Student Occupational Therapists Research Articles

Accommodating Students with Disabilities: Fieldwork Educators' Experiences.

Background. Fieldwork is an essential part of experiential learning in occupational therapy education. Fieldwork educators identify limits on reasonable accommodation and difficulty implementing disability-related accommodations. Student occupational therapists with disabilities report discrimination from within the profession, including inflexible fieldwork environments. Purpose. To understand the experiences of occupational therapy fieldwork educators in Canada in accommodating students with disabilities and to develop action-oriented practice recommendations. Method. In this interpretive description study, we interviewed 11 fieldwork educators about their experiences accommodating students with disabilities. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a constant comparative approach. Findings. Educators emphasized a meta-theme of "Learning" when asked about disability-related accommodations. Three subthemes about student learning emerged: 1. Educators focused on "Student Learning in Preparation for Professional Practice" rather than their fieldwork setting only; 2. Educators were "Using Occupational Therapy Skills for Student Learning" in fieldwork; and 3. Educators recognized that their professional and personal "Context Influences Student Learning." Conclusion. Fieldwork educators can work with students to align their accommodations with required learning outcomes for professional practice and use their occupational therapy skills to assist with implementation. Fieldwork educators require time and other supports to work effectively with all students.

Gross and Applied Anatomy Pedagogical Approaches in Occupational Therapy Education: A Scoping Review.

Introduction. With technological advancements, anatomy teaching approaches in occupational therapy education have expanded. However, uncertainty remains regarding the approaches that best optimize academic and practice outcomes in student occupational therapists (OTs). Purpose. This scoping review mapped the pedagogical approaches used to teach musculoskeletal anatomy to student OTs. Methods. A scoping review was conducted, with a consultation exercise involving Canadian occupational therapy educators. Six databases were searched, with terms related to student OTs, anatomy, and education. Included articles were available in English, full text; featured empirical research of any study design and/or gray literature; featured a pedagogical approach used to teach anatomy; and targeted student OTs with the pedagogies. Results. Twenty-eight reports between 1978 and 2021 were included. Although technology-based pedagogies became more common with time, historically used pedagogies (e.g., lectures and labs) remained prominent and most common. Narrative synthesis regarding the effectiveness of anatomy pedagogical approaches identified five main factors: (a) anatomy competency; (b) teaching method diversity; (c) learner psychological considerations; (d) interprofessional education; and (e) optimal academic outcomes. Implications. This review demonstrates the importance of anatomy knowledge to occupational therapy education and practice. A diversity of pedagogical approaches, with and without technology, may foster better outcomes by addressing diverse learning needs.

Australian occupational therapists' perspectives of consumers authentically contributing to student learning during practice placements: 'It just makes sense!' but 'we need a process'.

Collaborating with consumers in designing, delivering, and evaluating curricula is an ongoing initiative within occupational therapy tertiary courses in Australia. Within the Australian educational context, consumers are involved in on-campus educational activities. Student occupational therapists must complete 1000 hours of practice placements as part of their education. To date, no research has explored how consumers could contribute to student occupational therapists' learning during practice placements. This study aimed to explore Australian occupational therapists' perceptions of consumers providing feedback to students during practice placements. A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted to engage with the diversity of practice contexts and gain a rich dataset from the occupational therapy profession. A qualitative questionnaire was developed and distributed using snowballing techniques. The questionnaire asked recipients to reflect on the risks, challenges, and benefits of consumers providing feedback to student occupational therapists from all stakeholders' perspectives. Demographic data were collated, and reflexive thematic analysis was used to construct themes. Responses were received from 81 participants. Most respondents identified as experienced occupational therapists from metropolitan locations across Australia. Reflective thematic analysis was used to construct three themes: Personal capability of consumers and students will enable, inhibit, and be developed by engaging in a feedback process; an educator-controlled process to ensure safety for all stakeholders is required for time-poor practice contexts; and us versus them: Shifting control to consumers can disempower practice educators. Engaging with consumers throughout all aspects of student occupational therapists' educational programme is required, including practice placements. New educational initiatives need to consider all stakeholders' concerns to ensure that authentic contribution from consumers is made within the various practice contexts. A co-design approach that involves all stakeholders to develop a feedback process may result in high-quality learning experiences that assist students to become safer, consumer-centred health professionals.

