Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Accommodation Use By Individuals With Disabilities In Occupational Therapy Fieldwork, Rebecca Ozelie, Megan Delehoy, Sierra Jones, Erin Sykstus, Victoria Weil

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The number of individuals enrolling in postsecondary education with a diagnosed disability is rising. However, the literature reflects a gap between mandated institutional policies and the extent of accommodation use and success. This study examines the use, type, and prevalence of accommodations used by students with disabilities completing occupational therapy fieldwork rotations, as well as the common barriers to accommodation access. Snowball sampling methodology was utilized to send out a 26-item questionnaire to occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. Two hundred and ninety-two occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants answered the questionnaire to identify disability type, disclosure of disabilities, and …

Application Of Theory To Guide Development Of A Rehabilitation Service-Learning Project In Guatemala, Mary Zadnik, Suzanne Trotter, Cindy Mathena

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

International community-based rehabilitation service-learning projects in physical and occupational therapy education programs may impact underserved communities internationally. The intentional inclusion of learning in service activities has been identified as service-learning. Extending the impact and education beyond the service project is necessary in order to provide a sustainable outcome for the community. Faculty at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences partnered with Potter’s House Association International to develop an interprofessional program to address the rehabilitation needs and continuity of care following a one-week project serving the community members of the Guatemalan City Garbage Dump. The purpose of this article …

Instructing Students How To Use Evidence-Based Technology Interventions With Older Adults, Michele L. Tilstra, Michelle L. Webb, Sandra E. Groger

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Current evidence supports the use of technology with older adults and the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education standards for entry-level occupational therapy programs mandate instruction on the use of technology to support occupational performance. The literature does not clearly define specific strategies to teach entry-level occupational therapy students how to implement technology interventions with older adults. The purpose of this paper is to provide OT educators with recommendations for teaching entry-level students to use evidence-based technology with older adults. The authors reviewed current literature. The recent evidence helped the authors define practical curriculum recommendations for instructing entry-level occupational therapy …

Best Practices For Occupational Therapy Fellowship And Physical Therapy Residency Programs: A Mixed Method Study, Morgan Chapman, Emily Lehman, Lauren Pedersen, Anna Sibson, Jianqiu Xiao, Anna Domina

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential mixed methods study was to investigate occupational therapy fellowship and physical therapy residency directors’ perceptions of components of a successful residency program. Methods: A pilot survey was administered to occupational therapy fellowship and physical therapy residency directors prior to the study. A 17-item self-report survey was used to gather fellowship and residency director perceptions on the success of their respective programs. Directors of approved occupational therapy fellowship programs and accredited physical therapy residency programs were invited to participate. Following completion of the survey, follow-up interviews were conducted to deepen the understanding of director …

Effects Of A Sensory Diet On Attention And Participation In Children With Autism, Leighanne Smith-Mrkaja

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide initial knowledge regarding sensory diets and sensory-based interventions. The need for classroom-based sensory interventions are not always considered, especially with the high number of students diagnosed with ASD at the researcher’s school. Often sensory intervention may not be considered educationally relevant, especially in the prekindergarten level. With the proper training and materials, as well as the guidance of the school-based occupational therapist, teachers, other therapists, classroom assistants, parents, and school-based staff might be able to utilize sensory-based activities like sensory diets to increase participation, positive behaviors, and attention. The following applied research study …

Systematic Review Of Sensory Integrations With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cierra Simmons

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disorder that can affect communication and behavior. In children a sensory diet is utilized in order to address these issues. Research has been completed over the years looking into the effects of different sensory integrations on classroom behavior and participation. This is a comparison study of various integrations including, but not limited to, vestibular swinging, therapy balls, and therapy cushions. It is often up to an Occupational Therapist to create a sensory diet for each student on a caseload. The purpose of this study was to discover if there is one treatment that can …

Self-Reflection And Measurement Of Professional Behavior Growth In Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Students, Brenda S. Howard, Rebecca Barton

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy (OT) educators have recognized the need to facilitate student professional development along a continuum of behavior that leads them toward professionalism. Reflection has often been a tool assisting in that process. The teaching of professional behavior has been a curricular thread throughout entry-level OT programs. Few studies exist, however, that have measured use of a self-assessment tool for reflection and development of professional behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine how self-perception of professional behaviors changed in two cohorts of an entry-level occupational therapy program. Investigators compared two cohorts of students at two points in time …

