Occupational Therapy Degree Research Articles

Terapia ocupacional em contexto de catástrofe

In the wake of the Castanheira de Pera disaster in 2017, Médicos do Mundo implemented the Hope Mission, with the aim of providing people with humanitarian support. It involved the Equipa Técnica de Rua [Technical Street Team], for community intervention. This consisted of one occupational therapist, two final year Occupational Therapy degree students, one nurse, and one local facilitator. It was the first time in Portugal that Occupational Therapy professionals participated in a humanitarian mission in the context of a disaster. In this interventional study, the occupational therapy was implemented in three strands: Home, with adaptation of the context, insertion of support products, teaching energy conservation, and counselling; Institutional, with implementation of group activities to promote the sharing and solving of problems, and the creation of healthy habits/routines in the population; Community, in terms of health education, cultural and artisanal activities such as tapestry or the commemoration of World Mental Health Day. We intend to raise awareness about the oOccupational Therapy intervention in this context, to encourage autonomy and participation.

Profiling occupational therapists’ preference for an international master’s program in occupational therapy: A needs analysis study

Background: To advance occupational therapy knowledge and practice in Southeast Asia, it is pivotal that quality master’s degree programs in occupational therapy are in place. Such a program must respond to the needs of the region in terms of occupational therapy education, practice, and scholarship. By recognizing the diversity of the occupational therapy education and training in the region, it has become possible to consider alternatives in establishing a graduate program in occupational therapy through partnerships and consortia. In order to make an informed decision to decide whether co-creating a master’s program in occupational therapy through an international consortium within the region is possible or not, a needs assessment is warranted. Objectives: To describe the profile of occupational therapists living and working in the Southeast Asian region who would like to pursue a master’s degree in occupational therapy via an international consortium. Materials and methods: An online survey design was used to produce data that would be used to inform the co-creation of an international master’s program in occupational therapy. The survey questionnaire was designed specifically for this study and included three sections: 1) information and consent form; 2) demographic information; and 3) information about the need for and preferences on a master’s program in occupational therapy. Participants were recruited through professional organizations and various social media platforms of national and international occupational therapy groups. Results: Eighty-five final-year occupational therapy students and 143 occupational therapists from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and other countries completed the survey. Majority (62%) of the respondents was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in occupational therapy because they perceived that an advanced degree can enable specialization in practice, promote personal and professional development, and help generate new knowledge for the field. The characteristics of the envisaged international master’s program must be: 1) completed ideally in 1.5 to 2 years, 2) taken by part-time students who are also working practicing, 3) delivered via a hybrid arrangement (i.e., online and face-to-face) with a fixed weekly schedule, and 4) matriculated for USD 1,000 per semester. Conclusion: While this cross-sectional survey cannot encapsulate the totality of occupational therapists’ needs in terms of their professional development, the survey provided an empirical basis to inform decisions in the creation of a master’s program in occupational therapy jointly offered by an international consortium of Southeast Asian universities.

22 KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF UNDERGRADUATE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY STUDENTS TOWARDS OLDER ADULTS WITH DEMENTIA

Abstract Background Given the increasing prevalence of dementia within Ireland, there is a need to prepare future occupational therapists to work with older adults with dementia. This study aims to explore the knowledge and attitudes of undergraduate occupational therapy students in Ireland towards older people with dementia and related factors such as year of study, personal and placement dementia experiences, and future career choice. Methods A cross-sectional online survey, incorporating the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale and the Dementia Attitudes Scale, was used to gather data, which was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results In total, 75 survey responses were analysed. Results indicate that while dementia knowledge increases as occupational therapy students progress through their undergraduate degree, their dementia attitudes were not positively impacted. Placement experience with older adults with dementia did not affect either dementia knowledge or attitudes, while personal experiences had a significant positive influence on students' attitudes towards older adults with dementia. Among study respondents, the likelihood of selecting a future career with older adults with dementia was positively correlated with more positive dementia attitudes but remained unaffected by levels of dementia knowledge. Conclusion Older adults with dementia are a growing population in Ireland, resulting in a need to adequately prepare occupational therapy students to effectively fill positions in this expanding area of healthcare, by ensuring they have high levels of dementia knowledge and positive attitudes towards clients with dementia. This study found that while dementia knowledge increases with progression in an undergraduate occupational therapy degree, there is not a corresponding improvement in attitudes, an area that requires urgent attention. The results of this study indicate a need to further examine and develop Irish undergraduate occupational therapy programmes and incorporate additional dementia-focused learning opportunities, such as volunteering or service-based learning.

