Occupational Therapy Students Research Articles

An evaluation of rehabilitation students' learning goals in their first year: a text mining approach.

Qualitative information in the form of written reflection reports is vital for evaluating students' progress in education. As a pilot study, we used text mining, which analyzes qualitative information with quantitative features, to investigate how rehabilitation students' goals change during their first year at university. We recruited 109 first-year students (66 physical therapy and 43 occupational therapy students) enrolled in a university rehabilitation course. These students completed an open-ended questionnaire about their learning goals at the time of admission and at 6 and 12 months after admission to the university. Text mining was used to objectively interpret the descriptive text data from all three-time points to extract frequently occurring nouns at once. Then, hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to generate clusters. The number of students who mentioned at least one noun in each cluster was counted and the percentages of students in each cluster were compared for the three periods using Cochran's Q test. The 31 nouns that appeared 10 or more times in the 427 sentences were classified into three clusters: "Socializing," "Practical Training," and "Classroom Learning." The percentage of students in all three clusters showed significant differences across the time periods (p < 0.001 for "Socializing"; p < 0.01 for "Practical Training" and "Classroom Learning"). These findings suggest that the students' learning goals changed during their first year of education. This objective analytical method will enable researchers to examine transitional trends in students' reflections and capture their psychological changes, making it a useful tool in educational research.

Use of an Education and Coaching Intervention to Promote Occupational Balance in Graduate Occupational Therapy Students

Use of an Education and Coaching Intervention to Promote Occupational Balance in Graduate Occupational Therapy Students

A Pilot Sexual Device Adaptation Project for Occupational Therapy Students: A Skills-Based Approach to Teaching Sexual Activity as an ADL Through Assistive Technology

A Pilot Sexual Device Adaptation Project for Occupational Therapy Students: A Skills-Based Approach to Teaching Sexual Activity as an ADL Through Assistive Technology

Learning Outcomes of Hybrid In-Person and At-Home Orthosis Fabrication Instruction for Occupational Therapy Students

Learning Outcomes of Hybrid In-Person and At-Home Orthosis Fabrication Instruction for Occupational Therapy Students

SUCCESSFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES OF OT AND PT STUDENTS: ENGAGING OLDER ADULTS IN THE USE OF ASSISTIVE DEVICES

Abstract The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education and the Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative collaborated on a project to use an authentic teaching/learning approach with occupational and physical therapy students about the use of assistive technologies (AT) through educating older adults. Twenty occupational and physical therapy students were mentored by faculty/staff to collaborate with community-dwelling older adults to research, develop, and disseminate 27 video vignettes shared via Facebook. The vignettes included demonstrations using AT for self-care, home management, community engagement, and leisure participation to help older adults live safely and independently. Through this authentic learning approach, the students learned about the use and benefits of AT, interprofessional practice, and the importance of collaborating with older adults. Viewers of the videos were encouraged to seek further information, providing yet another opportunity for students to acquire additional information about how to secure AT and engage with older adults. Focus groups of faculty &amp; staff involved in the project were held to determine student learning themes arising from this project. Through these focus groups, faculty/staff expressed that students • conveyed AT recommendations without prompts for clients served in the ACHE on-campus clinic; • demonstrated a greater understanding of available non-medical AT; • revealed greater comfort levels working with older adults; • gained an appreciation and understanding of each other’s disciplines; • attained professional development goals. It was also noted that faculty involved in the project appreciated the authentic nature of the teaching approach as opposed to more traditional teaching styles such as lectures.

