Perceptions and Outcomes of Occupational Therapy Students Participating in Community Engaged Learning: A Mixed-Methods Approach

Today’s health care system requires therapists to acquire a level of confidence, flexibility, and personal growth that enables them to treat a diverse and complex clientele. Occupational therapy programs need to ensure that clinical placements can best prepare students for these demands. Community engaged learning (CEL) offers a distinctive opportunity both to meet the curricular requirements of fieldwork and to afford students the chance to develop unique sets of skills. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the experiences of graduate occupational therapy students participating in CEL fieldwork placements. The study explored the students’ self-efficacy before and after placements and the transformative learning process that occurred. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews, pre/post surveys, and reflective journals. The findings resulted in eight major themes that revealed growth in self-efficacy and personal and professional development. The results indicated the influential impression CEL leaves on the development of the student and provides a potential solution for programs to meet the demands of the current health care climate

Education for Occupational Therapists to Develop the Role of Healthcare Leaders in Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)

This mixed methods study explored the development, content, and impact of best practice post-professional clinical doctorate education related to assisting persons with substance use disorders (SUDs) using screening, brief interventions, and referral to treatment (SBIRT). A blended learning curriculum was developed and outcomes were measured through various participant report surveys. Results indicated that participants reported positive change in their understanding of SBIRT content; however, mixed beliefs exist in attitudes and perceptions towards individuals with SUDs. This article will discuss the overall impact of the SBIRT training on the occupational therapy students enrolled in a post-professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program. A total of 24 students participated in this research study

Increasing Self-Efficacy through Role Emerging Placements: Implications for Occupational Therapy Experiential Learning

Fieldwork education is an essential component of occupational therapy curriculum design and student development. Today’s students are faced with a variety of challenges in the changing, diverse healthcare system, and educators need to ensure there are placements that best prepare them for these demands. Role emerging fieldwork offers an opportunity to not only meet the curricular requirements of fieldwork education, but also afford students the chance to develop confidence and skills unique to this kind of placement. The purpose of this explanatory case study was to explore graduate occupational therapy students’ self-efficacy before and after a Level I role emerging fieldwork experience, and in addition, the potential personal or professional transformation that occurred as a result. Data was collected from 36 students using a pre-post survey with the Student Confidence Questionnaire (SCQ). The findings revealed a statistically significant growth in each of the seven areas of the SCQ (Risk Taking, Supervision, Communication, Adaptability, Innovation, Clinical Practice, and Professional Competence), which led to an increase in self-efficacy, personal and professional development, and a further understanding of the role of occupational therapy. Results indicated the influential impression role emerging fieldwork leaves on the growth and autonomy of the student and provides a potential solution for programs to meet the accreditation standards for all level of experiential learning

Level I FW in a Simulated Environment: A Blueprint on How to Use Simucase™

Simulation education is a sought-out teaching modality in allied healthcare education to bridge the classroom and the clinic. In addition to developing healthcare student professionals’ skills, attitudes and key competencies, simulation can also be used to address the national fieldwork shortage, as well as site capacity issues related to the current pandemic. Although the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) has recently indicated that simulation is an acceptable method to deliver Level I fieldwork, there are limited resources available. This paper will provide a pedagogical blueprint for incorporating computer-based simulation and case-based learning principles using the Simucase™ platform for a one-week, Level I fieldwork experience. A model of best practice for a Level I fieldwork experience will be shared, to include a framework with learning objectives, example syllabus, student assessment, and debriefing rubric. This model aligns with the Occupational Therapy Education Research Agenda, which challenges the profession to expand faculty development, provide resources on instructional methods and identify signature pedagogies in occupational therapy fieldwork education

Mindfulness in the Occupational Therapy Classroom: Infusing Grit, Gratitude Practice, and a Growth Mindset into OT Education

With the rigor of occupational therapy programs increasing to meet the demands of the diverse healthcare system, students are reporting stress and anxiety at an increasing rate. This mixed methods study assessed the outcomes of occupational therapy students who participated in a comprehensive mindfulness program that included interventions on grit, gratitude practice, and growth mindset. Twenty-four occupational therapy students participated in the 10-week mindful-based intervention program prior to a Level I fieldwork experience. Data was collected pre- and post-intervention using the 12-item Grit Scale, the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6), the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), journal entries, and a satisfaction survey at the completion of the program. Student outcomes included statistically significant changes in grit and gratitude. While growth mindset was not statistically significant, there were meaningful changes in reported self-regulation, both in the classroom and clinical experience. Infusing mindful-based curriculum into occupational therapy education can have a positive effect on both the occupational therapy student and subsequent clinical experiences, ultimately carrying over to therapeutic client interactions. Educators within academia and in clinical settings can utilize similar interventions to ensure students are holistically prepared to meet the demands of the current healthcare system

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Addressing College Campus Well-Being