Occupational therapy student perspectives of a large group telehealth placement

Introduction: There is limited evidence examining large group occupational therapy telehealth practice education and the associated learning benefits. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of occupational therapy students in a large telehealth group placement, within the occupational therapy degree at an Australian regional university. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological research design, using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, was used to explore the lived experience of students who completed the telehealth placement. Results: Eleven students participated in individual or group structured interviews. Five themes and twelve codes were identified during data analysis. Key themes were; the placement provided opportunities to link theory to practice, becoming a professional, positive and negative aspects of large group placement, assessment driven, and telehealth shaped the learning and clinical experience. Conclusions: This study provides initial evidence from the student perspective regarding the benefits of a large group placement and offers the potential to be used as a transition in preparing students for future client interactions, and application of clinical reasoning and occupational therapy theory. Adaptations for future practice have also been identified. Further research exploring the ideal group size is needed.

An Exploration of the Facilitating Factors in Completing an Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The objective of this study was to explore facilitators and barriers to completing an occupational therapy degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. A single case study design was used. The inclusion criterion was that participants had to have completed their occupational therapy degrees in 2015 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Seven graduates from the class of 2015 were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's method of thematic analysis. The occupational therapy degree was found to be academically challenging; however, most participants showed resilience and perseverance. Moreover, they experienced personal growth, and acknowledged various factors which contributed to their academic success, including academic, social, and emotional support, having a strong religion or faith, having effective coping skills, and conducive study environments. Barriers included the high academic demands of the degree, environmental barriers, procrastination, financial and interpersonal problems, and emotional stressors. The researcher concluded that the occupational therapy degree was challenging, but offered opportunities for personal growth.

A collaborative escape room as gamification strategy to increase learning motivation and develop curricular skills of occupational therapy students

BackgroundThis study presents an experiment regarding the introduction of gamification strategies in occupational therapy courses. Based on previous studies, the objective is to adapt the idea of recreational escape rooms to educational environments of health sciences like occupational therapy to increase student motivation and promote game-based learning and key skills, such as teamwork.MethodsComputer software was created for a collaborative escape room which allows on-line simultaneous play of up to 24–30 students. It was tested three times in an occupational therapy degree program with 75 students and it was based on two different subjects, although it can be adapted to others. The escape room was evaluated using feedback surveys and comparing students’ performances before and after the game. Descriptive exploratory statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 24.ResultsAn appropriate use of educational escape rooms can have significant positive impacts on students’ engagement and learning. Students were found to prefer using gamification tools in their learning. Their degrees of satisfaction exceeded their expectations.ConclusionsEducational escape rooms may have a positive impact on students’ motivation and a statistically significant improvement of test scores after playing was found. Comments from the feedback surveys were used to improve successive versions of the software and design of the game.Trial registrationT.F.G. n° 2020.038 (Research Ethics Committee of the Principality of Asturias).

Cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Jefferson empathy scale health professions students\u2019 version in SpanishOccupational therapy students

BackgroundIn occupational therapy, empathy is a fundamental concept and has a positive impact on health and quality of care outcomes for patients. It is a basic and essential concept that should prevail in the training of occupational therapy students. The aim of this study is to validate and cross-culturally adapt the Jefferson Medical Empathy Scale, version for health professionals (JSE-HPS) in a sample of Spanish university students of occupational therapy.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between 2019 and 2020. A convenience sample was selected, consisting of 221 students from the four courses of the Occupational Therapy degree at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos during the 2019–20 academic year. Each of the participants voluntarily and anonymously completed a sociodemographic data sheet (including age and sex), in addition to the following assessment scales: JSE-HPS and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI).ResultsA culturally adapted version of the JSE-HPS that guarantees conceptual and grammatical equivalence specific to the study population was obtained. The psychometric analysis of the translated version showed a Cronbach coefficient α of 0.786. The test-retest reliability analysis showed an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.90 (95% CI = 0.86–0.93, p < 0.0001). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed positive results (χ2 = 269.095, df = 167, p < 0.001, Confirmatory Fit Index [CFI] = 0.90, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] = 0.04).ConclusionThe cultural adaptation and psychometric results suggest that the Spanish version of the JSE-HPS is a valid and reliable way to evaluate the empathic ability of occupational therapy students.

