Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Organizational Support And Burnout In Occupational And Physical Therapists: A Quantitative Correlational Study In The Acute Care Setting, Brenda Ballou-Boyd Mrs.

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: The United States is positioned for an upcoming healthcare crisis with an estimated deficit of 100,000 healthcare professionals by 2028 (Mercer, 2024). Burnout is well documented among the healthcare community and is a major contributing factor to an ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals, including occupational and physical therapists. Most prior research has focused on burnout from a personal level, but addressing burnout from an organizational level may be more effective in reducing this phenomenon among occupational and physical therapy providers.

Purpose: Despite the high levels of burnout reported, a substantial gap exists in research dedicated towards the …

From Fog To Function: An Occupational Therapist's Guide To Evaluating And Treating Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairments, Lauren E. Toner

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Cancer – related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common side effect of cancer treatment that interferes with cancer survivors’ occupational performance, independence, and quality of life. Despite its high prevalence, CRCI remains under recognized and inconsistently addressed within oncology care. About 70% of individuals diagnosed with cancer report cognitive changes during or after treatment, yet many do not receive treatment. Occupational therapists are clinically trained to evaluate and treat functional cognition, activities of daily activities, instrumental activities of daily living, and client centered goals, positioning them as key providers in addressing CRCI. However, limited occupational therapy specific resources have hindered …

Post-Stroke Depression (Psd) And Occupational Therapy (Ot) Intensity: A Retrospective Medicare Claims Analysis, Lauren H. Allen

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Purpose: Post stroke depression (PSD) is the most frequent and burdensome mental health complication following a stroke, affecting approximately one third of survivors. Examining how PSD relates to outpatient occupational therapy (OT) utilization may help identify gaps in post-stroke mental health care and reveal whether current billing practices adequately capture OT services.

Project Goals: This project aimed to determine whether an early PSD diagnosis predicts outpatient OT treatment intensity and describe patterns of OT billing related to mental health, including mental health current procedural terminology (CPT) code use and CPT code distributions.

Site: This project was conducted in collaboration …

Breaking The Boom-Bust Cycle: Supporting Pediatric Fatigue And Participation After Hsct Using The 5-Pet And Caregiver Education, Annelie Claire Kershaw

OTD Capstones

Pediatric patients recovering after hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) often experience persistent fatigue, physical deconditioning, cognitive changes, and decreased participation after discharge. Fatigue is complex and multidimensional, making it difficult for children to understand, communicate, and manage as they return to school, play, social activities, and daily life. Occupational therapists are well positioned to support participation, activity pacing, caregiver education, and health management for children recovering after HSCT.

This capstone project addressed the need for developmentally appropriate fatigue management resources through the creation of multiple deliverables. The primary deliverable was the 5-Zone Pediatric Energy and Fatigue Scale (5-PET), which is …

Braided Thoughts: Beautifully Indigenous, Trinity Gould

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

I am an enrolled tribal member of the Spokane Tribe, and I have cultural ties to the surrounding tribes as well. I have a daughter who is currently a first line descendent of my tribe through me, and I want to tell my daughter the importance of our shared culture.

I want to show her through this zine a snippet of our culture traditions and practices to educate her that our culture is still here and we should be proud of who we are and our culture. I want her to uphold our traditions to carry on to the next …

"Mangia, You're Too Skinny": A Story Of Italian Culture, Theresa Oliveri-Montes

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

"Mangia, You're Too Skinny": A Story of Italian Culture is a personal reflection of my Italian heritage. With this zine, I sought to not only explain, but illustrate, pieces of Italian culture and traditions. Each photograph includes members of my family and our food that we prepare.

My family immigrated to the United States from San Giovanni in Fiore, which is a small village in Calabria, located in southern Italy. They did not experience the "American Dream" that is portrayed in the media. Instead, they grappled with fear, prejudice, and the pressure to assimilate, which resulted in the loss of …

Places My Anxiety Lives, Sydney Dombrowik

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

Through sharing my story, I hope to increase awareness of how anxiety can influence everyday life and remind others that they are not alone in their mental health journey. The pages in this zine highlight the different environments where my anxiety is most present.