TRAINING INTERPROFESSIONAL STUDENTS TO LEAD AND COLLABORATE IN THE FIELD OF GERONTOLOGY AND OLDER ADULT CARE

Abstract With the historic demographic transition of older populations outnumbering younger ones comes an urgent need for services and support for older adults, which entails an integration of various fields. Simultaneously, there has been an alarming decline in the amount of professionals entering older adult care. Furthermore, colleges and universities provide limited education on the service of older adults, and even less fieldwork exposure to older demographics. As such, academia and fieldwork teams must prioritize the training of students in the field of gerontology and of equal importance, students in adjacent fields in order to recruit and equip the incoming workforce in older adult care. Moreover, the training must be integrated and emphasize leadership, as the complex care of older adults requires an interprofessional team engaged in multi-level collaboration. Wallis Annenberg GenSpace is an innovative community space dedicated to older adults and is invested in combating ageism and promoting lifelong learning. GenSpace serves as a fieldwork placement for gerontology, occupational therapy, communication, and public health students. Through supporting community programs and larger policy level work, students are immersed in various aspects of gerontology. Students discover a diversity of crucial ways that their respective professions can contribute to serving older adults. Additionally, GenSpace’s team-based environment allows students to understand the various roles of their peers and prepare to build cross-sectoral partnerships when they enter the workforce. The orientation, curriculum, and outcomes of the student fieldwork completed thus far will be presented.

ENGAGING OLDER ADULTS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA DURING A PANDEMIC: SUCCESSFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS

Abstract The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education and the Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative collaborated on a project to educate senior adults about the use of assistive technologies (AT) for self-care, home management, community engagement, and leisure participation to help them live safely and independently. Occupational and physical therapy students collaborated with 10 community dwelling senior adults to research, develop, and disseminate 27 video vignettes shared via Facebook. These vignettes were developed and shown during a time when senior adults were encouraged to isolate during the pandemic. As of January 2023, the outcomes of sharing the 27 video vignettes on Facebook included: a total of 17,204 views, the most viewed was “Lighting and Magnification” at 1,000+ views, followed by “Sewing” at 992 views, the least viewed was “Fishing” at 147 views. Older adult viewers feedback included: contact with ACHE to ask how to purchase the assistive devices; sharing the information gained with their family members and others; purchase of devices; providing a resource for AT assistance for OA. Additionally, the senior adults that participated in the project reported a better understanding of the AT after presenting in the videos. In conclusion, these results indicate that creating the video vignettes and sharing them on Facebook had an extensive reach beyond the 27 individual sessions. This also demonstrated that the viewers were actively engaged as noted by their questions and comments.

How Traits of Emotional Intelligence Affect Perceived Stress in Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy Students

Purpose: Students in an entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) programs are subject to high levels of stress and emotional burnout. Effective management of stress impacts life satisfaction and academic performance. Emotional intelligence (EI) has been shown to relate to lower stress levels in allied health students. Despite this, little has been done to investigate the emotional demands of an occupational therapy education. Methods: Participants were a convenience sample of 51 entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy Students recruited from the Southwest and Midwest cohorts of an OTD program. The participants were surveyed approximately 30 days after beginning their semester curriculum. Participants included 43 females and 8 males (n=51) with an age range of 21-36 years old. The sample was composed of 18 first-year (OT1) students, 17 second-year (OT2), and 16 third-year (OT3) students. A cross-sectional survey design was used, and the Assessing Emotions Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale questionnaires were both used to gather self-reported data regarding emotional intelligence and perceived stress. Emotional intelligence was correlated with perceived stress scores using the Spearman Rho analysis on SPSS program 25. Additionally, Kruskal Wallis analysis was used to determine if PSS and EI scores were significantly related to the year in the program. Mann Whitney U analysis was used to determine if PSS and EI scores were significantly related to gender. Results: A significant moderate negative correlation was found in this sample between emotional intelligence and perceived stress (rs= -0.391 with p= 0.005). There were no other significant relationships between variables. Conclusion: These findings have applications for developing educational programming and curriculum that may help equip Doctor of Occupational Therapy Students with the skills they need to thrive in their future profession. Additionally, opportunities exist for OTD students to increase EI and improve stress management levels and improve overall wellness.