Analysis of Occupational Balance and Its Relation to Problematic Internet Use in University Occupational Therapy Students.

(1) Objective: to explore and describe the relationship between the occupational balance of university students taking a Degree in Occupational Therapy and the problematic use of the Internet and how these, in turn, favour or not the appearance of phubbing behaviour which involves “a behaviour that happens when an individual looks at his mobile phone during a conversation with other individuals, escaping from interpersonal communication”. (2) Methods: this is a quantitative descriptive study of an observational and cross-sectional nature, not experimental. The Spanish version of the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ-E), the Internet Addiction Test and the Phubbing Scale were used for data collection. 192 university students taking the Degree in Occupational Therapy of the University of Castilla–La Mancha participated (168 women and 24 men). (3) Results: the average score obtained in the OBQ-E was 38.7, indicating a moderate occupational balance; and (4) Conclusions: occupational therapy students from the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Castilla–La Mancha have a moderate occupational balance. Furthermore, this is negatively related to both problematic Internet use and phubbing, so a higher occupational balance indicates less Internet addiction and less phubbing.

Why limiting PFAS in drinking water is a challenge in the US

An article in the local newspaper caught Andrea Amico’s eye in May 2014. It reported that one of the three drinking-water wells at a sprawling business and industrial park nearby was shut down because of high levels of chemical contamination. “Instantly, my heart sank,” says the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, woman. Amico recalls her reaction to the news: “My husband works there and he drinks water all day, and my two kids go to daycare there and they drink water all day.” She’d never heard of the substances tainting the tap water—Portsmouth was one of the first communities in the US to discover these chemicals in public drinking water. Amico, who holds a master’s degree in occupational therapy and works in health care, started researching health effects from these contaminants and at first found little information. Today, the situation has changed. Amico now knows the identity of the chemicals found at

Development and Validation of a Personal Care Modules for Older Adults with More Signifcant Disabilities

Introduction: Older adults residing in community, as well as those who are residing in institutional or care home may experience various cognitive, health and physical impairments that may affect their independent. Continuous supports are needed to manage most of their personal care activities usually managed by their family members, often without proper training or guidance. To date, there is no personal care module that can be used as a guideline by family members and paid caretakers. Therefore, this study aims to develop and validate a personal care module as a guideline in assisting older adults with more significant disabilities. Methods: This study was a three-phase study, involving 1) development of the personal care module, 2) focus group discussion with healthcare experts and 3) face and content validity by the expert reviewers. Results: A total of 13 occupational therapists (77% of the experts were female) involved as experts in evaluating the module, 46% of them having Bachelor Degree in Occupational Therapy and having between 5 to 25 years of working experience. The finding showed that the developed module had high content validity ranging from 0.88 to 1.00 on six domains of personal hygiene, bathing, dressing, feeding, bed mobility and stairs climbing, indicated that the module is suitable for used as a guideline in assisting older adults with more significant disabilities. Conclusion: This study provides a preliminary support for the developed personal care module as a valid instrument to be used as a guideline in managing personal care activities of older adults with more significant disabilities. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17576/jskm-2020-1802-09

Occupational Risks in Occupational Therapy Service Learning: A Single-Site "Fear Factor" Study in South Africa.