The shaping of professional identity and education of occupational therapist students in Denmark – a qualitative study

Background Few studies are available regarding occupational therapist students’ experiences relating to their professional identity during their education. Aim The aim was to gain knowledge about the process that occupational therapist students undergo in the shaping of their professional identity. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants divided into two phases: a phenomenological phase, followed up by a hermeneutical phase. The data was analysed with the use of thematic analysis. Results Three themes emerged: study environment, responsibility, and choice of internships. As a part of the first theme study environments, the relations among the students were important for the shaping of a professional identity. Conclusion The occupational therapy students undergo an increasing sense of responsibility throughout the education programme. Particularly, the clinical practice was found to have a positive impact on the shaping of professional identity. Important findings The findings in the study can contribute to clarifying students’ perspectives on the shaping of their professional identity. Based on these findings the occupational therapist education programmes could integrate these elements as a part of their curriculum.

Community as learning opportunity for nursing students: The Lavàl Project of Val Chiusella

The new competencies required for Family and Community Nurses (FFCN) involve the ability to make a community diagnosis. To describe the steps in designing an innovative internship for university students (nurses, anthropologists, educators, sociologists etc.). After involving the municipalities, associations and local community networks, the students were asked to enter the community, keep a diary of what they had done and observed, and the nursing students were asked to produce a report based on the synthesis of the diaries, in which they would highlight the specific features, strengths, weaknessess and potentials for development of the observed community. As of 31 March 2022, 50 nursing students and 6 FFCN Master's students had thier practical training in addition to anthropology, sociology, geology an occupational therapist students. By 30 September 2022, 20 nursing students, 10 Master's and Master's degree students, are expected. 96 hours of interviews were carried out with local residents, meetings were held with 30 Associations and 40 events, meetings and assemblies, 12 meetings for Walking Groups, Adapted Physical Activity and Pilates, 70 hours of direct observation in the five pharmacies and 100 hours of debriefing, supervision and multidisciplinary discussion to rework and systematise the information acquired were conducted. An innovative experience of training in making community diagnosia and projects for solutions for a community is feasible. However, both the organisational and local concertation prerequisites are necessary to make these experiences possible.

Do Learning and Study Strategies Predict Success in Hybrid-Online Physical and Occupational Therapist Education?

Purpose: An understanding of the learning strategies most accurately predictive of success has become increasingly important as health professional education programs scale the utilization of online learning in the wake of COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive relationship between The Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) and cumulative professional GPA (cpGPA) in hybrid-online physical (PT) and occupational therapist (OT) education. Methods: A convenience sample collected N=149 entry-level PT and OT students from three campuses across Florida, Texas, and California. A total N(%) of 89(59.7%) PT and 60(40.3%) OT students were included for analysis [48(32.2%) male; 101(67.8%) female]. A cross-sectional and predictive correlational study design was utilized. Participants self-administered the LASSI and cpGPA was collected in Spring 2020. Standard multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Results: Neither the LASSI scales, R2 = 0.05 [F(10, 138) = 0.71, p = 0.71], nor the LASSI components, R2 = 0.01 [F(3, 145) = 0.56, p = 0.64], were able to accurately predict cpGPA. These findings contradict many prior studies in health professions education where anxiety, attitude, motivation, test strategies, and time management have been significant predictors. Conclusion: This study should be repeated due to a threat to internal validity, the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have influenced outcomes to an unknown degree. The predictive nature of this measure under more natural conditions remains unknown for this population of learners.

