Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Rehabilitation Of An Injured Golden Eagle (Aquila Chrysaetos): A Case Study, Fida Muhammad Khan, Fakhar-I- Abbas, Abu Ul Hassan Faiz

Journal of Bioresource Management

Habitat destruction and anthropogenic activities cause wild birds to migrate towards urban areas in search of food and sometimes nesting in high-roof buildings, where they are caught by local people using different techniques and are further used for hunting or recreational purposes. An injured Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) was found entangled in bushes near the vicinity of Balkasar Research Complex, Chakwal, Pakistan. After complete physical examination, a wound on the right wing and closed leg fracture was diagnosed. The successful treatment was done by anti-parasitic and anti-bacterial drugs with careful monitoring. Splint was adjusted after aligning the fractured …

Impacts Of Exercise On Functional Ability Of Recovering Gbs Patients: An Integrative Literature Review, Yasmin Sheriff

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

This integrative literature review aimed to investigate the impacts exercise has on functional ability of GBS patients in recovery.

Interprofessional Grand Rounds: Student Hotspotting Team 2016-2017, Caroline Komanecky, Peter Sacci, Danielle Mcfadden, Nuriya Neumann, Michaela Scotten, Melissa Murphy

Department of Occupational Therapy Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Health Promotion And Wellness Strategies And Self-Regulation Interventions For Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Graduates Preparing For The Nbcot Exam, Marcia Hamilton

Occupational Therapy Collection

New graduates of Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Programs are challenged with the preparation and successful completion of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) examination. The threat of not passing this exam is intensified due to the cost of the exam and lack of provisional licensing. Anecdotal experience of faculty in an OTA Program supports concern for new graduates as they report feelings of distress and anxiety, as they enter the one- to two-month period prior to the exam. An occupational role shift must occur during this transitional period, as the new graduates …

Strategies To Improve Interdisciplinary Communication In An Acute Care Inpatient Pediatric Unit, Sarah Thompson, Haley Pelletier, Barbara Bush Children's Hospital-Inpatient, Maine Medical Center, Suneela Nayak, Ruth Hanselman, Stephen Tyzik

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

Interdisciplinary patient rounding has been shown to improve patient and family satisfaction as well as reduce patient length of stay and readmission rates. In an acute care inpatient pediatric unit, baseline metrics demonstrated that 100% of the time, nursing was not included in these rounds thus resulting in sub optimal communication.

The goal of this performance improvement project was to attain increased nursing participation. Data collection demonstrated several reasons for lack of participation and corrective actions were instituted. After undertaking this KPI goal and utilizing operational excellence, 95% of the time, nurses were called to morning rounds with the medical …

Identification Strategies For The Very High Fall Risk Patient In An Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, P6 Inpatient Geri-Med Psychiatry, Haley Pelletier, Suneela Nayak, Stephen Tyzik, Ruth Hanselman

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

Patients falling as a result of geriatric and psychiatric impairments are at a much higher risk than the average patient population. An acute care inpatient psychiatric team used baseline metrics to demonstrate increasing fall rates per month that surpassed the unit’s target number. As a result, a quality improvement project around falls was felt to be warranted.

The overall goal of this study was to improve patient safety by reducing falls for their very high risk fall population. A root cause analysis determined that this population was not being properly identified and several tools were developed and employed to better …

Delirium Reduction Strategies For The Critically Ill, June Chaves, Sam Canonico, Will Cheney, Tammy Corey, Gil Fraser, Alex Kowalewski, Jen Low, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Haley Pelletier, Cathy Palleschi, Stephen Tyzik, Suneela Nayak, Ruth Hanselman

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

Delirium, an acute and fluctuating disturbance of consciousness and cognition, is a common manifestation of acute brain dysfunction in critically ill patients. Patients with delirium have longer hospital stays and a lower 6-month survival rate than do patients without delirium. Preliminary research suggests that delirium may be associated with cognitive impairment that persists months to years after discharge.

In a large acute care hospital, the cardiac intensive care staff became interested in mitigating their unit’s high delirium rate of ventilated patients. At baseline, many members of the healthcare team did not believe that delirium could be prevented and the predominant …

Patient Fall Prevention, R9 West Cardiovascular, Cathy Palleschi, Suneela Nayak, Ruth Hanselman, Stephen Tyzik

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

PATIENT FALL PREVENTION STRATEGIES IN AN ACUTE HOSPITAL

Every year in the United States, hundreds of thousands of patients fall resulting in injury. Injured patients often require prolonged hospital stays and a resultant increase in medical costs.

The purpose of this study was to identify the current state of fall prevention strategies on a hospital inpatient acute care cardiac unit. Through a root cause analysis, some deficiencies were identified and a process improvement plan was implemented.

Several positive outcomes were attained as a result of the countermeasures initiated. Patient falls per month and total waste in dollars saw a decline …

Implementing The Weefim System In Outpatient Pediatric Rehabilitation, Chelsea Ratilainen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

This project was designed to achieve an unmet criteria in the accreditation process for the outpatient pediatric rehabilitation program at a local, community hospital in the greater Bay Area. The clients range from 6 months old to 20 years old with functional disabilities. The Commission of Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) requires that applicants demonstrate outcome measure data over a 6 month time period. During the self-evaluation process this was noted to be a deficiency in the department’s efforts. The WeeFIM system was chosen as the first tool to implement in the department. This is a functional improvement measurement …

Identifying Themes When Using A Community-Based Participatory Research (Cbpr) Approach With Men Living In Abstinence-Based Recovery Housing, Rachel Morrison, Jade Sharrer, Jason Clements