Background Service-learning constitutes the main practical component of an undergraduate health profession training programme. However, limited exploration of the potential occupational risks that students face during their service-learning placement is noted in the literature. Aim This study in South Africa explored occupational risk factors as reported by occupational therapy students whilst engaged in service-learning. Methods In this explorative qualitative study, purposeful homogenous sampling was used to recruit third and fourth level occupational therapy students who completed a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy degree. Three focus groups were conducted with seventeen students who voluntarily participated. Audio-recorded data were transcribed and analysed thematically using deductive reasoning. Results Several concerns over potential occupational risks were reported, namely, anxiety over contracting infectious diseases, concerns around musculoskeletal injuries due to manual handling requirements, and inappropriate behaviour of clients, which made the students feel unsafe. Concerns around the implementation of infection control measures, the lack of resources allocated to infection control at some service-learning sites, as well as the coping strategies used during service-learning were highlighted. Conclusion Varied occupational risk factors during service-learning were reported by students. These insights into the perceived occupational risk factors can be translated into actionable strategies to improve the preparation of health science students for service-learning, including coping skills to deal with the demands of service-learning.

Occupational therapy entry-level education scholarship in Australia from 2000 to 2019: A systematic mapping review.

The number of occupational therapy degree programs in Australia has increased substantially over the last decade. During this time, Australian academics have produced a significant amount of scholarship focussed on entry-level education; however, the landscape of this scholarship has not been examined. The aim of this study was to review the literature on the scholarship of entry-level Australian occupational therapy education programs, specifically the topics explored and methods employed. An extensive search of nine databases produced 1,002 papers related to occupational therapy education. Two researchers screened each paper using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Seventy-sixarticles, published between 2000 and September 2019, were included. Data were extracted using a coding tool, and entered into NVivo, where data were analysed using queries and tallies of the characteristics of the articles. Sixty-eight articles were research and eight were other peer reviewed literature. Articles primarily focussed on student characteristics and perceptions. Quantitative research designs were predominant with surveys the most frequently used method. There were few articles that addressed the topic of teaching methods and approaches, and of these none addressed occupation-centred teaching. No articles addressed the learning environment. Four articles reported on an educational intervention that targeted participation, and attitudes/perceptions or knowledge/skills of students and/or academics. These findings inform understanding about what has been completed so far in the scholarship; and what topic focus and research designs could address gaps in existing knowledge. This review elucidated topics that have been well researched (student focus), as well as gaps in the scholarship (teaching methods and approaches including occupation-centred teaching, and the learning environment). It showed that quantitative designs were predominant, with qualitative approaches less frequently adopted. The results of this review could assist academics and researchers to focus their scholarship on topics that require further investigation and diversify research methods.

The Perception of Students and Lecturer of Occupational therapy on the Importance of Involvement in Research Projects: The MIND &amp; GAIT Project

Involvement in research is increasingly playing a crucial role in the training of higher education students, however, there isn’t much found on the literature on this particular subject. The present study aims to gauge the participants’ perception of pedagogical and scientific contributions in the development of research projects, specifically in the elaboration of a Cognitive Stimulation Program. Procedures followed a qualitative approach trough an exploratory descriptive case study research. For data collection, a semi-structured interview, a focus group, with key informants, and a questionnaire, were used for a set of participants (students and a professor) of the third year of Occupational Therapy Degree of the Polytechnic of Leiria. Data was processed resorting to content analysis according to Bardin and supported by WebQDA software. There was evidence of the pedagogical contributions, with perceived effective learning and scientific advancement, namely in the area of cognitive stimulation, particularly in the development of clinical reasoning. The students’ practical involvement in research projects enhanced learning and knowledge acquisition, as well the advancement of research practice.

