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Flowing Knowledge: Connecting Education, Watersheds, and Our World
Get PDFThe main theme of Taylor Lemieux’s story is the transformative power of experiential environmental education. Through personal memories and professional experiences, she illustrates how hands-on learning in nature fosters curiosity, resilience, and a deep sense of stewardship. Her journey emphasizes that meaningful education goes beyond textbooks—it connects learners to the world around them
Journey to Understanding — An Introduction to North Dakota Tribes (2025)
Get PDFJourney to Understanding: An Introduction to North Dakota Tribes is an introductory booklet intended to give a quick overview of Indigenous culture in North Dakota. It is a starting point for the rest of the North Dakota Tribal History & Culture series. The booklet explains the names and backgrounds of the nations that share geography with North Dakota. It also teaches basic cultural competency to facilitate interaction for people from a different background. The content is presented in the form of self-quizzes with provided answers. Journey to Understanding was originally used within the North Dakota Department of Human Services (NDDHS) --now part of the North Dakota Department of Health & Human Services (NDHHS)-- and was developed by NDDHS in collaboration with the Native American Training Institute. After its initial publication, it soon made its way from state government and into classrooms. With the permission of NDHHS, it is now distributed as part of the North Dakota Tribal History & Culture series.This version was updated by the original author, with additional material on the North Dakota Tribal History & Culture series as a whole. It also includes the North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings.https://commons.und.edu/nd-tribal-history-series/1006/thumbnail.jp
Catch Me at Park Rapids, Minnesota, Song Lyrics, 1983
No full textSong lyrics for Catch Me at Park Rapids, Minnesota by Bill Gessner. Four sheets of paper, which include handwritten and typed lyrics, as well as guitar chords. The second sheet indicates a date of May and June 1983. The song has numerous references to fishing, as well the middle of the street parking in the downtown area.https://commons.und.edu/gessner-lyrics/1000/thumbnail.jp
STROKE RECOVERY THROUGHOUT THE CONTINUUM OF CARE: A DUAL COMPONENT EDUCATIONAL MANUAL
No full textIntroduction: One of the leading causes of death in the United States are strokes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC, 2024]). People who have had a stroke and their caregivers go through various phases of recovery throughout the continuum of care. Therefore, providing education to the individual who had a stroke and their caregiver is a critical component through different phases of recovery. Not only is education an important component, but addressing team communication strategies are critical as well for improved quality of care and team collaboration. The goal of this capstone was to improve the educational need by creating a dual component educational manual for individuals who have had a stroke, their caregiver, and the interdisciplinary team throughout the continuum of care as well. The materials in this manual are intended to improve stroke recovery throughout different phases of recovery by addressing supports and barriers to occupational performance.
Methodology: The ecological of human performance (EHP) model was utilized to guide this scholarly project. An extensive literature review, assessment of needs, and other product development stages were used to help guide the creation of the educational manual.
Results: The materials created consisted of best patient education strategies throughout the continuum of care. This manual titled Stroke Recovery Throughout the Continuum of Care: A Dual Component Educational Manual will help guide patients who have had a stroke, their caregivers, and the interdisciplinary team with improved education through various phases of recovery. This manual was disseminated through an electronic version and can be printed from a PDF to provide a hard copy.
Conclusion: This manual was intended to address the needs of improving stroke recovery throughout the continuum of care to patients who have had a stroke, their caregiver, and the interdisciplinary team. These educational needs that were met in the first section of the manual included general information about strokes, interdisciplinary team roles, mental health, recovery in each setting, and resources in the local community. In the second section of the manual, the educational needs were for the interdisciplinary team and discussed best practices for team communication and effective education delivery. This manual was intended to create a comprehensive and an accessible product to reach various educational needs of the targeted population. This manual includes evidence-based resources regarding education and utilizes a holistic approach to be transferable to other facilities where these materials may be applicable
Integrating a Canine Comfort Program with Occupational Therapy Services for Emerging Adults with Mental Health Diagnoses
Get PDFBackground: Mental health plays a critical role in the lives of emerging adults (ages 18-29) including how they identify, their coping strategies, and social skills (Matud et al., 2020). Occupational therapists (OTs) can play a vital role in the management of depressive and anxiety symptoms for the promotion of an individual’s well-being (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2020). OT can address depressive and anxiety symptoms through the incorporation of animal-assisted therapy (AAT). AAT is a therapeutic approach that uses animals to improve overall health and well-being (Pandey et al., 2024). Though still limited in evidencebased research, emerging interventions like canine comfort programs represent a non-traditional form of AAT that can benefit from the integration of OT to support participants’ mood, emotional capabilities, and coping mechanisms, ultimately enhancing mental health and occupational engagement (Behavioral Health Clinic, 2024).
