Therapy Assistant Programs Research Articles

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Performance on Occupational Therapy Fieldwork

This mixed methods study explored the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and overall student performance during occupational therapy (OT) fieldwork. The purpose of this study was to determine whether EI was predictive of student performance during the clinical portion of the academic program. In the first phase of this two-part study, 42 students enrolled in either a Master of Occupational Therapy program or an Occupational Therapy Assistant Program completed the Genos Emotional Intelligence Inventory (short form). Student scores on this brief measure of EI were correlated with scoring on the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Level II Fieldwork Performance Evaluation (FWPE) form. In the second phase of the study, 20 Clinical Fieldwork Educators (CFEs) were interviewed to determine their perception of the importance of EI in regard to fieldwork performance. An analysis of the quantitative data was conducted using hierarchical linear regression, and a positive significant relationship was found between EI and fieldwork performance. An analysis of the qualitative data obtained from interviews with CFEs found multiple themes highlighting their perception of the importance of EI when communicating and collaborating with patients and their families, working as part of a team, and demonstrating empathy and compassion for others. This study adds additional information to the limited evidence on the key factors to fieldwork success in an OT program. The evidence presented here has practical and theoretical implications for OT admissions committees to consider when selecting candidates who will not only be successful academically, but clinically as well.

Exploring the Experiences of Black/African American Students in Entry Level Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs: A Survey Study

Exploring the Experiences of Black/African American Students in Entry Level Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs: A Survey Study

Application of Active Learning Strategies for Online Delivery in an Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact worldwide in every aspect of society including occupational therapy assistant students enrolled in academic coursework. This manuscript examines the unique experience of occupational therapy assistant faculty in a northeast state who were able to quickly modify classroom and lab teaching-learning strategies to a fully online virtual format for two semesters. Since no available information on strategies for online delivery of occupational therapy assistant education were found in the literature, their experiences implementing active learning strategies are described and discussed. Strategies covered include: the flipped classroom model; think-pair-share and jigsaw technique using breakout rooms; polling and student response systems; muddiest point via chat box; lab kits; one-minute paper using discussion forums; and student-generated videos. Twenty students provided feedback through a survey about the helpfulness of each strategy. The breakout room and chat box feature of the synchronous virtual classroom as well as lab kits were perceived as most helpful, whereas student-generated videos and one-minute papers were perceived as least helpful. Implications for continued incorporation of online learning in occupational therapy assistant curricula are outlined.

Assignment Artifacts and What They Reveal About How Occupation Is Addressed in U.S. Occupational Therapy Curricula.

Artifacts convey essential skills, tools, and concepts to students. Studies of artifacts can therefore illumine priorities for learning. To describe the skills, tools, and concepts that assignment artifacts required students to learn, especially in relation to occupation. Educators submitted 243 artifacts that illustrated how their programs addressed occupation. Artifacts included syllabi, lectures, assignments, rubrics, study guides, texts, and learning objectives. A sociocultural research paradigm informed a secondary analysis of all assignment artifacts. Assignments were coded for the skills, tools, and underlying concepts students were to use, particularly related to occupation. U.S. occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant academic programs. Twenty-five U.S academic programs selected through stratified random sampling that targeted representation by geographic region and the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Fifteen occupational therapy and 10 occupational therapy assistant programs consented. Assignment artifacts required students to interview, observe, analyze, and teach (skills); artifacts emphasized learning the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (tool). Few artifacts required students to relate skills and tools to broader concepts, including occupation. Those that did used prompts that were ancillary to the assignment. Grading rubrics seldom measured students' ability to connect skills and tools to occupation. By emphasizing skills and tools detached from the concepts supporting their relevance to occupation, the artifacts reflected black box learning. Creating artifacts that reflect glass box learning can improve education. In glass box learning, artifacts are transparent and clearly delineate the skills, tools, and conceptual understandings to be gained. For researchers, the study highlights the importance of including artifacts in studies of occupational therapy education. For educators, the study gives guidance for creating assignments that clearly delineate skills, tools, and concepts.