Anatomical prosection practices in the Occupational Therapy degree. Student anxiety levels and academic effectiveness

ContextThe practice of anatomical dissection and/or prosection on human cadavers is an essential component of human anatomy training programmes. However, this activity can be stressful for inexperienced students when exposed to cadavers for the first time, and it may generate high anxiety levels. The aims of this study are threefold: 1) to analyse the thoughts and feelings of first-year students of the Occupational Therapy degree about prosection practices; 2) to examine their anxiety levels in relation to these practices; and 3) to evaluate how useful and effective they are as an educational tool for anatomy training. MethodsThis is a before-and-after cross-sectional study of first-year students of the Occupational Therapy degree at the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. These students had not previously participated in prosection practices. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed among the students before and after the practice, in order to examine their feelings and perceptions during the practice. To examine their anxiety levels, we used a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. To assess their learning outcomes the students had to complete two practical tests of recognition of anatomical structures, one before attending the practice and one immediately afterwards. ResultsBasal anxiety levels, measured as trait anxiety (TA), remained stable and did not show significant differences during the practice (p>0.05). Their emotional anxiety, measured as state anxiety (SA), dropped from 14.7 to 10 points (p<0.05) after the practice. Before the start of the practice 11 students (19%) showed signs of anxiety, and these remained so at the end of the practical session (p>0.05).As for their academic performance, we observed that the number of students able to pass the test after attending the prosection practice increased notably (by more than 60%). Additionally, 100% of the students recommended that the practice be retained for future courses, giving it an approval rate of 9.1 out of 10. ConclusionAlthough anatomy is usually an attractive subject for Occupational Therapy students and they value prosection practices positively, they remain a potentially complex and stressful experience. Some students find that their experiences in the dissecting room can upset their emotional balance, however, the implementation of coping mechanisms could be a very effective strategy to reduce their anxiety and also to improve their learning outcomes, helping to strengthen their practical knowledge of anatomy as we have observed in this study. The students not only value positively these practices, they also believe that they are an extremely useful tool for both teaching and learning anatomy, and they recommend their routine use as part of the training process.

Prevalence of Exercise Addiction Symptomology and Disordered Eating in Australian Students Studying Nutrition and Dietetics

BackgroundPrevious research has reported the existence of disordered eating in students studying nutrition and dietetics. However, the occurrence of exercise addiction, previously linked to disordered eating, is poorly understood in this group. ObjectiveThe main objective of this study was to explore the prevalence of self-reported symptoms of exercise addiction and the association with disordered eating in a sample of students studying nutrition and dietetics. A secondary objective was to compare the prevalence of exercise addiction to students enrolled in another health-related degree. DesignWe conducted a cross-sectional study in 165 undergraduate students. Participants/settingParticipants were students of both sexes enrolled in nutrition and dietetics and occupational therapy degree programs at an Australian university in August 2013. Main outcome measuresParticipants completed four validated questionnaires for assessment of exercise- and eating-related attitudes and behaviors measuring scores for exercise addiction, weekly volume of physical activity (PA), eating disorder symptoms, and cognitive restraint. Stretch stature and body mass were measured and body composition was assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Statistical analyses performedIndependent t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ2 test were completed to compare groups of students based on sex, degree, or eating attitudes. Spearman’s correlation was performed to explore associations between continuous variables (exercise addiction scores, PA volume, and scores for eating attitudes and cognitive restraint). ResultsApproximately 23% of nutrition and dietetics students were found to be at risk of exercise addiction (20% females and 35% males; P=0.205), while the majority demonstrated some symptoms of exercise addiction. A similar proportion of at risk individuals was found in the female occupational therapy group (19%; P=1.000). In females (nutrition and dietetics and occupational therapy combined), the exercise addiction scores were associated with three other outcome measures: PA volume (rs=0.41; P<0.001), eating attitudes scores (rs=0.24; P=0.008), and cognitive restraint (rs=0.32; P<0.001). Comparative analysis indicated that female students with high cognitive restraint had greater exercise addiction scores than those with low cognitive restraint (20.3 [4.8] compared to 17.8 [4.2]; P=0.003). ConclusionsResults suggest high prevalence of exercise addiction in this sample of undergraduate health-related degree students and its link to amount of PA and disordered eating in females. Future research should include larger samples of both sexes to build the existing understanding on these maladaptive behaviors.

130. ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL AND NURSE INTERNSHIPS SCHEME: EVALUATION OF YEAR 1 COHORT 2016

Background: The Allied Health Professional (AHP) and Nurse Internships Scheme 2015–18 is open to final year students or recent graduates who are predicted to receive a 2:1 or first degree in Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, or Nursing. Building on similar schemes it is a successful model of a collaborative project working with our wide consortium of researchers at the Universities of Southampton, Oxford, Salford, Leeds and the West of England. The aim of the scheme is to identify and introduce graduate AHPs and nurses to musculoskeletal (MSK) research. Methods: In 2016, 6 (4 female) graduates from Allied Health and Nursing participated in the scheme. Over an intensive 8 week period the interns contributed to the conduction of research in projects focused on key public health priorities for people with MSK conditions. Projects included both qualitative and quantitative methodology, including an investigation into online self-management support websites for patients and an assessment of footwear choices in knee osteoarthritis. The interns presented their research findings and development journey at a dissemination day held at the University of Leeds. The placements were evaluated through reflective logs and progress reports completed by the interns, supervisors and mentors. The interns completed additional evaluation questionnaires before and after their placements. Evidence of impact of the internships scheme was collated. Results: All of the interns stated their career aspirations and expectations changed over the 8 week period and all reported they now plan a future career in research. One intern quoted “In relation to my career plans, my expectations have completely changed. The scheme has provided me with the skills, knowledge and contacts I need to build my profile and apply for future research opportunities”. Supervisors and mentors reported all of the interns completed required research tasks and met or exceeded initial agreed learning outcomes. Further evidence of impact included two press releases and an article reporting on progress of the first cohort. All 6 interns wrote two blogs (pre- and post-internship) - published on the Arthritis Research UK website and have submitted a conference abstract and a journal article. Further conference and journal submissions are anticipated from all 6 interns alongside the work supporting grant applications. This scheme’s Twitter site has to date gained over 100 followers. Conclusion: Evaluation from the interns has demonstrated how valuable the scheme is in introducing newly qualified AHPs and nurses to a network of rheumatology researchers and linking their clinical roles with the latest research; benefiting patients with MSK conditions with the latest evidence-based care. All interns intend to remain involved in research, providing mentorship for future cohorts, sharing their experiences and promoting the scheme. We thank our consortium for their expertise and dedicated time with our interns.

Kogano skalės transkultūrinė adaptacija ir studentų nuostatų į senyvus asmenis vertinimas

Senstančios visuomenės problematika aktuali daugeliui Europos ir pasaulio šalių. Žodis „senatvė“ dažnai asocijuojasi su daugeliu neigiamų požiūrių ar nuostatų. atskleidžia šio fakto priežastis. Viena iš priežasčių yra senatvės baimė, kita –neigiama nuostata į senyvus asmenis, vadinamas „eidžizmu“ (angl. ageism). Tyrimo tikslas - įvertinti kolegijos studentų nuostatas į senyvus asmenis, naudojant kultūriškai adaptuotą Kogano klausimyną (KAOP), kuris skirtas vertinti nuostatas į senyvo amžiaus asmenis. Tyrimo metodika. Tyrimui atlikti buvo naudojama Kogano nuostatų į senyvus asmenis vertinimo standartizuotas klausimynas. Šią skalę sudaro 34 klausimai (teiginiai): 17 iš jų atspindi pozityvų ir 17 negatyvų požiūrį (angl. Kogan‘s Attitudes Toward Old People Scale, Kogan N., 1996) į senyvo amžiaus asmenis. Papildomai buvo pateikta keletas klausimų, atspindinčių studentų turimą bendravimo patirtį su senyvo amžiaus žmonėmis. Taip pat buvo pateikti 3 klausimai, vertinantys sociodemografines studentų charakteristikas. Tyrimo metodai: mokslinės literatūros analizė, statistinė duomenų analizė, naudojant SPSS 21 (aprašomoji statistika, psichometrinė analizė, T testas, Anova testas). Kogano standartizuoto klausimyno Kronbach‘o alfa koeficientas siekia 0,73. Tiriamieji. Tyrime dalyvavo 124 baigiamojo kurso studentai, studijuojantys vienoje iš Lietuvos kolegijų: 71 bendrosios praktikos slaugos, 32 socialinio darbo, 21 ergoterapijos studijų programos. Rezultatai. Bendras pozityvias nuostatas į senyvus asmenis atspindinčių teiginių vidurkis yra šiek tiek aukštesnis nei į negatyvias. Didžiausias pritarimo stiprumas pozityviems Kogano skalės teiginiams buvo studentų, studijuojančių ergoterapijos studijų programoje. Mažiausias pritarimas pozityviems Kogano skalės teiginiams buvo nustatytas tarp jauniausių tyrime dalyvavusių studentų, kurių amžius siekė 18-25 metus. Būsimi bendrosios praktikos slaugos, socialinio darbo, ergoterapijos studijų programų absolventai pasiryžę dirbti su senyvo amžiaus asmenimis. Nepriklausomai nuo didesnio ar mažesnio pritarimo pozityviems skalės teiginiams studentai vienodai rinktųsi darbą su šia grupe. Studentų nuostatos į senyvo amžiaus asmenis nesiskyrė analizuojant pagal jų bendravimo patirtį su artimiausioje aplinkoje (šeimoje) esančiais senyvo amžiaus giminaičiais.