Understanding how pharmacy, occupational therapy and nursing-midwifery students utilise lectures as learning opportunities: A mixed methods study informing post-COVID-19 pandemic return to campus

Introduction: Many universities switched to distance learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As universities move to a post-COVID-19 normal, it is important for educators to be aware of what factors influence learners’ face-to-face lecture attendance. This study investigated what factors impacted nursing-midwifery, pharmacy and occupational therapy students’ pre-COVID-19 lecture attendance. Methods: Using a positivist mixed-methods approach, third-year nursing-midwifery (n = 350), pharmacy (n = 24) and occupational therapy (n = 42) students completed a survey with quantitative and open-ended questions that asked students about what factors influenced them to attend and not attend face-to-face lectures. T-tests and Spearman correlations were used to analyse the quantitative data. A qualitative inductive approach was used to code the open-ended questions response data into themes. Results: Occupational therapy and pharmacy students were more positive about the lectures in their programs than nursing-midwifery students. They also valued lecture quality and style more than nursing-midwifery students, who valued a convenient schedule. All three student cohorts valued engaging and enthusiastic lecturers and reported similar reasons for lecture attendance regarding the physical learning environment, other life- and work-related time commitments and the commuting distance to campus. Conclusions: While there was agreement on many factors affecting lecture attendance across the three student cohorts, occupational therapy and pharmacy students placed more value on lecture style and presentation, whilst nursing-midwifery students placed more importance on when lectures were scheduled. These results have and will inform factors to consider regarding on campus lecture attendance post-COVID.

An Online Learning Experience Simulating Video Telehealth with Older Adults: Student Perceptions.

Older adults are an underserved population with a broad-spectrum of care needs due to multi-morbidity, including increasing rates of mental health conditions. Though a prime target for tele-behavioral health due to access barriers, older adults face a persistent digital divide that necessitates clinician training and education to ensure interprofessional tele-behavioral health is tailored to their needs. This paper presents findings from a simulation learning program designed to teach students about the role of video telehealth with populations with diverse needs. Occupational therapy (OT) students enrolled in a Master's program between 2017 and 2018 conducted a simulated video telehealth session geared for an older adult. Sessions were recorded and annotated by students, who then provided feedback on their experience of the simulation via reflective essays (N = 27). Essays were analyzed using conventional content analysis with themes revealing the benefits of simulation in providing students with an opportunity to experience the often unpredictable nature of video telehealth. Themes also revealed perceived limitations of video and the negative impact of age-related conditions and age itself on older adults' ability to engage in video, reflecting ageist stereotyping and bias as potential barriers to novice practitioners' integration of video telehealth with older adults. Simulation provides students an opportunity to engage in active learning and problem-solving in the moment, fostering students' development of clinical reasoning while promoting reflective practice. Findings reveal the importance of supporting students' recognition of biased attitudes to ensure equitable application of tele-behavioral health care, especially to populations with complex needs.

Effects of real-time VR clinical practice on reducing the stigma toward dementia among students of occupational therapy: A randomized controlled trial.

This study aimed to examine the effects of real-time online clinical practice using real-time virtual reality (VR) compared with 2D PC screening on reducing stigma toward dementia, and to investigate the feasibility of online clinical practice using VR. A single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted. Occupational therapy students were randomized to view occupational therapy evaluation screens for dementia patients using a VR headset or 2D monitor. The Attitudes Toward Dementia Scale (ADS), the Dementia Knowledge Scale (DKS), and Images of the Elderly with Dementia (IED) were assessed before and after the intervention. The level of clinical practice satisfaction and the System Usability Scale (SUS) were also assessed. The number of subjects in the intervention and control groups was 10 and 9, respectively. In ADS scores and IED, the main effect was shown in both groups and did not show interactions. In DKS scores, the main effect and interaction were not shown. The VR headset tended to be more usable than the 2D monitor in terms of usability. Satisfaction ratings indicated the characteristics of a realistic clinical experience through real-time VR viewing. Real-time VR and 2D online clinical practice could reduce the stigma toward dementia, but there were no significant differences between the types. The real-time VR experience was more similar to actual clinical practice than a 2D PC screening due to the sense of immersion, but issues in blinding and lack of audio and video quality were found.