Challenges in Transitioning From Clinician to Educator for Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Faculty Members

There is a transitional process that occurs when an occupational therapy (OT) practitioner assumes the role of an educator. Various challenges have been reported, though few directly address occupational therapy assistant (OTA) education. This study aimed to identify challenges faced by OT practitioners when they transition from working in a clinical setting to working as OTA faculty members. A 29-item online survey was developed covering three key areas of new OTA faculty members’ responsibilities: a) Learning the Educator Role, b) Curriculum and Class Development, and c) Interacting with Students. The survey was distributed through the American Occupational Therapy Association Program Directors’ and Academic Fieldwork Coordinators’ listservs, the Education Special Interest Section listserv and direct email to faculty members. Two hundred twenty-three participants completed the survey. Eight items were rated by 60% of participants as “Moderately” or “Very” challenging. Six of these items were in the category of Curriculum and Class Development, and two items were in the category of Learning the Educator Role. Interacting with Students was a relative area of comfort and strength. No significant relationships were found between the level of challenge experienced by OT practitioners transitioning to OTA educators and the demographic factors that were examined. Content analysis of open-ended survey questions yielded additional themes in each of the three categories that offer deeper insights into specific challenges. Collectively, results highlight areas where support and professional development can enhance successful clinician to OTA educator transitions.

Curriculum-Level Strategies That U.S. Occupational Therapy Programs Use to Address Occupation: A Qualitative Study.

This study's objective was to describe curriculum-level strategies used to convey occupation to occupational therapy students. The study used a descriptive qualitative research design. Fifteen occupational therapy and 10 occupational therapy assistant programs participated in interviews, submitted curriculum artifacts such as syllabi and assignments, and recorded teaching sessions. Data were coded both inductively and deductively and then categorized into themes. Occupational therapy programs designed strategies on two levels of the curriculum, infrastructure and implementation, to convey knowledge of occupation to students. The degree to which strategies explicitly highlighted occupation and steered instruction fluctuated depending on how differentiated occupation was from other concepts and skills. Two arguments are presented about the degree to which occupation needs to be infused in all curricular elements. To guide curriculum design, it is critical for educators to discuss beliefs about how ubiquitous occupation is in a curriculum and whether curricular elements portray occupation to the extent preferred.

A Way of Seeing: How Occupation Is Portrayed to Students When Taught as a Concept Beyond Its Use in Therapy.

The concept of occupation is core to learning occupational therapy, yet how occupation is taught has not been widely studied. We explored how occupation is addressed in 25 U.S. occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant programs. We used a basic qualitative research design, collecting data through interviews, artifacts, and video recordings of teaching. We secondarily analyzed 8 programs in which occupation was taught beyond its application in practice. Educators portrayed occupation as (1) a way of seeing self (students learn about themselves as occupational beings), (2) a way of seeing others (students learn about others as occupational beings), and (3) a way of seeing the profession (students learn occupation as the central focus of occupational therapy). Varied learning experiences promoted these perspectives. Three concepts-subject-centered learning, threshold concepts, and transformative learning-formed the theoretical foundation for teaching occupation as a way of seeing.

From collaboration to cause: breaking rural poverty cycles through educational partnerships.

The Missouri Health Professions Consortium (MHPC) Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is an innovative educational model that was specifically designed to address needs unique to rural communities. The model takes into account not only the distinctiveness of rural practice environments but also the educational barriers unique to rural student populations. The MHPC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program addresses the needs of these communities by providing educational opportunities to rural, place-bound students. The program has produced viable employment options, resulting in improved access to occupational therapy services as well as positive economic outcomes for graduates who reside in rural communities.

Survey of the Low Vision Rehabilitation Curricula in Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs

We examined the preclinical curricular content pertaining to low vision rehabilitation (LVR) included in occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs. An e-mail survey containing questions about program structure and the extent of course material related to LVR in the curriculum was sent to directors of all accredited OT and OTA programs in the United States. One hundred nineteen programs responded. The curricula of all but 1 program included LVR content. Twenty-four programs included a required course with a primary emphasis on LVR. Forty-four programs had faculty with advanced training in LVR or experience working in a LVR clinic. Given that almost all respondent programs integrate LVR content into their required preclinical coursework, we recommend that LVR be incorporated into the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education standards so as to ensure knowledge of LVR within existing programs and enhance the quality of education in LVR.

