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Spectral Spaces: Raising Rondo from the Rubble
No full textIn this discussion I demonstrate how the plaza makes evident the role of the state to produce BIPOC communities as precarious national subjects, evident via such policies as infrastructure planning, immigration and settlement, as well as the contemporary policing of Black bodies. Using in situ analysis, this work draws on Maxson’s discussion of residual memory as a product of the material, discursive, and performative. I also draw on the work of place as argument, in particular Shome’s explanation of border places and how they work to constitute being. Finally, I draw on constituted subjects and memory as performance as it is discussed by Kuftinec. Rondo Commemorative Plaza is a site of great tension and promise as it casts into sharp relief the impact of not only of historical and contemporary infrastructure on BIPOC communities but how those communities can foreground that tension in order to ground their argument for restorative justice
Ecopsychology as an Approach to Pediatric Occupational Therapy
No full textFor many, childhood evokes memories of imaginative make believe and outdoor adventures. However, the rise of urbanization, technological advancements, and anthropocentrism have paralleled a simultaneous decrease in unrestricted, outdoor play. As children’s lives become digitized and disconnected from the natural world, research outlines an increase in sensory, emotional, and attention disorders. Through outdoor immersion, nature-based occupational therapists (OTs) aim to address the cognitive, sensory, and motor deficits that impact a child’s ability to sustain healthy physical and cognitive development. This project aggregates current research on nature-based OT and its impact on child development through an ecopsychological perspective - that one’s relationship with the Earth has implications for both health and development. Research was conducted via a literature review and interviews with several practicing nature-based OTs across the United States. Further study assessed the racial and class disparities that impact access to both specialized care and the outdoors. To ensure as direct an influence on children as possible, research findings were published publicly within a podcast and provided to parents at a local clinic in the form of an educational resource
Care Coordination at a Pediatric Mental Health Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project
No full textThe need for pediatric mental health care is rising as more children are diagnosed with mental health conditions. Care coordination is an essential part of caring for these children as it reduces unnecessary health care visits and increases families’ satisfaction with care. Care coordination also has the potential to support providers. This project took place at a pediatric mental health care clinic, which did not have a care coordinator. Key stakeholders at the clinic identified a lack of a care coordinator, adequate time, and resources as barriers to providing the most coordinated care to their patients. Based on need, this quality improvement project aimed to create and implement a care coordinator role to support NPs at the project site. The project\u27s goals were to provide care coordination to 20 families, increase NPs’ ability to support their patients, increase NP work satisfaction, and decrease NP work stress. The quality improvement method for the project was the Focus, Assess, Develop, Execute/Evaluation model fused with the Community Engagement: Leveraging Resources to Improve Health Outcomes theory. In total, 13 families received care coordination services and the care coordinator completed 75 interventions. The pre-and post-intervention surveys showed a 1.3-point decrease in mean NP stress scores, a one-point increase in ability to support patients. Quantitatively there was no change in work satisfaction. However, qualitatively, NPs reported increased their work satisfaction. This project positively impacted NPs at the project site and has the potential to affect a larger population through creation of an online care coordination resource for providers and families and sharing the implementation of this project with additional clinics
Implementation of an Educational Tool for Trauma Providers to Improve Workflow to Reduce Observation Hours in the Mild Trauma Population: Trauma Observation Admission Criteria
No full textProblem: Hospitals face substantial capacity constraints in emergency departments throughout the nation. High rates of hospitalizations result in a ripple effect, resulting in long wait times, patient diversions to other hospitals, and higher patient-care expenses. Observation care is an outpatient service for a select patient population, which can help avoid a sizable number of hospital admissions. Inconsistencies in the use of observation order sets, miscommunication between the emergency department and trauma providers on proper admission status, and admission of patients that meet observation criteria to inpatient results in delays in care and increased lengths of stay. Appropriate use of observation units may improve bed capacity in individual hospitals and provide significant national cost savings as care is delivered safely in less time with the help of fewer resources.
Objective: This quality improvement project aimed to implement a teaching tool to increase trauma providers’ confidence and competency in selecting appropriate trauma observation patients and utilizing proper trauma observation order sets to admit trauma observation patients with minor injuries. Background: Patients with several minor traumatic injuries can be safely monitored in an observation unit. Observation order sets for minor traumatic injuries alert on best practices and provide appropriate prescribing and treatment reminders. Trauma providers should feel confident in the consistent use of trauma observation order sets and proper trauma observation patient selection.
Methods: This quality improvement project followed the Plan, Do, Study, and Act cycle. A literature review, trauma observation admissions, and observation order set use assessment were used to create the teaching tool content and learning objectives. The project outcomes were evaluated using quantitative survey data.
Results: The results revealed that the educational intervention initially decreased the number of trauma patients being downgraded to observation. The percentage of trauma providers utilizing the right observation order sets for observation patients increased in December and January. In December, there was a decrease in patients downgraded to TO by utilization management. There was an increase in observation admissions where observation order sets with clinical care endpoints were utilized in December and January. There was an initial decline in the average length of stays for TO patients, especially in December when the teaching tool was implemented and in January.
Conclusion: An educational intervention highlighting trauma observation patient selection to influence the appropriate admission of mild trauma patients to TO using observation order sets with clinical endpoints increased the providers’ knowledge, confidence, and proper patient placement. Education on TO admission needs to be an ongoing process to facilitate culture change
What Are the Effects Of Parental Informational Nights/Parenting Classes on the Parent’s Understanding of the Montessori Method?