Opportunities, Challenges and Recommendations of Non-Traditional Placements for Occupational Therapy Students: A Review of The Literature

Opportunities, Challenges and Recommendations of Non-Traditional Placements for Occupational Therapy Students: A Review of The Literature

작업치료 대학생의 여가활동 참여와 정서조절능력 및 자아탄력성 간의 관계

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the participation of occupational therapy students in leisure activities and to examine the relationship between leisure activities and emotional regulation and resilience.&#x0D; Method: The study's subjects were 104 occupational therapy university students. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 29.0 program, and frequency analysis and descriptive statistics were performed on the general characteristics, types of leisure activities, emotional regulation, and resilience of the subjects, and Pearson correlation analysis was performed on the correlation between the factors.&#x0D; Results: The most frequent leisure activities of students were low-intensity exercise, participatory hobbies, and relaxation, and the least frequent leisure activities were high-intensity exercise, creative activities, and educational activities. Factor correlations showed that higher frequency of high-intensity exercise and social engagement in leisure activities was associated with higher emotional regulation, and higher frequency of IADL, low-intensity exercise, high-intensity exercise, and watching hobbies was associated with higher resilience.&#x0D; Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it is suggested to develop a leisure program based on low- and high-intensity exercise, social participation, and hobby activities to improve emotional regulation and resilience in occupational therapy university students.

Experiences of ‘virtual’ occupational therapy service delivery in Wales

Introduction: COVID-19 accelerated the implementation of virtual working at pace, which carries the risk of missed opportunities for shared learning across organisations and services. This study therefore investigated the experiences of ‘virtual working’ among occupational therapy (OT) staff and students in Wales. The objectives were to establish the meaning of virtual working for occupational therapists (OTs), identify the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the technologies used to support virtual working and explore the specific contextual factors that impact on service delivery. Method: An online questionnaire was completed by 191 registered and unregistered OT staff and students working in Wales, and 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted in a convergent mixed methods design. Results and Findings: The questionnaire data confirmed that the use of virtual working has increased and impacts all areas of service delivery. The semi-structured interviews identified three themes: the art of OT, keeping doors open and looking forward. Conclusion: Virtual working can improve access to services, but one size does not fit all and its use in person centred care should be carefully considered. Virtual working should not compromise high quality service provision and the risks of virtual working to staff’s mental and physical health needs to be considered.

Pilot Study of Animal Assisted Therapy Provided in a Student Run Pro Bono Clinic

Background: Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is therapeutic intervention designed to help patients engage in meaningful life activities.1 Therapy dogs are used in healthcare settings to engage patients in motion, self-care, mental health, motivation, social responses, pain management, and fine motor skills.2 While there is research on the benefits of AAT with children and adults in inpatient settings, there is a lack of information on the benefits and satisfaction of AAT in student-run free clinics (SRFC).&#x0D; Methods: Occupational therapy (OT) students, volunteer clinicians, trained therapy dog teams, and patients receiving OT services at the Community Aid, Relief, Education &amp; Support (CARES) SRFC participated in a pilot AAT program. All participants completed a specially designed survey via REDcap immediately following AAT sessions. Surveys focused on the patient’s pain and stress levels, benefits of AAT, and patient satisfaction.&#x0D; Results: Ten patients participated in the AAT pilot program alongside thirty-seven students and 4 therapy dog teams. 100% of patients responded therapy dogs helped them reach their goals, 93.8% of handlers and clinicians agreed the dog was a valuable addition to therapy sessions, and 100% of OT students agreed AAT is an important tool for therapists to use in clinical settings. 67.6% of patients reported a decrease in stress and 41.2% of patients who were experiencing pain reported a decrease in symptoms. Students, handlers, and clinicians reported benefits with AAT including range of motion (79.7%), fine motor skills (68.1%), and motivation (68.1%).&#x0D; Conclusion: AAT was successfully integrated into CARES SRFC based on feedback and data collected from participants. AAT had a visible impact on patients, students, handlers, and clinicians. Future research on the use of AAT in a SRFC should include a larger sample size and consider how to better define the specific impact of AAT on populations and conditions commonly seen in a SRFC.