Understanding interprofessional relationships by the use of contact theory

The importance and necessity of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) present challenges for educators as they determine how best to achieve IPC through interprofessional education (IPE). Simulation-based teaching has been shown to enhance students’ understanding of professional roles and promote positive attitudes toward team members; yet, empirical evidence providing direction on the conditions necessary to promote these positive outcomes is lacking. This study used a quasi-experimental design with a pre-/post-test to examine changes in undergraduate healthcare students’ perceptions and attitudes toward IPC following their participation in an interprofessional simulation program. Allport's (1954) intergroup contact theory was used to help understand the nature of this IPE workshop and its reported outcomes. Participants included students in the final year of their respective programs (n = 84) such as pharmacy technician, paramedic, nursing and occupational therapy assistant/physical therapy assistant programs. These students were engaged in simulation exercises with interactive contact opportunities. Using the interdisciplinary education perceptions scale, statistically significant increases in positive attitudes in three of four sub-scales were found. An analysis of the structure and format of the workshop suggests that this IPE initiative fulfilled the key conditions suggested by intergroup contact theory. Attention to the key conditions provided by Allport's theory in the context of successful intergroup relationships may help provide direction for educators interested in planning IPE initiatives with student groups enrolled in various health programs.

Safe patient handling curriculum in occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs: A descriptive study of school curriculum within the United States of America

The purpose of this study was to identify safe patient handling (SPH) curricular content in accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs in the United States of America. A survey was emailed to 155 accredited occupational therapy and 137 accredited occupational therapy assistant programs. With a 39% response rate, most programs addressed SPH curricula by including lectures and lab-based experiences with gait belts, slide boards, and manual transfers while stressing ‘safe’ body mechanics. There were limited responses regarding curricular-based hands-on experience, evaluation of sit-to-stand lifts, how to safely transfer bariatric persons, and information on “no-lift” policies. While occupational therapists have a central role in teaching SPH to caregivers, it is important to enhance SPH curricula to reduce exposure to musculoskeletal risk, thereby, increasing the health and safety of the occupational therapy workforce as well those whom the profession serves.

Prerequisites for academic occupational therapy assistant programs.

Prerequisites for academic occupational therapy assistant programs.

From School to Adult Life: The Role of Occupational Therapy in the Transition Process (Videotapes & Modules)

Book Review| Online April 01 1993 From School to Adult Life: The Role of Occupational Therapy in the Transition Process (Videotapes & Modules) From School to Adult Life: The Role of Occupational Therapy in the Transition Process (Videotapes & Modules). Karen C. Spencer, MA, OTR, Program Director ( 1991), Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, and The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, Pueblo, CO. 450 pages (manual) and 12 to 22 minutes (each video), $28.00 (manual) and $21.00 (each video), $172.00 (entire package). Joye Williams, MA, OTR Joye Williams, MA, OTR Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Author & Article Information Online Issn: 1943-7676 Print Issn: 0272-9490 Copyright © 1993 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.1993 The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 1993, Vol. 47(4), 371–372. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.47.4.371 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Joye Williams; From School to Adult Life: The Role of Occupational Therapy in the Transition Process (Videotapes & Modules). Am J Occup Ther April 1993, Vol. 47(4), 371–372. doi: https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.47.4.371 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentThe American Journal of Occupational Therapy Search Advanced Search This content is only available via PDF. Copyright © 1993 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.1993 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

A Survey of Occupational Therapy Curricula

Cross-sectional surveys were conducted of occupational therapy professional and technical programs. Part 1 describes general studies and prerequisite requirements for an entry-level baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy. Part 2 presents general studies, prerequisites, and technical curriculum of the occupational therapy assistant programs. Program directors design and manage professional programs based on their knowledge of academia, higher education, accreditation essentials, and consumer needs. Descriptive data of educational prerequisites and curriculum content are used in program evaluation and planning for accreditation, institutional strategic planning, marketing, projection of future needs, and facilitation of communication between curricula.

Planning and Establishing a Physical Therapy Assistant Program

Planning and Establishing a Physical Therapy Assistant Program

Planning and Establishing a Physical Therapy Assistant Program

Planning and Establishing a Physical Therapy Assistant Program