The Outcomes of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) for Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Cognitive Decline in Taiwan

Aim: To assess the impact of cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) on cognition, quality of life, and mood in Taiwanese elders with cognitive impairment attending a day care center. Methods: Twenty-five adults aged 65 years and older were assigned into the CST (n =12) and control (n = 13) groups. Weekly 90-minute CST sessions for 14 weeks were conducted by occupational therapists and occupational therapist students. The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale—Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used for pre- and posttest measurements. Within- and between-group comparisons of test scores were performed. Results: Significant between-group differences were found for the ADAS-Cog change scores. Specifically, there was significant cognitive improvement for participants in CST group at posttest, with no observable change for the controls. No significant pre-/postgains were noted in the QoL-AD and HADS scores for the 2 groups. Conclusion: The once-a-week CST approach seems to be a viable alternative to twice-a-week CST for community-dwelling older adults with mild to moderate cognitive deficits. Further investigation is required to determine the optimal dose of CST for the elderly.

An Interprofessional Geriatric Experiential Learning Experience: Its Impact on Physical and Occupational Therapist Students

Introduction. Accreditation standards for physical therapist (PT) education require the inclusion of interprofessional education (IPE) in order to prepare health care professionals to work in collaborative environments. Additional guidelines document the need to educate PT students in the care of older adults; however, a gap in readiness for entry-level practice exists. Therefore, there were three purposes of this study that were to 1) examine the impact of an IPE experiential learning project on PT and occupational therapist (OT) students' knowledge and attitudes toward each other's professions, 2) examine students' comfort, value, and ability to work with another profession, and 3) assess the project's impact on PT and OT students' attitudes toward older adults. Methods. Physical therapist and OT student groups, under the supervision of faculty, evaluated a community dwelling older adult over 3 visits and developed a comprehensive wellness program, which was provided by the students on visit 4. Students completed 2 surveys: the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS) and Kogan's Attitude Towards Old People Scale (KAOP), prior to and at the conclusion of the project. Results. The Wilcoxon’s signed rank test showed significant increases after the completion of the IPE project in the total ISVS (P < .001) median scale scores for all students and on the subscales regarding the ability (P < .001), value (P < .001), and comfort (P < .001) in working with others. Significant increases were observed for all students on the total KAOP scale scores (P < .001) and the positive subscale scores (P < .001); significant decreases were observed in the negative subscale scores (P < .001). Discussion and Conclusion. This study demonstrates a successful IPE experiential learning project used to enhance PT and OT students' abilities, values, and comfort with collaborative practice and enhancement of PT and OT student groups' attitudes toward older adults.

The Use of an Experiential Educational Activity to Promote Interprofessional Education in Physical and Occupational Therapist Students

In many healthcare settings, interprofessional collaborative practice is expected of healthcare professionals to facilitate optimal patient outcomes. To prepare healthcare professionals to provide this collaborative practice, institutions of higher education are infusing interprofessional education activities into their healthcare curricula. While interprofessional education activities have been demonstrated to be beneficial for students, the creation and implementation of these types of activities by higher education faculty can be challenging. Factors such as logistics, curricular differences, and already busy course schedules can sway faculty from developing interprofessional experiences for their students. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and implementation of an interprofessional education activity involving physical and occupational therapist students that was added to an existing physical therapist student experiential learning activity. Activity outcomes and recommendations will be shared in anticipation that other healthcare faculty will be inspired to initiate communication and collaboration to create their own unique IPE experiences.

Perceptions of Low Income by Canadian Student Occupational Therapists

Perceptions of Low Income by Canadian Student Occupational Therapists

Benefits and challenges of role-emerging placements of student occupational therapists in HIV service organisations

Background and aims: Recognising the importance of occupational therapy for people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has led to the possibility of promoting and integrating services in HIV service organisations through role-emerging placements for student occupational therapists. The objective of this study was to investigate the benefits and challenges of role-emerging placements of student occupational therapists in HIV service organisations. Methods: This study employed qualitative methods to understand the perspectives of student occupational therapists, HIV service organisation staff, an occupational therapy preceptor, and people with HIV following 8-week role-emerging placements of student occupational therapists in HIV service organisations. Transcribed interviews were analysed using content analysis to identify themes. Findings: Results highlighted the following benefits: 1) Reinforcing professional skills; 2) Developing competency in providing rehabilitation services for people with HIV; 3) Shining a light on the role of occupational therapy; and 4) Empowering HIV service organisations. Challenges included: 1) Starting the groundwork; and 2) Building relationships. Conclusion: The placements of student occupational therapists in HIV service organisations can foster the integration of occupational therapy services in these organisations to maintain the optimum community responses. Findings also demonstrated the value that role-emerging placements have in increasing the competencies of the student occupational therapists as future rehabilitation professionals.

