RICHES Cabarrus College of Health Sciences
Not a member yet
152 research outputs found
Sort by
Development of Occupational Therapy-Based Pain Management Group Program to Prevent Substance Abuse
Get PDFSubstance abuse, particularly opioid abuse, has become a severe problem in America. Users typically become exposed to opioids initially for pain management, which can lead to addiction if not tapered off over time. By addressing pain management using nonopioid measures, the likelihood that individuals will get addicted and abuse this substance decreases. Occupational therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in addressing pain management for clients, and occupational therapy interventions have also been effective in substance abuse treatment. This project reviewed evidence-based practice to evaluate different approaches to pain management to help individuals become independent in self-managing their pain, thereby decreasing the chances of opioid abuse. These approaches to pain management were presented to a local community opioid taskforce to enhance a prevention program for opioid abuse. The objectives of this study were to provide education and resources to support the prevention of substance abuse to the taskforce and assist in the development of group occupation-based programs to support continued abstinence from substance abuse. To meet these objectives, members of the taskforce participated in a presentation to highlight features of a pain self-management program and completed surveys before and after the presentation. The group was also provided with three group protocols that could be used with community participants to address self-management of pain. The presentation defined the role of occupational therapy and pain management in substance abuse and prevention, and afterwards task members indicated value in the information and increased likeliness in recommending this type of program for substance abuse prevention
Promoting Shade on a Public Playground: An Occupational Therapy Approach to Promoting Community Health
Get PDFBackground Recent studies have raised concern regarding inadequate shade on public playgrounds, leading to an increased risk of sun and heat injury and decreased opportunities for play participation for children. Adequate shade has been shown to be an effective measure to mitigate heat and sun exposure. This Capstone project aimed to positively impact the community of the city of Saluda, North Carolina (NC), by using occupational therapy intervention approaches of promotion, modification, prevention, and education to promote the procurement of adequate shade at the Saluda Elementary School (SES) public playground. Methods This project employed a parent survey to measure attitudes and practice regarding the use of the SES public playground; and an education presentation with a pre- and post-survey for key stakeholders synthesizing research findings while aligning local and state guidelines to promote this modification. Using data from paper and electronic surveys, analysis was conducted using electronic statistical software and calculators to estimate usage factors in the parent population; and to determine accuracy and impact via the stakeholder pre- and post-surveys. Results In setting out to determine usage factors, it was shown that a large percentage of parents utilized the SES public playground approximately 2 to 7 days per month when school was not in session, and that heat and shade were significant factors in their decisions to use the playground. In addition, by providing an evidence-based and community/client-centered approach to occupational therapy interventions, a measurable difference was shown in responses of those key stakeholders towards recognizing the use, frequency, and related factors regarding this public playground; the value of adequate shade on the health and well-being of playground participants; and in planning steps towards effective environmental change. Conclusions Occupational therapy methods including the use of needs assessments, literary research, educational sessions, and pre- and post-test surveys can be effective in measuring community needs, knowledge, practice, opinions, and preferences to integrate the vital components of person (members of the community including children and their caregivers), environment (the public playground), and occupation (play and its co-occupations). In the case of this project, these methods were measurably effective in promoting the well-being of a vulnerable population via advocating for the use of adequate shade at a public playground to promote well-being, increased occupational engagement, and the prevention of injury and disease
B1ending of Worlds: A Massage and Occupational Therapy Intervention in-service
Get PDFThe purpose of the Blending of Worlds capstone project is to provide an educational in-service to promote the use of complementary interventions, such as massage techniques, during occupational therapy practice with pediatric patients. It was hypothesized that intervention was underutilized in occupational therapy and could benefit clients in achieving occupational therapy goals. By creating this educational in-service, therapists would be educated on how massage would be part of an occupational therapist\u27s scope and show connections to its practical application as a part of occupational therapy practice. It also provides evidenced based research to support the use of the intervention and encourages, parent education, and continuing education to provide these interventions ethically and improve occupational therapy outcomes. This supports goals of the American Occupational Therapy Association\u27s Centennial Vision and their promotion of heath and prevention of disease and disability. The project focused on presenting the evidenced based research to therapists and proving the value of massage as an occupational therapy intervention. Once the case was presented for the intervention, information was presented to demonstrate practical application including overcoming