An evaluation of the development of clinical reasoning skills in a cohort of occupational therapy students in Hong Kong : implications for curriculum design

The aim of the study was to evaluate how Hong Kong Occupational Therapy students develop their clinical reasoning abilities and progress through the stages of their undergraduate curriculum. The study examines a range of factors that may affect their development of clinical reasoning. The student cohort was composed of a class of 80 BSc (Honours) occupational therapy students at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The study was predominantly quantitative; however, focus group interviews were included among a range of methodologies. Validated test instruments were administered during the four instances of pre- and post-clinical education intervention. The Study Process Questionnaire (Biggs, 1987c) assessed approaches to learning. The Moore & Fitch Inventory of Leaming Preferences (cited in Woods, 1994) was administered to determine whether or not changes in students' learning preferences and attitudes affected clinical reasoning skills. The Self-Assessment of Clinical Reflection and Reasoning (Royeen et al, 1994) was administered as a pre- and post-clinical education intervention to evaluate students' level of clinical reflection and reasoning skills. A focus group interview was designed to probe students' understanding and application of clinical reasoning processes. The study's findings enhance our understanding of the progressive development of students' clinical reasoning skills through novice to expert continuum. Extrapolating into the undergraduate domain, this study highlighted the difficulties students face when trying to reason through, integrate and synthesize their theoretical learning in both academic and clinical education settings. An outcome of this study identified that clinical reasoning is multifaceted and complex in its application. The major conclusions suggest ways in which the development of Hong Kong students' clinical reasoning skills could be enhanced by taking account of their culturally influenced learning styles. As clinical reasoning does not occur in isolation, students need to develop these skills, establish the connection between theory and practice, and apply these skills in client intervention

An evaluation of the development of clinical reasoning skills in a cohort of occupational therapy students in Hong Kong : implications for curriculum design

The aim of the study was to evaluate how Hong Kong Occupational Therapy students develop their clinical reasoning abilities and progress through the stages of their undergraduate curriculum. The study examines a range of factors that may affect their development of clinical reasoning.The student cohort was composed of a class of 80 BSc (Honours) occupational therapy students at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The study was predominantly quantitative; however, focus group interviews were included among a range of methodologies. Validated test instruments were administered during the four instances of pre- and post-clinical education intervention. The Study Process Questionnaire (Biggs, 1987c) assessed approaches to learning. The Moore & Fitch Inventory of Leaming Preferences (cited in Woods, 1994) was administered to determine whether or not changes in students' learning preferences and attitudes affected clinical reasoning skills. The Self-Assessment of Clinical Reflection and Reasoning (Royeen et al, 1994) was administered as a pre- and post-clinical education intervention to evaluate students' level of clinical reflection and reasoning skills. A focus group interview was designed to probe students' understanding and application of clinical reasoning processes.The study's findings enhance our understanding of the progressive development of students' clinical reasoning skills through novice to expert continuum. Extrapolating into the undergraduate domain, this study highlighted the difficulties students face when trying to reason through, integrate and synthesize their theoretical learning in both academic and clinical education settings. An outcome of this study identified that clinical reasoning is multifaceted and complex in its application.The major conclusions suggest ways in which the development of Hong Kong students' clinical reasoning skills could be enhanced by taking account of their culturally influenced learning styles. As clinical reasoning does not occur in isolation, students need to develop these skills, establish the connection between theory and practice, and apply these skills in client intervention

Resource constrained routing and scheduling: Review and research prospects

In the service industry, it is crucial to efficiently allocate scarce resources to perform tasks and meet particular service requirements. What considerably complicates matters is when these resources, for example skilled technicians, nurses, and home carers have to visit different customer locations. This paper provides a comprehensive survey on resource constrained routing and scheduling that unveils the problem characteristics with respect to resource qualifications, service requirements and problem objectives. It also identifies the most effective exact and heuristic algorithms for this class of problems. The paper closes with several research prospects

Sensory/Manipulation Interventions for Children with Autism and Developmental Disabilities: An Evidence-Based Practice Project

We did not find sufficient evidence to conclude that any of our three interventions impacted occupational performance, which is the basis of occupational therapy. Multiple were designed for diagnoses other than Autism Spectrum Disorder and were not designed with occupational engagement as a goal. In addition, two of the interventions, the Wilbarger Protocol and Therasuit, were not reviewed by any of the expert review groups. In order for conclusions to be made about the effectiveness and efficacy of these interventions, thorough, high-quality research is needed. We do not recommend the use of the Wilbarger Protocol, Therasuit, or CranioSaccral Therapy as comprehensive treatments in clinical occupational therapy practice at this time

Multimedia applications to speech therapy: an exploratory study of market opportunities in Hong Kong.