My own experiences have shown me that mental health can have a significant impact on health outcomes, routines, and wellbeing. As a future occupational therapist, I will strive to consider each client's mental health experiences and perspectives when providing client-centered care.

The Culture Of Fast Fashion, Karli Reed

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

As a current Whitworth OTD student, I reacted this zine to educate fellow students and young adults about the impacts of fast fashion. Social media often pressures us to keep up with trends and fit a certain mold, but finding your own voice and style is far more meaningful. Exploring fashion in a more person- and environmentally-friendly way -- such as thrifting, repairing clothing, or investing in quality pieces form ethical brands -- can help reduce many of the issues highlighted in this zine.

As future practitioners/members of society, we can also share these ideas with our clients and peers. …

Rooted: Nature, Belonging, & Occupational Justice, Grace Barnett

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

This zine was created for OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation. I recognize that I cannot speak or represent all cultures, but I approach this work with cultural curiosity and a commitment to learning. I was intentional about not speaking for others, but instead reflecting on my own understanding, experiences, and using scholarly articles.

I chose this topic because environments have a powerful influence on occupational participation. Nature, in particular, has been a source of healing, grounding, and comfort in my own life, which shaped my interest in exploring this connection more deeply though an occupational lens.

One of the …

The Stories That Shape Us, Brenna Strand

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

Reading has always been a meaningful occupation in my life. Some of my earliest memories involve my family gathering around stories, reading a chapter of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson before bed, or sharing stories around a campfire. These rituals shaped my sense of connection, imagination, and belonging. However, when I entered school and began struggling to read independently, I felt a growing disconnect from the culture and routines that had once grounded me. That experience made me aware of how deeply reading influences identity, confidence, and participation in everyday life.

This zine explores reading through an occupational therapy lens, …

What If I Fail...?, Benjamin Janke

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

The theme of "fear of failure" is a unique field in occupational therapy because of the power it has to completely inhibit or affirm occupational participation. Fear of failure is something that has been a struggle in my past and is still part of my life that I'm trying to work on as a person and as an aspiring occupational therapy practitioner.

Even though failing is difficult and sometimes painful, it's amazing to see what rises in its place with time. Because of how unique our fears and perceptions about failure are, we must utilize cultural humility and holistic care …

Finding My Voice In The City Of Destiny: Music, Identity, And Occupational Justice In Tacoma's Creative Culture, Bella Holtz

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

Tacoma's music culture taught me that participation is more than simply doing an activity. Through music, I found identity, belonging, and a deeper understanding of community. As a future occupational therapist, I hope others access meaningful occupations that allow them to discover their own voice.

Looking Out, Looking In: Air Travel, Culture, & Occupational Justice, Ashley Compton

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

As I continue becoming an occupational therapist, I've found myself caring more deeply about accessibility, inclusion, and the different ways people experience participation in meaningful occupations. This zine gave me the opportunity to think about travel as a meaningful occupation that can be shaped by culture, identity, privilege, accessibility, and opportunity.

Travel, particularly air travel, has shaped so much of who I am, and creating this zine helped me think more deeply about what it means to participate in the world. My hope is that it encourages others to think about who may be left out and how we can …

Stitched With Purpose, Abigail Gooler

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

I chose this topic for this zine because fiber arts have become a meaningful part of my life. What began as a hobby during the COVID pandemic has grown into a way for me to manage stress, find purpose through creating, and build a small business.

This project deepened my understanding of occupational justice and the way that occupations are shaped by culture, gender, access, and social determinants of health. It challenged me to view what is an everyday occupation for me as culturally significant and, at times, political.

