Identifying Instructional Methods for Development of Clinical Reasoning in Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Education: A Mixed Methods Design

Occupational therapy education must teach using contemporary and evidence-based practices that yield graduates with clinical reasoning skills to successfully practice in dynamic and challenging environments. Researchers used a mixed-methods research design to identify the most frequently used and valued instructional methods for developing clinical reasoning with entry-level occupational therapy students. Researchers recruited full-time educators teaching in entry-level occupational therapy programs throughout the United States. Ninety-two occupational therapy educators completed the survey for the quantitative portion of the study. Subsequently, six occupational therapy educators participated in an interview for the qualitative portion of the study. Participants most frequently used laboratory experiences and least frequently used rotating chair discussion for developing clinical reasoning. Participants perceived experiential learning as the most valuable and rotating chair discussion as the least valuable instructional method for developing clinical reasoning. The three themes of the educator, the student, and the environment emerged from the qualitative data. Outcomes suggest occupational therapy educators must embrace the role of facilitator and continue to explore a variety of effective instructional methods. In order to achieve this role, occupational therapy educators need to engage in personal and professional development. Researchers provide additional strategies for developing the clinical reasoning skills required for successful occupational therapy practice

A Model for Interprofessional Education between Occupational Therapy and Accounting Students: A Mixed-Methods Study

This interprofessional education (IPE) project was designed to prepare students to work and lead in an increasingly complex healthcare environment. The purpose of this project is to describe and measure accounting and occupational therapy students’ perception and value of participating in an IPE learning activity and how the activity enriched the learning environment and identified gaps of knowledge to improve teaching. A mixed methods pre- post-survey design was used to collect quantitative data from a modified version of the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-9a) from 115 occupational therapy and 21 accounting students. Qualitative data was collected from a post-survey using open-ended questions and the accounting students’ consultation deliverable report to the occupational therapy students. Statistically significant improvements from pre- post-survey for all ISVS-9a items were found for the occupational therapy students (all

Fee-for-Placement in Level II Fieldwork: Prevalence and Context

Occupational therapy (OT) education has utilized fieldwork experiences to develop professional identity and clinical competency of entry-level OT practitioners since 1923. Level II OT fieldwork is viewed as a necessary and valuable experience by students, clinicians, and academicians. Despite the significant role fieldwork has in the formation of the future workforce, some educational programs report a shortage of OT fieldwork placement sites and the emergence of fee-for-placement fieldwork sites. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and context of fee-for-placement for Level II OT fieldwork in the United States. Investigators surveyed master’s and doctoral level OT programs to examine their experience with requests for fee-for-placement fieldwork sites. The response rate was 32% (58 of 128 programs). Approximately two-thirds (67%, n=38) of respondents reported a decrease in number of Level II placement reservations. Eighty-two percent of programs reported encountering sites who requested fee-for-placement and almost half (43%, n=25) anticipated this trend to increase in the future. The majority of programs (89%, n=52) indicated they avoid placing students at fieldwork sites who charge for placement. The observed trend in fee-for-placement fieldwork may affect OT education by yielding significant implications related to finances, selection and placement processes, and compliance with professional values and ethics for programs and students. The concerns raised by the respondents may warrant a profession-wide consensus and direction toward addressing fieldwork shortages and fee-for-placements

Occupational Therapist Licensure Revocation by State Licensing Boards

Occupational therapists must abide by certain standards to maintain a license to practice. Despite the existence of various studies on licensure revocation in other health care professions, no prior research has been conducted regarding occupational therapist licensure revocations. The purpose of this study was to examine reasons for occupational therapy licensure revocations in the United States from 2005 to 2015. A retrospective descriptive study design was completed. Data were collected from public databases on state websites or through communication with state licensure board representatives. From 2005 to 2015, 65 occupational therapists had their licenses revoked in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Fraud and criminal conviction were the two most frequently cited reasons for licensure revocations in the majority female sample. The south region of the United States displayed the most license revocations when compared to other regions. The results of this study may enhance the education of occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students about ethical decision-making in practice. A standardized protocol used by all states in determining licensure revocation is recommended. Additional research on all occupational therapy disciplinary actions could further benefit occupational therapy curricula

The Occupation-Centered Intervention Assessment: Bridging Theory and Practice in Fieldwork Education

Occupational therapy’s identity is grounded in occupation-centered care. However, evidence suggests external factors in the healthcare system burden practitioners’ time and resources, reducing attention directed toward occupation-centered practice and student learning and transfer of theoretically grounded knowledge. The departure from theory-based practice can threaten the identity and viability of the profession. The Occupation-Centered Intervention Assessment (OCIA) was designed for practitioners or students to self-rate the degree to which interventions are occupation-based or occupation-focused, creating an occupation-centered framework. In this pilot explanatory sequential mixed methods study, Level II fieldwork educators and fieldwork students in Alaska completed OCIA training and utilized the tool. A pre- and post-survey identified attitudes toward theory application, feedback, confidence, developing and understanding occupation-centered perspectives, and the OCIA. Additionally, focus group participants discussed using the OCIA during Level II fieldwork and the impact on development, understanding, and communicating using an occupation-centered perspective. Results of the survey revealed preliminary receptivity to the tool as a communication aid and as a theoretical framework for an occupation-centered perspective. The focus group highlighted the “common language” provided by the tool and drew attention to contextual factors influencing the transfer of knowledge and use of the OCIA in practice. Further research is needed to understand the potential of the OCIA as a resource for facilitating student learning with a grounded, occupation-centered perspective

Occupational Therapist Licensure Revocation by State Licensing Boards

Occupational therapists must abide by certain standards to maintain a license to practice. Despite the existence of various studies on licensure revocation in other health care professions, no prior research has been conducted regarding occupational therapist licensure revocations. The purpose of this study was to examine reasons for occupational therapy licensure revocations in the United States from 2005 to 2015. A retrospective descriptive study design was completed. Data were collected from public databases on state websites or through communication with state licensure board representatives. From 2005 to 2015, 65 occupational therapists had their licenses revoked in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Fraud and criminal conviction were the two most frequently cited reasons for licensure revocations in the majority female sample. The south region of the United States displayed the most license revocations when compared to other regions. The results of this study may enhance the education of occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students about ethical decision-making in practice. A standardized protocol used by all states in determining licensure revocation is recommended. Additional research on all occupational therapy disciplinary actions could further benefit occupational therapy curricula

A theory of transition from faculty to chair in occupational therapy: A grounded theory study

Although there are approximately 80,000 academic department chairpersons in higher educational institutions in the United States, many persons often accept the position without any formal education in leadership, management or educational training (Dudek-Shriber, 1997). The transition from the role of faculty-to-chair is often abrupt (Bennett, 1983; Seedorf, 1991) and not well understood. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to generate a theory of the transition of occupational therapy (O.T.) faculty members becoming department chairpersons at four-year higher educational institutions. Four female, first-time chairpersons were interviewed. Data collection included interview transcripts, curriculum vitas, and statements of administrative philosophy. Analysis followed grounded theory procedures and included open and axial coding. The theory that emerged from the data was the model of transitional alignment. The model consists of four components including (a) internal factors, (b) external factors, (c) context, and (d) resources. The results of the study enhance knowledge about the transition from faculty-to-chair in occupational therapy departments. The findings have implications that relate primarily to the development, recruitment, and support of occupational therapy academic O.T. chairpersons