by Leung, Bing-Kwong Edward, Tung, Mang-To, Yang, Renwill = 梁秉綱, 董萬韜, 楊人偉.Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-161).by Leung, Bing-Kwong Edward, Tung, Mang-To, Yang, Renwill = Liang Binggang, Dong Wantao, Yang Renwei.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY --- p.iiTABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.ivLIST OF FIGURES --- p.viiLIST OF TABLES --- p.viiiACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.ixChapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1Chapter 1.2 --- Company BriefChapter 1.3 --- Use of Multimedia in Hong Kong --- p.4Chapter 1.4 --- Speech Therapy as Target Market Segment --- p.6Chapter 1.5 --- Speech Therapy Service in Hong Kong --- p.7Chapter 1.6 --- Opportunities for Multimedia --- p.8Chapter 1.7 --- Project Objectives --- p.8Chapter 1.8 --- Structure of the Report --- p.11Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.12Chapter 2.1 --- Statement of Problem --- p.12Chapter 2.2 --- Exploratory Study --- p.12Chapter 2.3 --- Mail Questionnaire Survey --- p.13Chapter 2.4 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.16Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS --- p.17Chapter 3.1 --- Interview Findings --- p.17Chapter 3. 1. --- 1 Hong Kong Association of Speech Therapists --- p.17Chapter 3.1.2 --- An Anonymous Speech Therapist --- p.20Chapter 3.2 --- Statistics from Secondary Sources --- p.21Chapter 3.3 --- Findings From Questionnaires --- p.21Chapter 3.3.1 --- Response Rate --- p.21Chapter 3.3.2 --- Respondents' Organizations (Figure II-1 in Appendix II) --- p.22Chapter 3.3.3 --- Characteristics of the Respondents --- p.24Chapter 3.3.4 --- Some Estimations Provided by the Speech Therapists --- p.25Chapter 3.3.5 --- End Users' Characteristics --- p.28Chapter 3.3.6 --- Product Characteristics --- p.29Chapter 3.3.7 --- Potential Distribution Channels --- p.34Chapter 3.3.8 --- Interpretations --- p.35Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- LIMITATIONS --- p.37Chapter 4.1 --- Sample Size --- p.37Chapter 4.2 --- Representativeness --- p.37Chapter 4.3 --- Exploratory Nature of the Questionnaire --- p.38Chapter 4.4 --- Non-respondents --- p.39Chapter 4.5 --- Ambiguities in Some Questions of the Questionnaire --- p.39Chapter 4.6 --- Assumptions --- p.39Chapter 4.7 --- Reliability --- p.40Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- MARKET OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS --- p.41Chapter 5.1 --- Market Profile --- p.41Chapter 5.2 --- Company Profile --- p.43Chapter 5.2.1 --- Financial Situation --- p.44Chapter 5.2.2 --- Human Resource --- p.46Chapter 5.2.3 --- Strength and Weakness Analysis --- p.47Chapter 5.2.4 --- Threats and Opportunities --- p.48Chapter 5.3 --- Customer Profile --- p.49Chapter 5.3.1 --- Practicing Speech Therapists as the Target Customers --- p.49Chapter 5.3.2 --- Major Organizations Related to Target Customers --- p.50Chapter 5.3.3 --- Background of Individual Speech Therapist --- p.50Chapter 5.3.4 --- Attitude of Speech Therapists towards Using Multimedia in Therapy --- p.51Chapter 5.3.5 --- Role of Individual Therapists in Buying Process --- p.52Chapter 5.3.6 --- Purchase Capability --- p.53Chapter 5.3.7 --- Degree of Computer Sophistication --- p.54Chapter 5.3.8 --- Needs of the End Users --- p.54Chapter 5.3.9 --- Perceived Urgency of Using Aids to Speed Up the Recovery --- p.55Chapter 5.3.10 --- Channels for Promotion --- p.55Chapter 5.4 --- Product Profile --- p.56Chapter 5.4.1 --- Problem Solving Capability of Some Product Concepts --- p.56Chapter 5.4.2 --- The Needs of Patients as Perceived by Speech Therapists --- p.57Chapter 5.4.3 --- Operational Features --- p.58Chapter 5.4.4 --- Customer Characteristics --- p.60Chapter 5.4.5 --- End-user Characteristics --- p.60Chapter 5.4.6 --- Features of Similar Products Available for English-speaking Patients --- p.60Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- OBJECTIVES FOR A MARKETING PROGRAM --- p.64Chapter 6.1 --- The Market Objective --- p.64Chapter 6.2 --- Product Objectives --- p.65Chapter 6.2.1 --- Essential Purposes of Proposed Product --- p.65Chapter 6.2.2 --- Assessing Importance of Various Attributes --- p.66Chapter 6.2.3 --- Determinant Attributes --- p.68Chapter 6.2.4 --- Main Features of the Proposed Product Forms --- p.69Chapter 6.3 --- Pricing Objectives --- p.71Chapter 6.4 --- Promotional Objectives --- p.72Chapter 6.5 --- Distribution Objectives --- p.73Chapter CHAPTER 7 --- STRATEGIES FOR A MARKETING PROGRAM --- p.75Chapter 7.1 --- Product Development Strategy --- p.75Chapter 7.1.1 --- Strategic Direction --- p.76Chapter 7.1.2 --- Concept Generation --- p.77Chapter 7.1.3 --- Concept Testing --- p.77Chapter 7.1.4 --- Screening --- p.78Chapter 7.1.5 --- Prototype Development --- p.78Chapter 7.1.6 --- Product-use Testing --- p.79Chapter 7.2 --- Pricing Strategies --- p.79Chapter 7.3 --- Promotional Strategies --- p.81Chapter 7.3.1 --- Planning --- p.82Chapter 7.3.2 --- Implementation --- p.86Chapter 7.3.3 --- Other Avenues --- p.98Chapter 7.4 --- Distribution Strategy --- p.98Chapter 7.4.1 --- Use of Existing Suppliers as Agents --- p.98Chapter 7.4.2 --- Training the Technical Staff on Selling and Distribution --- p.98Chapter 7.4.3 --- Acquire the Endorsement of the Hong Kong Association of Speech Therapists --- p.99Chapter CHAPTER 8 --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.100APPENDICES --- p.106BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.16