Full text linkThis action research paper aimed to identify the benefits of parent informational classes within the Montessori method. Parents participated in three informational sessions. The sessions discussed Montessori philosophy and each of the core areas in the Montessori classroom. Data was measured using pre-and post-surveys, allowing parents to elaborate on their understanding. Parents were also able to provide questions and feedback regarding areas they desired to learn more. Parents expressed that the informative classes provided them a better understanding of the Montessori philosophy and provided ideas for incorporating the method into their homes. The research concluded the importance of involving and educating parents on their child’s method of education. Further research should include a more extensive and more diverse group of parents or involve multiple schools to see the impact on parent involvement and student success. Upon this research, we will prioritize educating parents on the importance of the Montessori philosophy
The Effects of Scientific Inquiry Methodologies on Student Understanding of Evolution
Full text linkThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of a scientific inquiry-based curriculum on student understanding of evolution. The study involves students ages 15-17 enrolled in a general biology course at a large suburban high school in the United States. This unit uses various scientific inquiry methods, including student-led group work and technology-based virtual labs. The researcher used several data collection methods, including a pre-and post-unit assessment and student surveys. The goal was to use the data to assess student learning and student preference of inquiry activity. The results suggest that the unit successfully addressed student misconceptions regarding evolution and promoted student inquiry. The digital inquiry lab was found to be the least engaging for inquiry purposes. Further research is needed to assess other forms of inquiry using technology and how results translate when used with other biology units
What Evidence of Change Emerges When Students with Behavioral and Learning Challenges are Placed in an Early Childhood Montessori Environment in Rural China?
Full text linkUnder current circumstances, educational issues such as the achievement gap, non-cognitive development, Executive Function, and students with challenging behaviors impact day-to-day classroom practices and fundamentally reshape the results of education. The purpose of this research was to utilize the Montessori environment and principles, as well as the “normalization” approach developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, to help students with behavioral and learning challenges find the balance of their mental developmental processes and maximize their academic achievement at the same time. This action research conducted focused-group case studies of the Montessori Normalization process for children possessing behavioral and learning challenges at a preschool in rural China. The research applied pre-and post-assessment for the 3-6-year-old participants to investigate the evidence of improvement. The assessment utilized indicators based on symptom guidelines for ADHD, ASD, Learning disorders, and Learning Difficulties, published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study’s findings indicate that the Montessori-guided early childhood education intervention had helped students with behavioral and learning challenges, thereby providing an alternative solution for addressing the challenge of the development gap. This research also suggested that Montessori-based classrooms provide a positive, nurturing environment for gifted children with learning difficulties (exceptional learners) who confront challenges in a mainstream classroom
The Impact of Reflective Feedback Strategies on Learning Behaviors on Seventh-Grade Social Studies Students
Full text linkThe purpose of this action research was to determine the impact of reflective feedback strategies on learning behaviors of seventh-grade social studies students. This study was conducted in an urban middle school in the Midwest region of the United States and included 37 seventh grade participants. The theoretical framework used for this study was supported by constructivist theory using a self-regulated learning model. Data was collected using reflection sheets and quiz scores collected weekly for six weeks. Students were tasked with reflecting on their academic behaviors following their quiz score and asked to create a plan of action to improve the following week. Based on this study’s findings, when students reflect on their academic behaviors and create a plan of action, students maintain their quiz scores within a margin of plus or minus five percent. Due to the findings of this study, future actions include modeling how to use the reflection sheet and reviewing plans of action prior to starting the new academic week
The Influence of the SPOON Feeding Chair on the Caregiver-Child Dyad
Full text linkBackground: Feeding disorders are defined by the World Health Organization as a dysfunction in oral intake which often co-occurs with feeding skills, nutritional health, and psychosocial well-being. Feeding disorders affect children with disabilities (CWD) living in low-and-middle income countries (LMIC) disproportionately more than CWD living in high income countries. Due to a lack of access to appropriate assistive technology, issues of malnutrition, caregiver stress, and delays in development can occur as a result. Limited research is available on feeding disorders and the impact of seating assistive technology in one LMIC.
Methods: A mixed methods approach was used in this study. Quantitative methods included data from the Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System, the UCICEF child’s height board and SECA two in one scale to collect height and weight, the Non-communicating Children’s Pain Checklist, Assessment of Feeding Position, Chair Observation Form, Responsive Feeding Behavior Checklist, and parent subsection of the Feeding Impact Scale. Qualitative feedback was gathered from stakeholders through focus groups and interview sessions. Caregiver focus group data was transcribed and analyzed to identify themes. Overall themes were identified based on core ideas participants conveyed for each prompted question.
Results: Most child-caregiver dyads saw an increase (N=13) or no change (N=3) in Responsive Feeding Behavior Checklist elements. General observations included increase in swallowing quality while fed in the chair, increased eye contact between caregivers and children, and increased recognition and responsiveness to child’s cues. Four themes emerged from caregiver focus groups including: [my] child was comfortable, it was easier for me [as a caregiver], [my child] seems to eat better, and my child can go [places] and not be left behind.
Conclusion: These findings suggest the SPOON Chair can improve Responsive Feeding practices between caregiver and children with feeding disorders living in LMIC. Caregivers were satisfied with the chair and saw endless possibilities of the chair for occupational engagement. Further research on the SPOON Chair and other low-cost assistive technology and application in low-middle income countries is recommended