Purpose: This program was created to assist OTs in incorporating AAT using canines while serving the emerging adult population with mental health conditions. Through engagement in each session with one’s canine, participants will learn and develop skills such as self-motivation, self-cares, and self-advocacy to increase their occupational performance and well-being.
Methodology: A thorough literature review was completed to better understand emerging adults with mental health conditions and how AAT can impact their occupational performance and well-being. A needs assessment was completed to guide the development of an eight-week program to assist OTs in implementing skills-based groups in conjunction with a canine training program. The product was developed using the guidance of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO; O’Brien, 2017).
Summary: The program “Integrating a Canine Comfort Program with Occupational Therapy Services for Emerging Adults with Mental Health Diagnoses” was developed to assist OTs in serving the emerging adult population with mental health conditions through promoting engagement with their canines. Each session focuses on participants developing the appropriate coping strategies, advocacy tools, and dog-handling skills to promote their occupational performance and well-being. At the end of the eight-week program, participants will utilize the skills they learned in various environments to continue promoting their mental health and quality of life
BENEFITS OF NATURE-BASED PLAY FOR CHILDREN: AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR PARENTS
Get PDFBackground: In recent years, children’s use of technology has increased, decreasing the time they spend playing in natural contexts and time spent building the parent-child relationship. The lack of time spent in outdoor contexts has negative influences on the child’s overall health and well-being. The time a child spends with their parent is vitally important for a child’s development, view of the world, and sense of belonging. Parents assist children throughout development by supporting their understanding of themselves and the world, along with supporting the child’s ability to communicate with their parents. Interactions with technology, particularly overuse, can influence a child’s daily activities, typical development, sleep quality, social participation, and play engagement.
Purpose: The purpose of the scholarly project is to educate parents on the importance and benefits of nature-based play. Additionally, the purpose is to inform parents on how technology use may be a barrier to the bond a parent may have with their child, the time a child spends playing outside, and a child’s participation in meaningful occupations.
Methods: The Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) along with andragogy and pedagogy teaching and learning principles were used to guide the creation of the scholarly project. A literature review was completed through PubMed and CINAHL in collaboration with the partnering agency to identify the population’s needs.
Conclusion: Children interacting in natural contexts is important for their typical development and quality of life. Benefits of Nature-Based Play for Children: An Educational Resource for Parents was created to increase parents’ knowledge regarding the importance of outdoor play, the impacts of technology use, and the parent-child relationship
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY’S ROLE IN ENHANCING AWARENESS AND TREATMENT OF PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION IN WOMEN’S HEALTH
Get PDFBackground: There are a variety of reasons that pelvic floor dysfunction can occur in women throughout their life, however, pelvic floor therapy is a minimally invasive and a holistic treatment option that can make significant differences (Cozean & Cozean, 2016; Moody & Fashokun, 2021; Wallace et al., 2019). Pelvic floor therapists can treat and provide interventions to help women manage symptoms associated with pelvic floor dysfunction. Currently, there is limited research on the correlation between pelvic floor dysfunction and recurrent vaginal and urinary infections. However, research suggests that recurrent infections can lead to inflammation, high muscle tone, increased tissue sensitivity, and pelvic floor dysfunction (Pelvic Health NJ, 2025).
