects the environment posed to their well-being which in turn impacted their job satisfaction. Correctional settings prove not only to be restrictive to inmates, but also to staff members as they limit access to meaningful occupations, roles, and routines. Job demands linked to poor work policies and interaction with inmates are also found to take a toll physically, mentally, and emotionally which further exacerbates symptoms of stress, …

Exploring The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Primary Care, Tina Rosselli

Student Capstone Papers

Background: With an increase in adult chronic conditions (Holstein, 2018), as well as a growing number of older adults aging in place (Dickson & Toto, 2018), primary care will continue to see the greatest number of patients as it is the first point of contact for a person to enter the health-care system. Most primary care clinics are reimbursed based on quality outcome measures, which means insurance payers are looking at the value of care instead of the quantity of services (Halle et al., 2018). There is value in as well as an absence of assessment of occupational participation …

Assessing Workplace Wellness For The Occupation Of Hairdressing, Alex Kim

Student Capstone Papers

There is presently a lack of occupational therapy interventions that holistically treat work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) commonly found in the hairdressing population. Current studies found in the literature solely focus on the hairdressers’ symptoms, which leads to a more limited understanding of their situation. Furthermore, this focus on symptoms could lead to the possibility of overlooking confounding variables that could play a role in impacting these workers. This capstone project aims to examine the hairdressing occupation as a whole, assessing the health-related needs of hairdressers and create a holistic program that would address current needs and future preventative treatments for …

Increasing Social Participation In Senior Center Through Program Development, Diana Dinh

Student Capstone Papers

With the rise of an aging population, it is important to identify effective practices that fosters social participation in community-dwelling older adults. This aim of this project was to evaluate the need for adapting or enhancing current social programming in order to provide more opportunities for engagement at the San Marcos Senior Activity Center. 22 seniors and staff members, including volunteers, were interviewed on a continuous basis and responses were recorded on audiotapes. Current classes and social behavior at the senior center were also observed using field notes. All audiotapes and observation field notes were then transcribed verbatim and analyzed …

First-Time Experience In Owning A Dog Guide By Older Adults With Vision Loss, Kitsum Li, Jeffrey Kou, Yvonne Lam, Patricia Lyons, Susan Nguyen

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: Dog guides were found to be effective in helping adults with vision loss navigate in the community and improve overall well-being. In spite of the vast amount of literature on pet therapy and dog companionship, limited study exists on older adult with vision loss experience of owning a dog guide. The purpose of this study is to explore the facilitators and barriers of first time owning and using a dog guide as experienced by older adults with vision loss.

Methods: Data were gathered among seven participants using open-ended semi-structured telephone interviews. Participants were asked to describe their experiences related …

Identifying Occupational Therapy Role For Individuals In Substance Abuse And Addiction Recovery Programs, Tyler Cruz

Student Capstone Papers

The main purpose of this capstone project was to identify a potential occupational therapy role for the substance abuse and addiction population in residential treatment settings and advocate that role to various residential recovery programs.

A qualitative methods approach was used for this project that included direct observation and participant interviews. An observation chart tool was used to collect data and was later analyzed via thematic coding.

Occupational areas of leisure exploration and participation and social participation were found to be the two most common themes after data analysis. Other areas of occupation that were less prominent however still important …

Promoting Productive Aging Among Low-Income Older Adults, Sarah Matsuoka

Student Capstone Papers

Productive aging is a topic of great significance due to the increasing older adult population. Interfaith provides services to older adults in low-income housing to help support their abilities to remain more independent as they age. The purpose of the capstone was to gain understanding of marginalized older adults instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) performance issues. The preliminary objectives were to (1) establish an understanding of the needs of the older adults; (2) perform in-depth interviews for the needs assessment; (3) assess current resources available in North County San Diego; and (4) develop a program incorporating recommendations to increase …