Targeting the globe: internationalisation in occupational therapy education

ABSTRACTThrough international placements, student occupational therapists (SOTs) provide direct services and consultation with communities, organisations and local governments. SOTs work with international partners to assess needs, develop new programs, and adopt new practices. SOTs support individuals and groups to build and sustain capacity in health, function and rehabilitation. However, more comprehensive preparation of SOTs for international involvement is required. The objectives of this paper are: (a) to develop recommendations for best practice for the educational preparation of globally bound SOTs; (b) to disseminate findings that reflect global and culturally sensitive perspectives; and (c) to provide recommendations that support engagement in international placement learning. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) assisted in connecting the investigators and participating countries. Data analyses outlined clear trends related to strengths and gaps in student preparation. Ongoing development of international clinical education resources and partnerships is needed to support dynamic and sustainable global learning in occupational therapy.

Occupational therapists’ pain knowledge: a national survey

Purpose: This study surveyed Canadian occupational therapists to identify whether their pain knowledge is current or if the gaps identified in past studies have remained the same. The findings will provide information to guide the development of targeted pain knowledge translation strategies for occupational therapists. Method: A self-report survey, including demographic questions and part of the City of Boston’s Rehabilitation Professionals’ Knowledge and Attitude Survey (COBS), was disseminated electronically to all members of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. Results: A total of 354 therapists, most came from Ontario, Alberta and Nova Scotia and working in the community, acute care and private practice, participated. Over 50% had 10 years or less of experience. Deficit knowledge areas were identified in pediatric pain, chronic versus acute pain, pain assessment and medications. These findings are largely consistent with deficits identified in pre-2000 studies. Conclusions: Pain knowledge gaps persist among Canadian occupational therapists and this can, and should, be addressed within the occupational therapist (OT) curriculum and in professional development initiatives. It is concerning that this study identified similar knowledge gaps as those identified in previous studies of OT students and clinicians. Pain is a growing and complex issue with negative impact on occupational performance across the lifespan. Knowledge dissemination of occupational therapy pain assessment and management approaches should be a priority for the profession.Implications for RehabilitationPain is a prevalent condition in all age groups of occupational therapists’ clients.There appear to be gaps in occupational therapists’ evidence-based knowledge of aspects of pain.Occupational therapy training programs and occupational therapy associations should provide education with a particular focus on identified pain knowledge gaps.

Enhancing student occupational therapists' client-centred counselling skills.

Client-centred practice is the cornerstone of the occupational therapy profession. However, there has been little focus on how to teach students to be client-centred practitioners while engaged in counselling. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the use of a client-completed rating scale on student occupational therapists' client-centred counselling skills. A time-series design was used to measure the changes in students' counselling skills over time. Demographic information was collected prior to time one. An online questionnaire was administered after study completion to explore students' experiences of using the Session Rating Scale. The impact of using the Session Rating Scale as a measure of students' client-centred counselling skills performance significantly improved over time. Most students valued using the rating scale and would recommend its use for future students. The process of supporting students to learn how to engage clients in providing timely feedback and using this feedback to design treatment sets the stage for integration and application of client-centred practice.

The Experience of Student Occupational Therapists with Disabilities in Canadian Universities

Background . Canadian health professions strive for inclusivity in practice and it is imperative to extend this philosophy to health science students with disabilities. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of student occupational therapists with disabilities enrolled in Canadian universities. Methods. A phenomenological approach was used to conduct fourteen open-ended interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed to develop themes. Findings. Two themes emerged: participants recognizing strengths and needs plus participants navigating the environment. Both themes contain various sub-themes. Implications. Applying relevant practice elements, such as client-centred practice, when working with student occupational therapists with disabilities may facilitate a sense of fit for them within occupational therapy educational programs in Canada.

