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Trauma-Informed Care in Occupational Therapy Education
No full textStudents bring their life histories, including traumatic experiences, to their learning and education. Potentially up to 75% of the student body of occupational therapy programs may have experienced a traumatic event, which often leads to occupational disruption and challenges in academic performance. Thus, it is critical for occupational therapy educators to mitigate the impact of trauma by identifying the barriers and facilitators to occupational participation in education for occupational therapy students affected by trauma. Despite the high prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), research shows that few health professions education programs, such as occupational therapy, attend to ACEs or utilize a trauma-informed care approach with their students. Occupational therapy educators must prepare students to address trauma effectively in practice settings due to the high prevalence of trauma histories among clients and the significant risk of vicarious trauma experienced by healthcare professionals. This paper highlights the trauma-informed care framework as an opportunity for occupational therapy educators to address the unique needs and challenges of diverse student populations, with the goal of enhancing occupational participation, promoting student well-being, and supporting overall academic success. Finally, this paper offers occupational therapy educators an opportunity to reflect on the trauma-informed approach, as well as on their own experiences in supporting students who have experienced trauma
Visual Storytelling in Video Games
No full textEvery year, new top-hit video games are developed. Some are highly praised by critics, while others receive more mixed reviews. Among the factors that lead to these ratings is the plot/story elements. As more video games are published their focus on story elements has faded, overshadowed even, by newer graphics and jaw dropping mechanics. My Thesis and Project aim to show how games are a phenomenal medium that conveys complex stories with more engagement than most other mediums and resurface the importance of story development in games in the future
The Evolution of EMS: Chauffeur to Clinician
No full textEmergency Medical Services (EMS) are young and developing. These agencies provide pre-hospital care to individuals in communities across the United States. Despite their prevalence, research on EMS and its history is lacking. This study tracks the evolution of EMS in the United States by outlining its history, investigating major events during its life span, identifying major positive or negative influencing factors on its evolution, and conducting a survey to analyze the thoughts of the modern provider. The outline of the evolution of EMS exemplifies the evolution of the provider, which leads to the primary question. Are EMS providers clinicians? The survey is used as a tool to compare the beginnings of EMS professionals to the modern provider to answer this question. The survey concluded that EMS providers are clinicians and are continuing to grow. Not only that, but a major influencing factor that either aids or harms the growth of EMS is a lack of community education on the profession. Without community support agencies face EMS abuse, lack of support, and continuous underfunding. So, to conclude, this study explores the history of EMS in comparison to the modern provider in order to identify that EMS providers are clinicians and to inform communities on the roles of these agencies in their everyday lives
Culturally Sensitive Mentorship in Occupational Therapy Education
No full textMentorship provides crucial support and guidance for students, significantly influencing their academic and professional success. Mentorship experiences can vary considerably, with students from historically underrepresented groups facing racism, discrimination, and a lack of opportunities in their professional development. Despite the recognized need for culturally sensitive mentorship, there is a lack of literature within occupational therapy that focuses on the mentoring experiences of students from historically underrepresented groups. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring occupational therapy students’ mentoring needs and experiences to inform the future development of culturally sensitive mentoring programs. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey, the study collected responses from 133 students; 59 identified as being a student from a historically underrepresented group. Descriptive statistics and between-group comparisons were used for data analysis, while responses to open-ended questions were analyzed through content analysis. Overall, study results indicated that current mentorship programming was insufficient for occupational therapy students from historically underrepresented groups. Students expressed a desire for mentors who not only understood the complexities of transitioning from academia to clinical practice but also demonstrated cultural humility and incorporated empathy, anti-racism allyship, and support for handling workplace discrimination in their mentoring. These results provide evidence of the need for occupational therapy programs to implement culturally sensitive mentorship programs to facilitate transitions from student to practitioner that integrate career support with emotional and social validation and help students cope with cultural isolation, microaggressions, and systemic racism. By implementing such mentorship programs, occupational therapy programs could enhance equity, inclusion, educational outcomes, and professional resilience for students from historically underrepresented groups
Reimagining Education for OT and OTA Intraprofessional Collaboration: A Virtual Pilot Program
No full textIntraprofessional knowledge and skills are essential to the field of occupational therapy. Despite the importance, not all occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) educational programs provide collaborative intraprofessional experiences to students who are expected to collaborate effectively in practice. Therefore, increased intraprofessional experiences are needed to support entry-level OT practitioners. The purpose of this project was to create an intraprofessional pilot program that included three intraprofessional events to provide an opportunity for collaboration between OT and OTA students and enhance their understanding and confidence with intraprofessional collaboration prior to practice. The pilot program was implemented and evaluated using a mixed method, pre-post survey design to determine its effectiveness. Student participants noted increases in understanding and confidence with intraprofessional collaboration skills, such as understanding of shared roles, shared value of each role and confidence in communication. OT and OTA educational programs should continue to promote and implement intraprofessional learning activities to support entry-level OT practitioner competence. The occupational therapy profession should continue to strengthen education related to intraprofessional collaboration between the OT and OTA
