4429 research outputs found
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Disability Accessibility and Inclusion Training for Adults of Minnesota 4-H
Full text linkMinnesota 4-H is an out of school program that promotes development of leadership skills and active civil participation of youth of all ages through its various programming options. Despite the involvement of thousands of youth participants and adult volunteers in 4-H programs across Minnesota, currently a gap in disability accessibility and inclusion resources for volunteers exists. This quality improvement project aimed to bridge this gap by developing three pre-recorded training modules designed for Minnesota 4-H staff, volunteers, and youth leaders about accessibility and inclusion best practices. Results of a pilot group and accessibility metrics indicated that the developed materials were usable, understandable, actionable, and accessible for the target audience. These results show the benefit of usable accessibility and inclusion education materials to Minnesota 4-H. There is potential that trainings like this could benefit other community-based organizations. Occupational therapy can play a role in continued education and advocacy for accessibility within community-based recreational organizations
The Effects of Authentic Writing on Third-Grade Student Motivation and Achievement
Full text linkThis action research project sought to determine the effects of authentic writing on third-grade student motivation and achievement in writing. This study took place over the course of four weeks with 21 third-grade students in a suburban elementary school. Students participated in an authentic writing project that involved writing letters to a favorite author. Data was collected in the forms of pre and post-intervention writing attitude surveys, observational notes, and one-on-one student writing conference notes to assess the effects on student motivation. A rubric was used to grade baseline writing samples and post-intervention writing to assess the effects on writing achievement. Positive effects were found regarding increased motivation for writing, increased self-efficacy, and increased understanding of the importance of writing outside of school. Results were inconclusive regarding the effects on writing achievement. Future research is suggested to extend the length of the study to determine the effects authentic writing has on third-grade writing achievement
Implementing an Interprofessional Early Childhood Screening Program at the St. Paul City School
Full text linkEarly childhood screening (ECS) is required with 30 days of starting kindergarten in the state of Minnesota. However, due to lack of access and barriers to access many current kindergartners have not been screened within the deadline. Low SES and minority students face barriers to access such as transportation and caregiver trust. This project was designed to create an ECS program at the St. Paul City School to address the barriers to screens that the students and families faced. Having the ECS program on-site at the school is more convenient for families and allows them to stay in the environment they are comfortable in. The model for this ECS program was to create a partnership between St. Paul City School and St. Catherine University. Occupational therapy and prelicensure nursing students will be completing screens under the supervision of St. Catherine faculty. In the process of this project a GHR Grant was submitted and approved to fund the purchase of tools and equipment needed for the ECS program. Training materials were also created to train the students who will be completing the screens. As a result of this project a mutually beneficial relationship between St. Catherine University and the St. Paul City School was established. St. Paul City School will be reimbursed by the Minnesota Department of Education for each screen they complete and St. Catherine University students will gain valuable experience and knowledge by completing screens. Creating onsite ECS programs can be a viable way to address barriers to access that low SES and minority families face. Occupational therapists can be valuable members on an ECS team. By assessing needs communities and organizations can work together to solve complex problems in a mutually beneficial manner
The Environmental Cost of Shopping: A Comparison Between Online and In-Person Shopping
Full text linkOver the past twenty years, online shopping has grown in popularity as more and more companies began expanding their business online. A common belief is that online shopping is an environmentally friendly substitute for in-person shopping because consumers stop taking individual shopping trips. This paper challenges this substitution assumption. I also investigate how consumers\u27 gas consumption patterns vary according to their shopping practices and interpret those results from a sustainability point of view. The shopping behavior correlated with a decrease in gas consumption, and therefore a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, will be ruled as the more environmentally responsible practice from a consumer point of view. Using the National Household Travel Survey data set from 2017, I investigated the sociodemographic characteristics of in-person shoppers. I also analyzed the relationship between the number of shopping trips, number of deliveries, and total gas consumption. I find evidence that online shoppers keep practicing in-person shopping, meaning that both practices are complementary. I also find evidence that online shopping decrease gas expenditure, which means that from a gas consumption and consumer point of view, online shopping is better for the environment, but this conclusion needs to be interpreted with caution
First Aid Education Provided to the Amish Community
No full textBackground: Minnesota is home to approximately 5,000 Amish people. Amish have historically been hesitant to accept, adopt, or implement Western healthcare ways, preferring to provide care for family members within their homes. Utilization of complementary or alternative methods for treatment is a high priority. Low health literacy rates, limited science education, lack of insurance, cultural differences, poverty, and rural living make healthcare access and treatment options difficult.
Local Problem: Kanabec County Amish have limited resources, a lack of insurance, and minimal first aid knowledge, leading to increased health care costs. Initial observations showed no designated or central area for storing first aid kits or easy access to basic medical supplies.
Methods: Conducted in three parts. First, an initial needs survey was done to identify a focus area. Second, a pre-survey was distributed. Participants selected first aid skills based on confidence, and a simple 1-5 Likert scale was used to rank first aid skills knowledge. Third, a post-survey was distributed after the intervention. The post-survey was administered as a verbal assessment due to issues with understanding the Likert ranking scale.