Promoting Healing With Therapeutic Use Of Clay, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Alice McCall Smith, occupational therapist and artist based in North Carolina, provided the cover art for the Summer 2019 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). The piece, titled “Mother and Child,” is an 8-1/4” tall sculpture made from clay. Alice grew up on a hill sheep farm in the Scottish Highlands. She has used many of the skills learned on the farm in everyday life and in occupational therapy practice. After being diagnosed and treated for depression, Alice turned to sculpting to cope with challenging emotions. The therapeutic use of clay was a meaningful part of her …

They Said: International Occupational Therapy Perspectives On The Role Of Technology In Practice, Amy Wagenfeld

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Community-Working Occupational Therapists Serving As Fieldwork Supervisors: Characteristics And Associated Factors, Tore Bonsaksen, Anne-Stine Dolva, Sissel Horghagen, Unni Sveen, Cathrine Hagby, Cathrine Arntzen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

As enrollment numbers grow in occupational therapy academic programs in Norway, the need for more fieldwork placements and supervisors increases. More knowledge about factors of importance for occupational therapists’ decisions to take on the role of fieldwork supervisor may promote easier access to supervisors who are ready for the task, and it may assist in addressing the barriers for those who are not. We recruited a sample of 561 community-working occupational therapists for an electronic survey conducted in 2017. Quantitative survey responses were obtained and used in the current study. The differences between supervisors and non-supervisors were examined with independent …

A Preliminary Historical Report On Embracing Online Education In Occupational Therapy, Janel Anne Belarmino, Angela Bahle-Lampe

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The relevance and popularity of online occupational therapy education have been increasingly recognized. This paper describes the historical development of online occupational therapy education. Findings revealed three shifts in occupational therapy education, namely shifts in perception, in mode of instruction, and in the roles of teachers and students. The inception of online education in occupational therapy was a product of technological advancement and the demand for improved access to occupational therapy online education. The early phase of occupational therapy online education was confronted with challenges related to hesitance in the development and implementation of online programs and to negative perceptions …

The Student Perspective On Role-Emerging Fieldwork Placements In Occupational Therapy: A Review Of The Literature, Mathew Lau, Michael Ravenek

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Role-emerging fieldwork placements are increasingly being used in entry-level occupational therapy programs. However, published reviews have yet to focus on synthesizing the experiences and perspectives of students. This review aims to identify the opportunities, challenges, and future directions of role-emerging fieldwork placements based on the student perspective. A literature review using scoping review methods was conducted, including an electronic database search, hand-searching of journals, and citation tracking. Descriptive and thematic analyses of the articles were performed. Thirty articles were identified through the literature search. Themes that emerged related to opportunities were professional and personal development, independence and autonomy, client-centeredness, and …

Challenging The Status Quo: Infusing Non-Western Ideas Into Occupational Therapy Education And Practice, Wanda J. Mahoney, Anne F. Kiraly-Alvarez

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The authors of this Topics in Education article, who are both occupational therapy educators, reflect on challenging concepts related to decolonizing occupational therapy education, an idea they first encountered at the 2018 World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress. They acknowledge that Western views heavily influence the occupational therapy concepts they teach to their students. The downside of approaching occupational therapy education and practice primarily from a Western worldview is that occupational therapy students and practitioners may perpetuate societal inequities through their practices and are not well-prepared to address the occupational needs of individuals and communities around the world. This article …

Gardening As A Meaningful Occupation In Initial Stroke Rehabilitation: An Occupational Therapist Perspective, Grete Patil, Mona Asbjørnslett, Kristin Aurlien, Nina Levin

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Initial rehabilitation after stroke is demanding for patients whose primary aim is to regain their functions. The literature indicates that gardening may provide medical rehabilitation opportunities and health resources. This study explored occupational therapists’ own observations and descriptions on how participation in a gardening group may support inpatients’ initial rehabilitation following acute stroke.

Methods: The authors analyzed notes written by occupational therapists during a 6 month-period that reflected their observations and descriptions after sessions with a gardening group. The therapists were trained in stroke rehabilitation and offered two sessions with gardening groups per week. The sessions were …