barriers in intervention, funding, context, and populations that were and were not appropriate for the intervention. The in-service provided instruction on massage interventions with specific activities to address specific needs. This was done through the use of evidenced based research, demonstrations, visual aids, and case studies. Emphasis was placed on parent education, such as client/family training to improve carryover of techniques in their natural environment. Although this was an introduction to the interventions, it is also meant to inspire therapist to explore the concepts further with continuing educational opportunities. To track the effectiveness of the in-service and assist in determining if hypothesized issues were present in occupational therapy practice, a pretest, posttest, and evaluation were created. This provided feedback from the participants about the information presented and how it was delivered. These tools consisted of anonymous response to multiple choice and open ended questions. Following the presentation all 14 participants provided responses in a randomized order, the items were collected and entered into the google forms to assist in analyzing the data. The results were calculated as percentages, number of respondents, numbers, and narrative responses. The data suggested the participants felt the objectives of the in-service were met. This could be interpreted as an effective in-service and positive correlation was made to hypothesized issues. This is evident by 100% of the participants responding they felt evidenced based research supported the use of complementary interventions like massage and they are now able to identify some principles of massage and occupational therapy. 85.7 % of the participants felt there was justification for the use complimentary therapy such as massage in pediatric intervention. More support was provided as a 100% of the participants responded, they would utilize massage as techniques as a part of an occupational therapy intervention with their clients and feel it could be provided as part of a practical approach to a client family centered method. The positive correlations included, 92.9 % of the participants felt massage intervention was underutilized in occupational therapy practice. 64.3% of the therapists agreed they had encountered parents who felt uncomfortable with positioning and handling of their medically challenged child. A I 00% of those in attendance felt the massage intervention would improve their client\u27s health and wellbeing. Although the sample size of this group was small, the data did support the ideas behind the development of this project. The in-service could utilize data gathered in the evaluation to improve the presentation and repeat the in-service multiple times, to gain a more representative sample of this population. The information shared in the in-service is relevant to the profession of occupational therapy, as it addresses items the American Occupational Therapy Association deem as goals for our centennial vision and furthers their promotion of health and the prevention of disease and disability. It provides a novel insight into the use of massage as a tool to improve pediatric intervention, addresses issues in occupational therapy practice, provides advocacy for evidenced based practice, supports eliminating barriers, and furthering emerging areas of practice. Therefore, the Blending of Worlds in-service is truly complimentary to the national organizations agenda. It is recommended the in-service be utilized to promote and educate therapist in the use of massage intervention in pediatric occupational therapy practice, improve client care through parent education, and further the lifelong learning of occupational therapists
Using Occupational Adaptation: A Telerehabilitation Program for the Homebound Elder
Get PDFExecutive Summary The objectives of this project were to design a type of telerehabilitation program for the homebound elder that could be utilized by occupational therapy practitioners in the home health setting, design a program that is practical, easy and convenient for the occupational therapy staff to utilize, and to include adaptive equipment/durable medical equipment that is common and relevant for this population and setting. The program is for client and caregiver education on proper use of common adaptive equipment and durable medical equipment (tub transfer bench, 3-in-1 commode, sock aid, reacher). To accomplish this objective, the student created videos and uploaded them to a YouTube channel and created tri-folds with step-by-step instructions on proper use and set up of the equipment. The tri-folds have instructions on how to access the You-Tube channel. Once the program was created, the student gave an in-service to the occupational therapy staff at a local home health company (Well Care Home Health). The student then obtained feedback from the therapists on the project, including suggestions and possible additions/revisions that could be made. The results of this project concluded that the program could potentially be beneficial and used by the occupational therapy staff at Well Care Home Health. Suggestions were made on additional equipment to be added to the videos and minor adjustments to the tri-folds. Based on the feedback from these therapists, it would be beneficial to implement this program at a later date as is, receive more feedback from clients, caregivers and occupational therapists who participated, and then make adjustments/additions as applicable (such as making additional videos with more adaptive equipment and having videos accessible on the desktop of the therapist\u27s work computers)
Influencing Adults with TBI One OT Skill at a Time