Interventions: Five first aid topics were selected for teaching modules. An educational plan was developed with critical learning points identified, requiring translation to ensure cultural appropriateness. First aid kit supplies were purchased with a grant from Community Giving Foundation. Anoka Ramsey Community College students presented education topics at two Amish Education days, and first aid kits were distributed to fifteen local Amish families.
Results: Follow-up evaluation showed all households had stored first aid kits in a central location, multiple supplied items were used, and application of first aid skills improved.
Conclusion: Multidisciplinary collaboration led to critical trust building within the Amish community. Open dialogue indicated a need for Amish remedies to be included. Ongoing annual refresher first aid education will be needed
Improving Intensive Care Unit Nurses’ Well-Being through Implementation of a Mindfulness Training Program
Full text linkBackground: Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses experience the effects of stress and burnout due to the challenging environments they work in. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques, including smartphone applications, have been studied extensively, and evidence has shown that even brief exercises effectively reduce stress.
Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to examine the feasibility and effect of the smartphone application Insight Timer on stress and burnout among ICU nurses who work in a large northern Nevada hospital.
Methods: This quality improvement project invited ten ICU nurses to participate in this project through convenience sampling. Participants completed a pre-, mid-, and post-intervention measurement of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Each participant completed at least a daily five-minute mindfulness session for six weeks using the free version of the Insight Timer app.
Results: Results showed that the ICU nurses experienced significant decreases in perceived stress (Pre-intervention PSS: 25.4; Post- intervention PSS: 19.8) and burnout (Pre-intervention MBI: 94.9; Post-intervention MBI: 77.5) scores. The analyzed data revealed statistical significance with paired t-tests from pre- and post- test interventions.
Conclusion: This mindfulness-based intervention offers an opportunity for hospital leadership to improve employees’ well-being as the no-cost intervention may help build a healthier workforce. Future studies are recommended to assess the intervention’s effectiveness on other high-stress healthcare professions. (Sasidharan & Dhillon, 2021)
Developing Self-regulation
Full text linkAbstract This research seeks to determine if children can develop self-regulation through games and activities in early childhood. This research was completed over six weeks in a classroom of three- to six-year-old students in a Montessori school. The researcher presented weekly games to the students to develop self-regulation skills such as listening, following directions, and body awareness. The researcher completed student surveys using qualitative and quantitative data from teacher observations to support their findings. The research found that games and activities can develop self-regulation skills in young children, lead to positive self-regulation behavior, decrease negative regulation skills, and increase self-awareness
Online Public Denunciation: A Preliminary Inquiry on the Experience of those who Call-Out on Social Media
Full text linkOnline public denunciations, colloquially referred to as call-outs, have become a prevalent way to expose perceived moral and social wrongdoing in our society. Posting a denunciation online welcomes debate on the in situ incident, the participants, preferred outcomes, and the morality of exposure - creating additional issues and embroiling the poster. Research on this phenomenon has focused on public figures, celebrities, or otherwise viral incidents, and despite the prevalence of social media call-outs, little is known about the experiences of those who initiate them. This preliminary study uses a phenomenological lens to understand the desires, experience, and outcomes for those who post initial denunciations of community members online. Believing that call-outs happen because of some kind of in situ conflict, where disparate values, norms, ideas, experiences or perceptions about a situation shape the trajectory of the outcome, a conflict theory lens is used to examine this phenomenon. The experience of eight Minneapolis and St. Paul residents who posted initial denunciations that called-out community members is explored. Findings indicate the proximity to the in situ incident impacts the experience of the person who posted the call-out. Other salient findings include the participants’ needs not being met, surprise with the way the call-out played out, and that social media was not a platform that supported reconciliation or healing. The implication of this study is greater depth of understanding of online public denunciation as a tool for conflict intervention from the perspective of those who initiate call-outs
Enhancing Student Support in Higher Education: Occupation-Based Programming and the Vital Role of Occupational Therapy
Full text linkIntroduction: With the higher education student populations facing greater prevalence of mental health conditions and greater presence of students with disabilities attending higher education, there is a greater demand than many higher education resources can meet. Therefore, there is a need to revise the current student support structure. This project advocated for the role of occupational therapy (OT) program development in higher education student disability services.
Purpose: The primary aim of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a virtual 4-week occupation-based pilot program. The initial pilot participants included students receiving accommodations from the Student Accessibility and Accommodations (SA&A) Office within all OT programs at St. Catherine University. The focus of the program was to enhance occupational balance via education and accountability of academic and non-academic skills, such as time management, study skills, and mindfulness.
Approach: An extensive literature search, two scoping reviews, review of existing survey data, and a needs assessment was conducted to gather background information prior to program implementation.
Outcomes: Nine participants registered for the program. Although there was some attrition, adequate participation was achieved to receive feedback via the program surveys for future program revision and re-implementation. Overall, participants stated several program strengths, and changes in occupational balance and behaviors associated with time management were noted.
Recommendations: The SA&A Office and the OT profession can continue this this partnership in developing creative initiatives, such as programming, to support students