Impact of experience when using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment to assess postural risk in children using information and communication technologies

The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) is an observation-based screening tool that has been used to assess postural risks of children in school settings. Studies using eye-tracking technology suggest that visual search strategies are influenced by experience in the task performed. This study investigated if experience in postural risk assessments contributed to differences in outcome scores on the RULA and the visual search strategies utilized. While wearing an eye-tracker, 16 student occupational therapists and 16 experienced occupational therapists used the RULA to assess 11 video scenarios of a child using different mobile information and communication technologies (ICT) in the home environment. No significant differences in RULA outcome scores, and no conclusive differences in visual search strategies between groups were found. RULA can be used as a screening tool for postural risks following a short training session regardless of the assessor's experience in postural risk assessments.

Advancing the use of theory in occupational therapy: A collaborative process / Promouvoir l’application de la théorie en ergothérapie : un processus de collaboration

Theory is important to the growth and evolution of occupational therapy. However, use of theory remains challenging for many therapists. The aim was to develop a process that occupational therapists could apply to advance theory in practice. Based on a review of the literature and using a qualitative instrumental case study design, 18 student occupational therapists and eight fieldwork educators completed online modules on the theory advancement concepts generated from the literature, wrote journals, and/or participated in online discussions during fieldwork. Following fieldwork, educators were interviewed and students participated in focus groups exploring their experiences. Directed content analysis was used to analyze the data. Based on the data collected, we developed the Theory Advancement Process (TAP). The TAP is composed of four primary contexts, a climate of collaborative relationships with four key elements, and four essential processes. The TAP presents a collaborative process for students, faculty, and therapists to work together to advance the use of theory in practice.

The Development of Client-Centredness in Student Occupational Therapists

Introduction: While the occupational therapy profession emphasizes the importance of a client-centred approach, the student perspective on development of client-centredness has been absent in the research literature. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to gain an understanding of occupational therapy students' perceptions of the curricular and practice experiences that contributed to their client-centred development. Method: Study participants were recruited from three cohorts (n = 29) of an entry-level Canadian occupational therapy programme: students from two separate years of an occupational therapy programme, and graduates from the programme who were 1 year into practice. Researchers conducted six focus groups using a semi-structured interview guide; focus group transcripts were reviewed to develop a coding scheme. Emergent categories were collapsed to develop overarching themes. Findings: Six developmental themes were constructed: Internalizing client-centredness; Relationship building; Who is the client?; Systems influences; Academic/practice discrepancy; and Power and control. Each theme was of greater or lesser emphasis at different points, and participants revisited and expanded upon themes throughout their academic programme. Conclusion: Academic and placement educators can use the findings of the study to understand how student occupational therapists develop client-centredness. Educators can use this understanding to implement strategies to intentionally foster client-centred development in students at opportune times.

Les représentations de l’expert en habilitation des occupations par des ergothérapeutes superviseurs de stage

The use of occupation-focused language in clinical settings is essential to supervision of student occupational therapists since training is based, at least in part, on the competencies described in The Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada (Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, 2007). This article describes how occupational therapists conceptualize the competencies related to the role of "expert in enabling occupation." Qualitative data collected from 56 occupational therapists across eight focus groups were categorized using content analysis through a process of constant comparison. Although the use of occupation-focused language is not widespread, the examples reported in the present study reflect occupation-focused client-centred practice. IMPLICATIONS. The use of occupation-focused language associated with the role of "expert in enabling occupation" can be fostered through discussion groups in the context of academic and clinical setting collaborations.

Development and Validation of Tools for Evaluation of Orthosis Fabrication

This study is the first phase of research aimed at developing new educational approaches to enhance occupational therapy students' orthosis fabrication skills. Before the effectiveness of training can be determined, a method for evaluating performance must be established. Using the Delphi method, we developed a global rating scale and checklist for evaluating technical competence when fabricating metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint-stabilizing orthoses. To determine the reliability and validity of these tools, three evaluators used them to assess and score orthotic fabrication performance by experienced and student occupational therapists. The results suggest that these measurement tools are valid and reliable indicators of the technical skills involved in fabricating an MCP joint-stabilizing orthosis. Future studies should focus on building on these tools to evaluate communication skills, technical skills for making other types of orthoses, and effectiveness of training programs.