Get PDFThis capstone incorporated the skills and knowledge of an occupational therapy (OT) professional into the program at Hinds Feet Farm (HFF), a residential facility housing individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The purpose of the project was to improve the staff members\u27 knowledge and understanding of three areas of need affecting the members\u27 4 safety and participation in daily occupations. The identified areas of need included: (I) improving cognitive functions; (2) increasing knowledge of nutrition; and (3) learning relaxation techniques to reduce stress. This project was also intended to improve the staffs confidence in choosing and implementing activities addressing each area of need and determine if the implemented activities affected the members\u27 occupational participation. The staff participated in an oral PowerPoint presentation to receive education that would increase their knowledge and understanding of how the areas of need are affected by TBI and how to address each area to elicit improvements in occupational participation. They were provided a variety of activities, methods, and techniques to address the areas of need and given approximately one-month to implement. The enhanced understanding, knowledge, and effectiveness of the oral presentation and activities was reported through a pre- and post-test questionnaire along with a series of additional questions provided along with the post-test. The results of this project indicated the staffs knowledge and understanding of the areas of need improved following the oral presentation. The results also indicated the implemented activities positively affected the occupation of social participation. These results are congruent with the information found within the literature review regarding the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and continuous brain stimulation through implementation of a variety of strategies, activities, and methods post-injury
The Response to Intervention Model and Occupational Therapy Input: A Strategic Plan to Promote Education about the Value of Occupational Therapy, Decision Malting and Intervention among Regular Education Teachers
Get PDFOccupational therapy can provide valuable input within the Response to Intervention (RtI) model in the public school setting. Staff education about occupational therapy\u27s scope of practice within RtI is a tier 1 strategy. This present study used a pretest-posttest design in order to compare data about the knowledge base for kindergarten and first grade teachers\u27 regarding occupational therapy and Rtl. A continuing education PowerPoint was developed that outlined the holistic, yet client-centered approach used by occupational therapists within Rtl. Additionally, decision trees that direct strategy implementation for visual-motor, visualperceptual, and fine-motor coordination difficulties were developed. A survey by occupational therapy practitioners working in North Carolina Public Schools offered insight into the number of therapists participating in Rtl within North Carolina. Results of this study indicate that teachers and occupational therapy practitioners both agree that decision trees could prove to be a useful strategy to implement within the RtI process. Education to various stakeholders about the value of occupational therapy and the use of evidence-based practice to support intervention suggestions is critical to support the continued professional growth of occupational therapy within the school setting
Validation of a Caregiver Guide Booklet
Get PDFIncreasing the physical activity level for those with an intellectual disability (ID) is clearly supported in research and includes crucial relationships between community partners and caregivers. One local community partner was utilized to implement a program for ID individuals and their caregivers which included education and training, the use of a caregiver guide booklet, and monitoring member engagement during physical activity. The project resulted in benefits to caregivers by increasing their knowledge in the process involved in supporting the member, increasing their knowledge of the facility, and increasing their knowledge of the member as related to physical activity. Members experienced increases in the amount of time they engaged in physical activity. The project facilitated the most improvement in the use positive caregiver tools for engaging individuals in physical activity including identifying goals, listing strengths, and identifying barriers before, during and throughout the process. Caregivers also rated improvements with the overall cooperation of the members during the project. The project revealed that the caregiver\u27s need for support through a mentor during the provision of engagement was more important than merely providing them with information on how to use the facility and/or engage the member in physical activity. This implies the utilization of consultants, especially occupational therapists, could prove to be an asset to supporting those with an ID in physical activity
Justifying the Use of Touch Screen Devices for Use in the Skilled Nursing Setting as a Viable Occupational Therapy Intervention Tool with the Geriatric Population
Get PDFThe use of technology and touch screen devices as occupational therapy intervention tools is minimal within the geriatric population. There is little research available for functional applications that address activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. A descriptive single group pre and post-test survey was conducted to justify introducing the use of touch screen devices in the skilled nursing setting as an occupational therapy intervention tool within the geriatric population. A total of 7 individuals participated in the pre-presentation questionnaire, attended the PowerPoint presentation, and completed the post-presentation questionnaire. The questionnaire sought information regarding participant demographics, years of experience, likelihood of use as an occupational therapy treatment intervention, and opinions on benefits of use. The objectives of this capstone project were: (I) provide more options of viable treatment interventions for the geriatric population that are proven effective; (2) incorporate new and useful treatment interventions through the use of technology/touch screen devices; (3) increase the knowledge of touch screen device use in the skilled nursing facility within occupational therapy; and ( 4) provide an understanding of the benefits of occupational therapy applications on touch screen devices. Data was collected and analysis determined the occupational therapy practitioner\u27s view of application and touch screen device use within the geriatric population. Overall the answers revealed a positive change from the pre and post-presentation questionnaire