Canine-Assisted Occupational Therapy for Children within a Student-Led University Clinic: The Influence on Child Engagement from the Perspectives of Student and Parent Participants

Aims Animal-assisted therapy has gained increased attention in occupational therapy. Yet there remains minimal education opportunities available. In addition to supporting student learning, student-led clinics have the potential to provide a valuable, cost-effective health service to the community. This study aimed to explore the potential benefits to the children clients participating in a student-led, canine-assisted occupational therapy pediatric clinic from the perspectives of the students and parents. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine occupational therapy students, and five parents to describe their experience. Transcripts were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Participants emphasized how the presence of the therapy dog supported child engagement within the therapy session. Ways in which participants believed the therapy dog influenced the children’s engagement were described within three themes. The first highlighted the importance of the relationship between the children and the therapy dog. The second described how this relationship facilitated a sense of safety within the sessions. The third captured how this sense of safety supported the children’s participation within their meaningful occupations. Conclusions Parents and students involved in the canine-assisted occupational therapy clinic perceived that canine-assisted therapy was supportive of child engagement in therapy.

Promoting healthy learning: A participatory health promotion project with healthcare students

Abstract Background Health promotion is of great importance during education to prepare future health professionals for their work. Students need to cope with long periods of sitting, stress and high workload through practical training in the healthcare sector. Based on students’ experiences, we developed a project to promote healthy learning at a University of applied Sciences for Health in Germany. Objectives The project is part of an ongoing quality improvement in education initiative. Our aim was to inform students about health promotion in everyday study life. Based on a participatory approach, 3 employed occupational therapy students designed two videos with their peers. For evaluation, we sent three e-mails and conducted a survey among all 1730 students from 17 to 30 April 2023. Questions related to three aspects: how much students like the videos, whether they find them helpful, and whether they intend to use them in their everyday studies. Results Students identified two video topics: 1. Ergonomic adjustment of the desk with tips for improvement at no or low cost; 2. A short exercise programme to take part in, tailor-made for breaks between lectures or learning phases. 193 students opened the survey, 92 completed the questionnaire. The ergonomics video was rated good to very good by 83 (90%) of the participants; 83 (90%) found it helpful to optimize their workplace. 62 students (67%) wanted to adapt their workplace, 30 (33%) did not, already had an optimal workplace or abstained. The exercise video was rated good to very good by 76 (83%); 78 (85%) of the participants found it helpful. While 61 (66%) wanted to use it in their daily student life, 34% did not, used other exercises or abstained. Conclusions A consultation with the students in the project revealed that the survey's low response rate reflects the general burden of e-mail floods and study workload. Tailored videos were rated by most participants as helpful in promoting health in everyday study life. Key messages • Tailored health promotion is of great importance for healthcare students. Measures need to be affordable and easy to integrate in everyday student life. • Participatory approaches to health promotion for students are essential, because students’ expertise for student life leads to measures that best suit their needs.

Support and Barrier of Online Occupational Therapy Education During Covid-19 in Bangladesh: A Cross Sectional Study