Mental Health

This abstract will be available for download after an embargo period

Occupational Therapy Faculty Perspectives On The Use Of Telehealth As A Delivery Method For Healthcare Services, Holly Wasserman

All Theses And Dissertations

The use of telehealth for healthcare delivery is on the rise and is expected to increase due to the expansion of technological advances and the shortage of healthcare professionals to serve rural and remote communities. The use of telehealth by occupational therapists (OT) is relatively new, and it is unknown whether educational programs are adequately preparing OT students to practice in this context or if OT faculty members are adequately trained to deliver this content to their students. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to examine how faculty members teaching in a master’s level occupational therapy program …

Creative Movement Dance Class For Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Zoe N. Brennan, Abigail L. Koning, April L. Miller

Pediatrics

Objective: The objective of this phenomenological study was to identify how an occupational therapy developed Creative Movement Dance Class (CMDC) addresses social interaction skills in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Method: Interviews were conducted with a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA), Occupational Therapist (OT), ballet instructor, student intern, teacher, and an aide that were directly involved with the CMDC.

Results: Three themes were identified. The first theme, structure of the class, consisted of eight sub-themes including opportunity to practice, fulfilling sensory needs, the Just Right Challenge, classroom support, classroom expectations, interprofessional collaboration, themes, and format of the class. The …

Female Veterans: Satisfying Patterns Of Daily Activities As Defined By The Life Balance Model, Chloe Hillpot, Kerry A. Macdonald, Laura A. Rohr

Mental Health

This phenomenological case study explored the occupational needs and life satisfaction of one female veteran upon reintegration into civilian life. One female veteran, with 23 years of military service, participated in a semi-structured telephone interview. Results demonstrated that military service negatively impacted the participant’s social interactions, physical and mental wellbeing, and ability to cope with stressors, indicating military service posed difficulties for the participant to engage in meaningful occupations upon reintegration. Recommendations included development of occupation-based interventions using the Person Environment and Occupation framework, and further research to identify appropriate services to facilitate successful reintegration into society for female veterans.

Building Bridges Through Meaningful Occupation, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Mary Block, MS, OTR/L, an occupational therapist and artist based in Illinois, provided the cover art for the Summer 2017 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). Generations is a sculpture made from concrete that measures 240 x100 in. (6.096 x 2.54 m). The piece was commissioned by Mary’s home town, the Village of Deerfield, IL. Mary always knew she wanted to be an artist. When competing paradigms altered Mary’s career path, the field of occupational therapy helped her to shape a new worldview. In uncertain times, meaningful occupation empowered Mary to start over again where she originally …

Perils And Pitfalls Of Ot Research In A Foreign Country: A Reflection, Brenda S. Howard

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

They Said: We Are All In This Together., Michelle A. Suarez

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Occupational Therapy In Primary Care: Structures And Processes That Support Integration, Brenda Koverman, Lydia Royeen, Mary Stoykov

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Few studies have outlined the processes and structures needed to develop and integrate occupational therapy into a primary care provider’s office setting. This paper focuses on implementation of the clinic model of occupational therapy in primary care and is intended to address the deficiencies in current literature, including detailed program development steps. Barriers identified in the 8-week pilot program and the successful development of a reimbursable occupational therapy service in primary care will be discussed. The results of the implementation of occupational therapy in primary care are positive. The providers have accepted and embraced the distinct value of occupational therapy …

Interprofessional Primary Care: The Value Of Occupational Therapy, Sue Dahl-Popolizio, Oaklee Rogers, Sherry Lynne Muir, Jennifer Carroll, Lesley Manson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The authors explore the training and expertise of occupational therapists and the cost benefit of the strategic use of occupational therapists as members of the interprofessional primary care (PC) team. PC practices can optimize successful and cost-effective patient care delivery, outcomes, and access to care by using interprofessional care teams and allowing physicians to off-load patients whose issues relate to routines and habits and do not require diagnostic or prescriptive intervention. This, and the occupational therapist’s ability to obtain reimbursement for his or her services, demonstrates that this professional can be an invaluable addition to the integrated PC team. The …

Occupational Therapy In Primary Care: Determining Receptiveness Of Occupational Therapists And Primary Care Providers, Sue Dahl-Popolizio, Sherry Lynne Muir, Kaila Davis, Sabrina Wade, Rachael Voysey

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Primary care (PC) is an emerging practice setting for occupational therapy; however, few occupational therapists currently practice in this setting due to barriers, including uncertainty about reimbursement and the role of occupational therapists. This pilot study aimed to determine if PC providers and occupational therapists are receptive to occupational therapists as integrated interprofessional PC team members if barriers to inclusion are addressed.

Method: After a brief educational paragraph explaining potential occupational therapy contributions to PC teams, the participants accessed a link to survey questions regarding their personal level of receptiveness to occupational therapy in PC. The questions comprised …

The Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program: Occupational Therapy’S Imperative Role In Interprofessional Education, Jeannine Nonaillada, Natalie C. Gangai, Chrysanne Eichner, Rosario Costas-Muniz

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This paper will expound on the findings discovered from efforts made by including an occupational therapist on an interprofessional education initiative charged with developing content to enhance knowledge of geriatrics for health care providers, community-dwelling older adults, and caregivers in medically underserved areas. We will describe the actions of the interprofessional team and present data about the impact of collaborative, systematic input on one educational program taught primarily by the occupational therapist. We will then describe the personal and professional growth opportunities experienced by the occupational therapist on this initiative, and impart the challenges faced and provide recommendations to overcome …