Project Description: To address the gap in research linking pelvic floor dysfunction and recurrent vaginal and urinary infections, the product Occupational Therapy’s Role in Enhancing Awareness and Treatment of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Women’s Health: A Holistic Guide for Women and Their Health Care Providers was created. This guide provides pelvic floor therapists, women’s healthcare providers, and women suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction with education and lifestyle modification recommendations to reduce the risk of vaginal and urinary infections from reoccurring.
Discussion: Occupational Therapy’s Role in Enhancing Awareness and Treatment of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Women’s Health: A Holistic Guide for Women and Their Health Care Providers was created through the perspective of occupational therapy, in hopes of helping viii women achieve optimal occupational performance, promote physical and emotional well-being, and reduce the risk of recurrent infections that cause pain, stress on relationships, anxiety, depression, and occupational deprivation
SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE OF SENSORY INTERVENTIONS FOR SENSORY FUNCTION
Get PDFPurpose: Between 5%-16.5% of the general population are estimated to have a form of atypical sensory reactivity (Ahn et al., 2004). Atypical sensory reactivity or atypical sensory processing is described as when the brain processes sensory input differently than it typically would (Ark Support Coordination, n.d.). The rates of atypical sensory reactivity increase in children with additional diagnoses such as autism (ASD), developmental delays and disabilities, and neurodivergent children (AOTA, 2023). Sensory processing and integration difficulties negatively impact the quality and quantity of a child’s occupational participation, as symptoms often make various occupations more difficult for the child to participate in (Chien et al., 2016; Miller-Kuhaneck & Watling, 2018; Parham & Mailloux, 2020; Reynolds et al., 2017; Schoen & Miller, 2018; Silverman & Tyszka, 2017). The purpose of this Doctoral Experiential Capstone is to provide the author the opportunity to develop and gain advanced practice skills and knowledge in the area of sensory processing difficulties as well as to develop a product to meet the needs of the pediatric population and their caregivers. Knowledge gained through the literature review, needs assessment, and informal meeting was used to develop The Sensory Manual a caregiver education and home programming manual. Caregiver education is important when working with this population to ensure carry-over to the home setting, the child’s natural context.
Method: To assess the need for The Sensory Manual, a literature review, needs assessment, and informal meeting were completed to gain knowledge about the population. The Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) and Dunn’s Model of Sensory Processing were used to guide this experience and the development of the product (Dunn, 2001; Dunn, 2017). Both models were utilized in conjunction to form the search terms and search phrases used during the search for literature to develop The Sensory Manual (Dunn, 2001; Dunn, 2017). Various databases were searched during the literature review process. These databases included PubMed, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINHAL), EBSCOhost, The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), The American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT), and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria for this literature review included: articles from 2014 or newer, peer-reviewed sources, and resources discussing pediatric clients with sensory processing challenges or symptoms. However, some resources older than this were included as these are original sources of prevalent material. After the focus of The Sensory Manual was determined based on the literature review, needs assessment, and informal meeting, a 14-week advanced clinical placement was completed at a pediatric outpatient therapy clinic to gain skills and knowledge related to this area of practice as well as to develop The Sensory Manual based on the site’s need.
Results: Through the completion of a 14-week advanced clinical placement, the author developed and gained advanced practice skills and knowledge of sensory processing difficulties as well as created The Sensory Manual. The occupational therapy practitioners, certified occupational therapy assistants, and the author observed improved tolerance to sensory stimuli during activities of daily living, improved tolerance to multi-sensory stimuli, and improved selfregulation to sensory stimuli as well as improved ability to educate caregivers of their clients and incorporate home programming into their intervention process more easily. Increasing caregiver knowledge of sensory processing difficulties and incorporating home programming with ease was the main priority of The Sensory Manual and the author observed improvement in these areas.