The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has imposed significant challenges on medical education worldwide. During the pandemic in Bangladesh, Occupational Therapy students were participated in their class through online. The study aimed to identify support and barrier of online Occupational Therapy education during COVID-19 in Bangladesh.&#x0D; A cross-sectional online survey was performed to conduct the study through email. Self-developed structured questionnaire were used for data collection. Descriptive analyses were used to analyze survey results.&#x0D; Data were obtained from 112 responses where males were 34% and females were 66%. The study found that 75 (67%) participants had own devices and 37 (33%) participants responded that they were borrow the device from others during online study. Result revealed that students got support from the institution likes 80.4% (90) participants responded that they got regular online classes, 31.2% (35) said that teachers were supportive, 17.9% (20) participants responded that they got both review class and installment facilities. In family site 100.0% (112) Participant responded that they got internet support, 49.10% (55) quite space, 42.0% (47) care and 33.0% (37) got device support and encouragement. Online education barriers from the family found that 59.80% (67) participants responded that they had no family barrier, whereas 17.0% (19) faced financial barriers, 6.2% (7) internet connectivity, and a lack of parent’s knowledge about online education. On the other hand, 63.4% (71) of the participants responded that they had not faced any institutional barriers whereas 16.1% (18) participants have faced internet problems and 10.7% (12) practical class.&#x0D; Participants recommended that necessary steps should be taken to improve internet speed and provide free internet package and lecture method up-gradation for future online education program.

"Being Holistic Is a Lot to Ask": A Qualitative, Cross-National Exploration of Occupational Therapists' Perceptions and Experiences of Holistic Practice.

Being holistic is often used by occupational therapists to describe their practice and philosophy worldwide. This study explores the perspectives of 33 occupational therapists, working in 13 different countries, on their understanding of holistic epistemology and practice and how they seek to incorporate holism in their work. On the basis of a qualitative study design, individual interviews were conducted with the participants by 18 Norwegian undergraduate occupational therapy students, supported by their supervisors. The authors subsequently analyzed the transcribed data, using a thematic analysis approach. Three principal themes emerged: (1) holism as a broad and narrow concept, (2) being holistic spans from treating body parts to teaching marginalized children, and (3) being holistic is a lot to ask. When talking about holism and holistic practice, participants described their holistic practices in various ways, and their accounts reflected different understandings and cultural contexts. Participants characterized a holistic approach as one emphasizing the importance of occupations and activities and helping patients regain independence in their everyday lives. However, they also highlighted the specific challenges they faced, including cultural factors and inadequate resources. Significantly, participants from both Western and non-Western contexts emphasized the importance of holistic practice, suggesting that a dichotomous understanding of Eastern versus Western philosophical approaches does not necessarily make sense in occupational therapy interventions. Therapists' degree of commitment to client-centered practice appears of greater relevance. With its international perspective, our study sheds light on important areas of contemporary occupational therapy practice, including the difficulties occupational therapists face when seeking to cover "everything" in an effort to be more holistic.

Development and Validation of a Revised Ambivalent Ageism Scale for Use in the Health Care Sector: The AAShc.

The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the Ambivalent Ageism Scale (AAS) among paramedical students for use in the health care sector. A cross-sectional study was conducted among the following paramedical students: physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and nursing students. A total of 6 items were added based on the literature and the scale was evaluated by students and professors with experience working with older adults. The following psychometric properties were evaluated: internal consistency, concurrent validity, structural validity (exploratory factor analysis), and reliability. A total of 265 students participated: 19.2% physiotherapy students, 27.5% occupational therapy students, 50.6% nursing students, and 2.6% other paramedical students. The concurrent validity study showed a significant correlation between AAShc (Ambivalent Ageism Scale in the health care sector) and UCLA-GAS-F (French version of the University of California, Los Angeles Geriatric Attitudes Scale) with r (265) = 0.491 (p < .001). The factor analyses produced an 18-item (α = 0.866) scale composed of 5 factors: Infantilization (5 items, α = 0.766), Control (2 items, α = 0.789), Overaccommodation (2 items, α = 0.829), Unwanted help (2 items, α = 0.656), and Hostile Ageism (7 items, α = 0.717). Finally, the generalizability analysis revealed a G-coefficient of 0.86, a Phi-coefficient of 0.83, and a standard error of measurement of 2.31%. The AAShc appears to be a valid and reliable scale to measure ageism among paramedical students. This scale can be a useful tool to reduce ageism toward older adults in the health care sector.