Towards Identifying Peer Supervision Competencies For Graduate-Level Occupational Therapy Students: A Scoping Review, Annie Murphy-Hagan, Lauren E. Milton

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In the occupational therapy (OT) profession, peer supervision groups are recommended for professional development, lessening attrition, and relieving stress. Peer supervision is under researched, thus competencies to support this practice are unknown. The purpose of this scoping review was to: (1) summarize the research knowledge around peer supervision to support evidence-based practice in OT, (2) map supervision competencies and key themes in the literature, and (3) isolate peer supervision competencies that may be especially relevant to graduate-level OT students. The long-term aim of this research is to develop a framework for evidence-based peer supervision training. Researchers investigated the question: What …

Part 1: Preparing Entry-Level Occupational Therapy And Physical Therapy Students To Promote Health And Wellbeing With Individuals With Disabilities, Brooks C. Wingo, Donald H. Lein Jr., Beth A. Barstow, Christopher A. Eidson, Tara S. Pearce, Laurie A. Malone, David M. Morris

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

To address accreditation standards for health and wellbeing within entry-level occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) programs, the OT, PT, and Human Studies Departments at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) collaborated with community partners to conduct an interdisciplinary service learning activity based on the I Can Do It, You Can Do It Program (ICDI). This program is a structured community health program where individuals without disabilities are partnered with individuals with disabilities to enhance physical activity, healthy eating, and community participation. The purpose of this paper is to describe a formative evaluation of ICDI at UAB, and …

Perceptions Of Assessment In Norwegian Occupational Therapy Students, Tore Bonsaksen, Astrid Gramstad, Gry Mørk, Susanne G. Johnson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In addition to securing minimum standards of learning among students, assessment is increasingly used as a tool to improve students’ learning. Assessment quality is measured as part of the Course Experience Questionnaire; however, the original ‘appropriate assessment’ scale has demonstrated ambiguous psychometric properties. The current study aimed to gain knowledge about occupational therapy students’ perceptions of assessment, and this was achieved by examining the factor structure and internal consistency of the six items on the ‘appropriate assessment’ scale. Students from six Norwegian universities (n = 187, response rate 61.3 %) completed the scale and reported demographic information. The factor …

Hybrid Learning To Develop Safe Patient Handling Judgement In Occupational Therapy Students, Steven D. Eberth, Ingrid Provident, Carla Chase

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The goal of this mixed methods pilot study was to determine the effectiveness of a hybrid pedagogy to develop safe patient handling knowledge, self-efficacy, and skills in occupational therapy students. Developing safety judgment is integral to occupational therapy education programs, which requires the deepening of knowledge associations. As evidence suggests, patient handling is taught in academic programs with traditional pedagogy. Safe patient handling requires teaching the breadth of the most relevant and contemporary theory and techniques. A growing body of evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of online education. The project author developed an evidence-based hybrid pedagogical approach that included four narrated …

Use Of Case Studies To Promote Critical Thinking In Occupational Therapy Students, Denise D. Allen, Susan Toth-Cohen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Critical thinking is a necessary component of clinical reasoning that should be addressed as part of the graduate curriculum for occupational therapists. For students to apply critical thinking in practice they must also have confidence and minimal anxiety about their abilities. Case-based learning was chosen to address critical thinking skill development, increase confidence, and decrease anxiety. The purpose of this mixed methods pilot study was to evaluate progressively independent engagement with case-based learning on student performance, confidence, and anxiety in applying critical thinking skills in the clinical setting. Critical thinking was measured using a rubric to assess students’ performance in …

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Students’ Beliefs About Knowledge And Knowing: Findings From Three Masters Level Programs In The Us, Diane M. Long, Anita W. Mitchell, Carla Chase, Bernadette Mineo