Conclusion: The intended result of The Sensory Manual was to increase caregiver knowledge of sensory processing difficulties and incorporate home programming into treatment with ease. Caregiver education is important when working with this population to ensure carry-over to the home setting. The Sensory Manual will aid in the carry-over of intervention to the home setting, a child’s natural context. Intended result of the experience was for the author to develop and gain advanced practice skills and knowledge in the area of sensory processing difficulties. The author observed improved tolerance to sensory stimuli during activities of daily living, improved tolerance to multi-sensory stimuli, and improved self-regulation to sensory stimuli. Improved ability of practitioners at the site to provide caregivers with education and home programming more easily was also observed
THE IMPACTS OF SSRIS IN-UTERO AND NICU OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERVENTION
Get PDFPurpose: The purpose of this product was to collaborate with the occupational therapy (OT) staff in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to further knowledge and enhance role competence to provide better quality of care to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) exposed infant population. Mental health conditions are becoming more prevalent among women, therefore, more women are taking SSRIs throughout pregnancy to counteract the effects of those conditions (Cleveland Clinic, 2024). However, the effects of in-utero SSRI exposure are not fully understood. Researchers have found evidence of some short-term and long-term effects caused by the SSRI exposure as well as beneficial interventions to treat the adverse effects. Combining existing findings into an educational product will assist the OT staff to provide those infants with better quality of care through the understanding and implementation of these interventions.
Method: A needs assessment and literature review were completed to find the effects and adverse outcomes from in-utero SSRI exposure as well as pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions used within the NICU. Each SSRI was researched, the effects analyzed, population compared, and effective interventions to be utilized were identified. The ecological model of human performance (EHP) by Dunn (2017) and the neonatal integrative developmental care model (NIDC) by Altimier and Phillips (2016) were used to guide the literature review and develop the product. The final product was created while an advanced clinical skills placement was completed in a level IV NICU.
Results: The final product is an educational resource that outlines each of the types of SSRIs, each of their effects, long-term outcomes, the pharmacological treatments used, and the non-pharmacological intervention options available. The resource can be used by the NICU OT staff to help identify the possible exposure effects an infant is experiencing and provide interventions that may be provided or utilized to enhance quality of care.
Conclusion: This educational resource was created to provide evidence-based knowledge to the OT staff in the NICU so that they are able to increase their role competency and provide the best quality of care to the affected infants. Future research should be completed for each type of SSRI to further determine the effects on infants as well as what interventions would be most beneficial to counter those effects
ENHANCING ENGAGEMENT: INTEGRATING SENSORY-BASED STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR DISORDERS IN GENEREAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS
No full textPurpose: This scholarly project aims to develop and implement a toolkit designed to support teachers and paraprofessionals in managing the sensory, behavioral, and educational needs of students with Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD) and those who have experienced childhood trauma in general education classrooms. By integrating occupational therapy techniques and sensory-based interventions into classroom settings, this project seeks to enhance students\u27 ability to self-regulate, ultimately improving academic engagement and social participation.
Methods: A multi-phase approach guided by the Ecology of Human Performance Model (EHP), beginning with a comprehensive literature review to identify best practices in sensory-based interventions for students with EBD and childhood trauma. A needs assessment was conducted among educators to determine existing challenges and gaps in available resources. Observations and informal discussions with teachers, occupational therapists, and school staff further informed the development of the toolkit. The final product, the Calm Classroom Toolkit, was implemented in a Midwest elementary school and included a structured educational booklet and sensory toolkits for classroom use.
Results: A toolkit comprised of an educational booklet and activity boxes was created titled Calm Classroom Toolkit to provide educators with tools to decrease disruptive behavior within the general education classrooms for children with EBD and childhood trauma. The booklet included information diagnoses, task modifications, environmental modifications, and behavior strategies. The activity boxes included calming corner supplies for the classroom.
Conclusions: The results highlight the effectiveness of sensory-based interventions in fostering a more inclusive and supportive educational environment for students with EBD and childhood trauma. By equipping educators with practical tools and strategies, the Calm Classroom Toolkit serves as a valuable resource in addressing the unique needs of these students. Future research should focus on expanding implementation across diverse educational settings and assessing the long-term benefits of sensory-based interventions in improving academic and social outcomes