Assessing the Impact of High-Fidelity Simulation Experiences on Student Confidence in a Controlled Academic Environment
No full textA quasi-experimental one group pretest-posttest design was utilized with 19 first-and-second-year doctoral occupational therapy students at a university in Tennessee to evaluate confidence, performance, benefits, challenges, and recommendations from an acute care simulation experience. Student confidence was evaluated using a researcher-developed survey immediately before and after a high-fidelity simulation using a pre-programmed mannequin and standardized script. A performance assessment evaluated students\u27 skills during the simulation. The post-test survey included open-ended questions on perceived benefits, challenges and recommendations. Overall, students demonstrated increased confidence in vital sign monitoring and modification (heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate), medical equipment identification, and safe patient repositioning. However, confidence decreased or remained unchanged in certain areas related to treating acute care patients and managing patients with medical equipment. Performance assessments indicated that most students successfully monitored vital signs, performed bed mobility, managed lines and tubes, and applied clinical reasoning to patient responses, although correct placement in Trendelenburg position was rare. Most participants (84%) found the experience beneficial, reporting realism, enhanced confidence, opportunities to apply knowledge, and identification of areas to improve. Those who did not felt blindsided by the mannequin or unprepared for the setting, recommending additional information, feedback and a formal debrief
Barriers and Facilitators of a Sense of Belonging Among Occupational Therapy Students and Faculty: A Qualitative Study Using the Ecology of Human Performance Framework
Get PDFA sense of belonging significantly influences both student engagement and faculty motivation. The objective of this study was to identify the barriers and facilitators of a sense of belonging among students and faculty of an occupational therapy department. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted with fifty-one students and ten faculty recruited via non-random purposeful sampling. Data were collected through focus group discussions with students and semi-structured interviews with faculty. Both the focus group discussions and interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed by a professional transcription service. Inductive coding was used to identify initial themes, which were then deductively mapped to the context construct of the Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) Framework. Five main themes emerged from the focus group discussions with students: personal challenges and emotional stressors, triggers in the learning environment, peer support and cohort dynamics, faculty support and engagement, and cultural sensitivity and representation. Three main themes emerged from the faculty interviews: leadership and team cohesion, membership in social groups and committees, and the physical environment and proximity to students. Mapping these themes to the EHP framework revealed that the physical and social environments had the greatest impact on the sense of belonging for both students and faculty in this study. Increasing opportunities for social interactions and addressing physical barriers to student-faculty engagement can enhance the sense of belonging in occupational therapy educational settings
The Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Parks and Recreation
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being integrated into parks and recreation management, offering both opportunities and challenges. AI-powered tools, such as chatbots for visitor assistance, predictive analytics for trail and facility maintenance, and drone surveillance for wildlife monitoring, can improve efficiency and sustainability in park operations. However, the adoption of AI also raises concerns regarding data privacy, job displacement, and the potential loss of human-centered engagement in recreational spaces. By examining case studies and emerging technologies, the benefits and limitations of AI in parks and recreation become clear. Understanding these implications is crucial for balancing technological advancements with the core values of accessibility, environmental stewardship, and community engagement in outdoor spaces
How Accents Influence the Identification of Appalachian Words
No full textThe goal of this project is to determine the influence of accents (Appalachian, Other) on vocabulary comprehension, specifically focusing on identifying Appalachian words. Participants were recruited from Eastern Kentucky University. Mouse-tracking software was employed as individuals were tasked with listening to words and identifying their meaning by choosing the right image on the top right or left corner of the screen. The study included terms commonly used in the Appalachian region (e.g., waspers) and terms from other regions across the United States (e.g., bubbler). The results indicate that listeners identify the words better when the accent and the word match (e.g., waspers spoken in an Appalachian accent, bubbler spoken in other accent). Investigating how individuals process and comprehend region-specific terms, and how accents interact with this process, is crucial for achieving a comprehensive understanding of the language dynamics in the United States.
Keywords: Appalachian, word identification, regional words, regional terms, dialec
Ending Period Poverty in Kentucky: Promotion of Occupational Justice
No full textThe OTS 470S Ethics in Occupational Therapy chose to advocate for House Bill 74 (HB 74) in the Kentucky 2025 Regular Session. This bill seeks to provide free feminine hygiene products to elementary and secondary students. As of February 4, 2025, HB 74 was moved to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, which discusses financial matters associated with government spending if this bill were passed. This bill is an essential step in ensuring young girls have access to feminine hygiene products during school to promote uninterrupted education and health. Ensuring access to necessary hygiene products enhances personal hygiene and overall quality of life for school students. This bill promotes occupational justice by reducing the absences in schools relating to lack of menstrual products, giving all students a fair opportunity to be an active participant in their education. This bill passing will support low-income families providing access to feminine hygiene resources regardless of financial burdens. HB 74 aligns with 28 other states and the US federal government that already have this policy in place, pushing the state of Kentucky to follow in their footsteps by taking action to end period poverty. By advocating for House Bill 74, we are investing in not only the health but the education and success of our own young students in Kentucky