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

One of the expected outcomes of higher education for all entry-level occupational therapy (OT) students is to develop the capacity to think critically and engage in complex clinical reasoning. Beliefs about the justification of knowledge (epistemic cognition) and the nature of knowledge (ontological cognition) underlie the ability to develop sophisticated ways of thinking. There is a scarcity of research specific to occupational therapy students in the literature related to epistemic and ontological cognition. Based on a discussion prompted during an AOTA Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) workshop in 2014, OT faculty members from three entry-level occupational therapy …

Anti-Fat Bias Of Occupational Therapy Students, Carli Friedman, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Anti-fat biases in healthcare providers can result in substandard and decreased care, and also result in health disparities. There are very few studies that examine occupational therapists’ attitudes towards fat people and implications on practice. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the implicit fat prejudice of occupational therapy students. The authors also sought to understand how this prejudice related to the occupation-based models/frames of reference with which students professionally identified. To do so, 58 occupational therapy students from three Midwestern universities, all of whom recently completed their first year of professional occupational therapy education, completed the Weight …

The Editors’ Perspective: Reflecting On Two Years Of The Journal Of Occupational Therapy Education, Renee Causey-Upton, Cynthia L. Hayden, Dana Howell

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

No abstract provided.

Concepts Of Caring: Uncovering Early Concepts Of Care In Practice For First Year Occupational Therapy Students, James Battaglia

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Caring for others is a central ideal of most health care professions. The ability to facilitate caring behaviors in occupational therapy students is essential to developing students who are well prepared to provide both technically and emotionally competent care. This study explored the early concepts of care of Master of Science Occupational Therapy students at the start of their graduate education through use of a questionnaire and follow-up interviews. The three most frequently identified student concepts of care were: (1) caring as it relates to time, (2) caring as a personal quality, and (3) caring through their communication with clients. …

Student Perspectives Of The Occupational Therapy Doctoral Experience In An Academic Setting, Stacy Smallfield, Shelby Wood

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to gather student perspectives of the 16-week doctoral experiential component (DEC) of the entry-level doctor of occupational therapy educational curriculum from students who completed the DEC in an academic setting. A retrospective qualitative study of a focus group of five students who completed the DEC in an occupational therapy (OT) academic setting was conducted using semi-structured interview questions. Codes were grouped into themes and the findings were summarized. Four major themes emerged: 1) learning experiences; 2) purposeful ambiguity; 3) knowledge and skill development; and 4) newfound appreciation. Learning experiences included …

Design Of An Osce To Assess Clinical Competence Of Occupational Therapy Students, Nancy E. Krusen, Debra Rollins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are a series of controlled, timed stations in which students demonstrate clinical skills. OSCEs are commonly used within health professions education to demonstrate competence, prepare for clinical education, and conduct program evaluation. The body of literature addressing the use of OSCEs in occupational therapy (OT) is growing; however, there are no available guidelines for developing an OSCE specific to the profession. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of an OSCE for OT students prior to fieldwork placement. Twelve OT practitioners participated in a modified-Delphi method to generate possible OSCE scenarios. The …

Qualitative Analysis Of Peer Supervision Training Needs In A Student-Run Occupational Therapy Clinic, Anne Murphy-Hagan, Lauren E. Milton

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The philosophy behind occupational therapy (OT) education espouses the belief that students are dynamic actors in the teaching-learning process, participating in self-appraisal and professional identity development. Yet, best-practice guidelines have not been developed to support students acting in a supervisory role, or contrastingly, receiving supervision from a peer. This study took place at a student-run OT clinic at a large research university in the Midwest. Qualitative methods were employed to investigate the question: What educational and training supports are needed to assist OT students with peer supervision in a student-run clinic? Six OT students participated in a focus group and …

Elevating Student Understanding: Irish Occupational Therapy Students’ Experience Of A Service Learning Project, Karen Mccarthy, Marian Mccarthy

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Service learning is a pedagogy that embraces learning in action and addresses community needs. Since the adoption of the Occupational Therapy Competencies in 2008 and the launch of national occupational therapist registration in Ireland in 2015, there has been limited research on the effectiveness of service learning pedagogies in Irish higher education for meeting core competencies. The majority of research focusing on evaluating service learning have been North American studies which brings to question the relevance of these service learning outcomes beyond North America and specifically Ireland. This qualitative study examined 11 occupational therapy students’ journal reflections, portfolio entries, and …