Efecto de un programa de capacitación en competencias de investigación en estudiantes de ciencias de la salud

&lt;p&gt;El Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior implica un cambio en la formación universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud en España. El sistema universitario debe promover desde el grado la adquisición de competencias básicas en investigación, como la gestión de información y la comunicación científica. Este artículo presenta los hallazgos de un estudio cuyo objetivo fue evaluar el nivel de eficacia y satisfacción de un programa de capacitación educativa en competencias de investigación dirigido a estudiantes de Ciencias de la Salud. Se diseñó un estudio cuasiexperimental en el que participaron ciento ocho estudiantes de grado de Fisioterapia, Terapia ocupacional y Enfermería. En una primera fase se detectaron las necesidades educativas en competencias de investigación a través de un cuestionario; a continuación se implementó un programa de capacitación semipresencial y se evaluó el efecto alcanzado en las necesidades antes detectadas. Este programa mejoró significativamente la percepción de los participantes en relación a su conocimiento y habilidad en competencias de investigación. Del mismo modo, las destrezas cognitivas y prácticas mejoraron considerablemente tras el programa. Estos hallazgos evidencian que la puesta en marcha de programas específicos de capacitación en investigación es efectiva para mejorar la adquisición de competencias a este respecto en estudiantes de Ciencias de la Salud.&lt;/p&gt;

EPortfolio: The Scholarly Capstone for the Practice Doctoral Degree in Occupational Therapy

A critical decision doctoral faculty must make is deciding what is the most appropriate capstone or terminal requirement for the practice doctorate degree that is consistent with the program’s curriculum. EPortfolios are a viable option for documenting doctoral students’ advanced knowledge and competence. After creating a professional development plan, the students record individual experiences and reflections framed by a self-selected metaphor, provide objective documentation of achievements, and verify advanced competence in a specific area in their ePortfolios. As the students construct their ePortfolios, they must engage in self-directed learning that is grounded in evidence-based and reflective practice, with a focus on developing professional characteristics. The purpose of this article is to describe the rationale and process of using an ePortfolio as the terminal requirement for a practice doctorate degree in occupational therapy.

Responding to the needs of students who are carers on an undergraduate occupational therapy programme at one UK University

The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of students on an undergraduate occupational therapy degree programme who have caring responsibilities. It was a mixed methods study, including a questionnaire to identify students who are carers, follow-up focus groups and the University’s internal student records database to obtain absence and attainment data. There were no significant differences in absence rates for carers and non-carers. However attainment was significantly lower for carers. Carers reported having fees paid by the NHS as an important choice factor for higher education. Carers’ main concerns were timetabling, finances, support after exam failures, understanding from academic staff and not feeling part of the wider university community. Most carers had seriously considered leaving the programme during their studies and attrition rates were proportionally higher for students who were carers. Education providers must recognise the needs of mature students and provide inclusive environments. The findings have led to programme, policy and institutional level action. Education providers must recognise the needs of mature students and provide inclusive environments. The NHS must be reflective of the community it serves and those responsible for delivering health professional programmes have a duty to recruit and retain a diverse student population.