This project also reminded me of the privilege I have to …

Girl, Just Shut Up & Take An Advil: A Zine About Periods, Participation, And Why We All Became Experts At The Tampon-To-Sleeve Transfer, Alexa Ford

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

Like many people, I learned early on that menstruation was something to manage quietly. I learned how to check for stains without making it obvious. I learned how to strategically tie a sweatshirt around my waist. I learned that asking, "Do you have one?" across a public restroom often resullts in an immediate and enthusiastic, "Yes, girl. What do you need?" Over time, I realized these weren't just funny shared experiences. They reflected something bigger. The silence. The stigma. The expectation that people should function through discomfort without complaint.

As I've learned more through occupational therapy, I've started to understand …

How To Be 2slgbtqia+ And Neurodivergent Affirming As An Occupational Therapist, Ellie Shoop

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

When we were asked at the beginning of our class, "What is one thing you have experienced that you wish no one would ever have to experience again?", by author and occupational therapist Elizabeth Ching, OTD, M.Ed., BSOT, OTR/L, my mind began to swirl with ideas. I identify as a gay, white, neurodivergent, non-binary person, and I wish that no one would be misgendered or have their sexuality assumed by health professionals ever again. I also wish that people with neurodivergent brains would be given the support they need to thrive in a world that was not built with us …

Doing Drag: Exploring The Experiences Of Drag As An Occupation For Performers In California, Alicia Montes, Anna Ranario, Lilibeth Rosales, Eileen Spahle, Nathan Gelman, Laura Greiss Hess, Karen Mccarthy

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Background: Drag is a performative art where individuals explore identity, challenge societal norms, and foster community through exaggerated gendered performance. Drag in the United States is facing potential restrictions and remains underexplored in occupational science and occupational therapy literature.

Methods: This qualitative study explored the experiences of drag performers in California, applying an occupational perspective through the framework of form, function, and meaning. Five drag performers were interviewed. Reflective thematic analysis was used to interpret qualitative data.

Findings: Identity was the central theme, interconnected with form, belonging, non-belonging, meaning and motivation, and resistive occupation. Findings highlight drag …

Bridging Evidence To Practice: Development Of An Evidence- Based Occupational Therapy Protocol For Early Rehabilitation Of Adults With Disorders Of Consciousness, Jessie D. Brian

OTD Capstones

Patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) following critical illness often experience prolonged hospitalization, delayed functional recovery, and limited access to early rehabilitation services. In acute care settings, occupational therapy (OT) plays a critical role in sensory stimulation, positioning, caregiver education, and the promotion of arousal and participation; however, interventions are often delayed or inconsistently implemented. A retrospective review of patient data at Concord Hospital identified low rates of early OT involvement among mechanically ventilated patients with OT orders, highlighting a gap in standardized rehabilitation practices for this medically complex population. The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to develop …

Seeing Success Through Functional Vision: Screening, Education, And Intervention Within Mtss For Kindergarten Students, Falynne Marie Rzezuski

OTD Capstones

Visual skills are essential for participation in early academic tasks including reading, writing, classroom engagement, and learning. However, functional vision difficulties often go unrecognized in kindergarten students, potentially affecting their academic performance and ability to learn within educational settings. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop and pilot a functional vision screening tool and program using a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework for kindergarten students. A literature review informed the development of the project, including the creation of the functional visual screening tool, integration within MTSS, Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions, and educational resources for educators …

An Evidence-Based Approach To Standardizing Occupational Therapy Services For Functional Neurological Disorder: Protocol Development And Provider Education, Kimberly Yuen

OTD Capstones

Functional Neurological Disorder is a complex neurological condition that continues to be misinterpreted and stigmatized by healthcare practitioners. Occupational therapists play a vital role in the care team for an individual with FND, as their scope of practice helps to empower individuals with this condition to return to daily, meaningful occupations. However, there remains a lack of evidence-based protocols and resources for occupational therapists to utilize when treating functional neurological disorder (FND), resulting in minimized confidence and understanding of how to treat this population. This capstone project addressed these concerns through the creation of multiple deliverables to help improve clinician …