Sleep practice in occupational therapy: an educational program to improve sleep quality for autistic children

Sleep is a critical occupation that supports and promotes participation in occupational performance in all individuals (AOTA, 2014). It builds the foundation for cognitive development and supports learning in children (Ashworth et al., 2014; Schlieber & Han, 2018; Kurz et al., 2019). Children with poor sleep habits may exhibit dysregulation in their daytime activity level (Foitzik & Brown, 2018; Johnson et al., 2017). Consequently, sleep difficulties affect their academic performance and social participation at school (Taylor et al., 2012; Deliens & Peigneux, 2019). Sleep problems in autistic children are two to three times greater than in neurotypical children (Moore et al., 2017; Souders et al., 2017). Of further concern is that a significant increase in sleep problems in autistic children has been associated with the Covid-19 pandemic (Bruni et al., 2022). Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) in schools recognize the importance of sleep as an essential building block for learning (Beisbier & Cahill, 2021; Gronski & Doherty, 2020) and specialize in assessing sensory behaviors using evidence-based assessments (Kirby et al., 2019; Schoen et al., 2018). However, due to a lack of sleep knowledge and resources, many school-based OTPs do not address sleep problems during the assessment and intervention process (Gentry & Loveland, 2013). Sensory assessments can help to detect atypical sleep patterns and inform a proactive approach to nurturing a healthy lifestyle (Tauman et al., 2017; Reynolds et al., 2012). OTPs are encouraged to provide sensory-informed sleep health education and consultation to support autistic children in school-based practice. A literature review was completed based on current occupational therapy (OT) practice in sleep care. Several key findings suggested that (a) the teaching and clinical training in sleep health are lacking in formal OT educational programs, (b) teachers are unaware of OT scope of practice, and (c) most OTPs in school experience heavy caseloads and have time constraints which may hinder interdisciplinary collaboration and family partnership. Furthermore, research studies from OT, psychology, neuroscience, and education were identified and carefully reviewed to determine effective therapies that fall within the scope of OT practice. Through this doctoral work, an evidence-based educational program was developed for OTPs to fill this practice gap and address sleep difficulties in autistic children within the school setting. Sleep Practice in Occupational Therapy (SPOT) is a research-informed program for OTPs who provide school-based services to autistic children in Hong Kong. The main objective of this program is to extend OT school-based practice in areas of sleep assessment, intervention, interprofessional collaboration, and family partnership within this student population. This four-week online educational course consists of mini-lectures on the neurobiological evidence in sleep in autistic children, multiple group discussions regarding sleep health education, and individual work projects to build competence in sleep assessment and intervention. Upon completion, OTP participants will be equipped with evidence-based sleep hygiene resources and sleep health educational presentation materials generated by the program author. Qualitative and quantitative data will be collected for program evaluation and to inform the efficacy of this OT-led sleep health education program in school settings. It is anticipated that the SPOT program will advance our professional service delivery and advocacy within schools and, ultimately, improve the academic learning and quality of life of autistic children. Furthermore, this training program is applicable to school-based OT practice in other geographic regions of the world that advocate for an inclusive approach to serving children with diverse sensory needs