Preserving Function in Individuals with Parkinson\u27s Disease
Get PDFIncidence of Parkinson\u27s disease is growing due to the rise of the aging population requiring increased need for occupational therapy to facilitate independence and aging in place. Occupational therapy practitioners will need to have a general understanding of how to treat clients with the disease by becoming informed on the impact on occupations, evidence-based interventions, and available resources to clients and caregivers. Objectives of this project related to facilitating aging in place by maximizing client\u27s quality of life and independence in their least restrictive environment. Three objectives were the focus of this project: • Occupational therapy practitioners will gain a better understanding of the disease process and how it impacts occupations • Occupational therapy practitioners will improve abilities to treat common symptoms associated with the disease • Occupational therapy practitioners will have more resources to better inform clients with Parkinson\u27s disease and their caregivers Relevant articles pertaining to information of progression of Parkinson\u27s disease and its impact on function and evidence-based interventions including use of adaptive equipment, physical exercise, and community resources for clients and caregivers guided this project. After analyzing and synthesizing relevant scholarly literature, the comprehensive resource manual was developed. The manual titled, Preserving Function with Parkinson\u27s Disease: A guide for Occupational Therapy Practitioners , was intended as a resource guide for a foundation to treatment intervention and program development. Once the manual was completed, it was distributed and presented to 12 occupational therapy practitioners who worked with adult and geriatric clients in the skilled nursing, outpatient, and home health settings. Then, feedback forms were created to measure objectives, distributed to each practitioner, and then collected. Results indicated most participants strongly agreed or agreed that all objectives were met. Most participants also felt the manual was easy to follow and would utilize this manual for future reference. Some participants reported the most beneficial aspects of the manual included the adaptive equipment list, exercise program guidelines, summary of stages, links to community and on line resources, visuals for exercises, and types of intervention. Participants also reported cons to the manual including no access to a digital copy, needing more cognitive/psychosocial aspects of the disease, lack of graded interventions for each stage of the disease, and new techniques for experienced clinicians were not included. Though objectives for this project were met based off participants\u27 responses, there were limiting factors that negatively affected the outcome. Five out of 12 participants did not give any cons for the manual making it difficult to assess the need for improvement for the manual itself. It is recommended that ample time is given to participants to independently review the manual to facilitate increased substantial feedback. In addition, more innovative interventions should be added to this manual to cater to more experienced therapists
A Guide for Caregiver Self Stress-Management
Get PDFThis capstone project aims to investigate alternative approaches for home health occupational therapy practitioners to educate caregivers on self stress-management techniques. The demographics of the caregivers are female adults caring for an elderly ill spouse or friend in the caregiver\u27s home. Literature reviewed supports the efficacy of using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to manage stress (i.e. lavender essential oil, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and yoga). The guide was designed by the occupational therapy student with the objective to provide occupational therapy practitioners in the home health setting a guide that is evidence-based and follows health literacy standards. The objectives for occupational therapists is to improve therapists understanding of CAMs, increase comfort in implementing the techniques, and how to properly document implementation of the guide with caregivers. A single-group, pre- and post-survey design was carried out with eight occupational therapist (OT) and occupational therapy assistants (OTA) through purposive sampling in which I00% (n= 8) completed the pre-survey and demographic questionnaire, with the exception of one question on the demographic questionnaire. Sixty-three percent (n= 5) were compliant with attending the virtual presentation and completing the post-survey in its entirety. All eight participants are currently employed in the home health setting. Pre- and post-surveys utilized four 5-point ordinal Likert scale questions and three multiple choice questions to examine the therapists\u27 current familiarity and application of CAMs in practice prior to and following virtual presentation attendance and distribution of the guide. The post-survey data demonstrated that after exposure and education to CAMs there was a 25% to 37.5% increase in familiarity with essential oil, MBSR, and yoga techniques as well as a familiarity of evidence-based research that corresponds with CAM techniques. There was a positive change in therapist comfort in providing education to caregivers and documenting caregiver education implementation. The positive change improved from 100% who were somewhat familiar to not familiar to 100% were somewhat familiar to very familiar