The purpose of this study is to (1) explore occupational therapy’s role in mental health and (2) investigate the effects of Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation and mindfulness in reducing symptoms of depression, stress or insomnia among college students. This study utilized a pre/posttest design with participants randomized into 2 groups: CES alone (Group A) and mindfulness meditation and CES (Group B). A purposeful sample of college students were recruited, all with a previous diagnosis or self-report of stress/anxiety. This study measured sleep, anxiety, trait mindfulness, and daily function using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, Functional Status Questionnaire, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Measurements were taken at baseline, weeks 5, 8, and 12. Following intake, students began the 5-week treatment protocol. In week 1, participants completed CES or CES/meditations for 7 days. In weeks 2-5, participants completed 4-5 times/week, 20-40mins each, depending on tolerated dosage. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant effect of time over 8 weeks for HAM-A [F(1,22) = 19.42, p \u3c 0.05], FMI [F(2,21) = 10.41, p \u3c 0.05], PSQI [F(2,22) = 19.01, p \u3c 0.05], and FSQ Social Role Function [F(2,21) = 5.00, p \u3c 0.05]. There were no significant differences between groups for all four assessments, nor a significant effect of time for the Physical/Psychological FSQ categories. Results reveal that time is the biggest factor in reducing anxiety, and increasing mindfulness, sleep, and daily function, despite differences in groups. This demonstrates that CES and mindfulness might be effective treatment methods for mental health in OT

Comparing serum protein levels can aid in differentiating HPV-negative and -positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients

Background The surrogate immunohistochemical marker, p16INK4a, is used in clinical practice to determine the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) status of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC). With a specificity of 83%, this will misclassify some patients compared with direct HPV testing. Patients who are p16INK4a-positive but HPV DNA-negative, or RNA-negative, may be unsuitable for treatment de-escalation aimed at reducing treatment-related side effects. We aimed to identify cost-effective serum markers to improve decision making for patients at risk of misclassification by p16INK4a alone. Methods Serum proteins from pre-treatment samples of 36 patients with OPSCC were identified and quantified using label-free mass spectrometry-based proteomics. HPV-status was determined using p16INK4a/HPV DNA and E6/E7 mRNA. Serum protein expressions were compared between groups of patients according to HPV status, using the unpaired t-test with a Benjamini-Hochberg correction. ROC curves (AUC) were calculated with SPSS (v25). Results Of 174 serum proteins identified, complement component C7 (C7), apolipoprotein F (ApoF) and galectin-3-Binding Protein (LGALS3BP) significantly differed between HPV-positive and -negative tumors (AUC ranging from 0.84–0.87). ApoF levels were more than twice as high in the E6/E7 mRNA HPV-positive group than HPV-negative. Conclusions Serum C7, ApoF and LGALS3BP levels discriminate between HPV-positive and HPV-negative OPSCC. Further studies are needed to validate these host immunity-related proteins as markers for HPV-associated OPSCC.Peer reviewe

Rebuttal to published article “A review of ghost gear entanglement amongst marine mammals, reptiles and elasmobranchs” by M. Stelfox, J. Hudgins, and M. Sweet

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2016. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here under a nonexclusive, irrevocable, paid-up, worldwide license granted to WHOI. It is made available for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Marine Pollution Bulletin 117 (2017): 554-555, doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.11.052.We reviewed the findings of the recently published article by Stelfox et al. (2016): “A review of ghost gear entanglement amongst marine mammals, reptiles and elasmobranchs” published in this journal (Volume 111, pp 6–17) and found that they are both flawed and misleading as they do not accurately reflect the prevalence of “ghost gear” cases reported in the literature. While we commend the authors for recognizing the importance of attempting to quantify the threat and for recommending more comprehensive databases, the methods, results and conclusions of this review have not advanced the understanding of the issue. As authors of the papers on whale entanglements in the North Atlantic that were reviewed by Stelfox et al. (2016) and others who are knowledgeable about the topic, we provide specific comments regarding misrepresentations of both the source of entanglement (e.g., actively fished gear versus “ghost gear”) and the number of reported entanglements for whale species included in the North Atlantic

Don’t assume it’s ghost gear : accurate gear characterization is critical for entanglement mitigation [poster]

Presented at the Society for Marine Mammology 22nd Biennial Marine Mammal Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 23-27, 2017Entanglement is a significant conservation and welfare issue which is limiting the recovery of a number of marine species, including marine mammals. It is therefore important to reliably identify the causes of these events, including the nature of the entangling gear in order to reduce or prevent them in the future. A recently published review of marine debris assessed 76 publications and attributed a total of 1805 cases of cetacean entanglements in “ghost gear”, of which 78% (n=1413) were extracted from 13 peer reviewed publications. We examined the 13 publications cited in the review and found that the specific gear type or status of gear involved in the reported events was rarely mentioned beyond the fact that it was fishing related. This is likely due to the fact that determinations of debris as the entangling material are very difficult. In fact, in reviewing 10 years of large whale entanglement records for the U.S., the authors of another study reported that Hawaii was the only region in which any entangling gear was positively identified as ghost gear. The assumption that entangling gear is marine debris unless otherwise stated is dangerous because it could impact efforts to modify or restrict risk-prone fishing in key marine mammal habitats. Entanglement in actively fished gear poses a very real threat, and claims that only lost or abandoned fishing gear is responsible for entanglements can undermine conservation efforts.2017-10-2

Comparing serum protein levels can aid in differentiating HPV-negative and -positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients

Background The surrogate immunohistochemical marker, p16(INK4a), is used in clinical practice to determine the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) status of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC). With a specificity of 83%, this will misclassify some patients compared with direct HPV testing. Patients who are p16(INK4a)-positive but HPV DNA-negative, or RNA-negative, may be unsuitable for treatment de-escalation aimed at reducing treatment-related side effects. We aimed to identify cost-effective serum markers to improve decision making for patients at risk of misclassification by p16(INK4a)alone. Methods Serum proteins from pre-treatment samples of 36 patients with OPSCC were identified and quantified using label-free mass spectrometry-based proteomics. HPV-status was determined using p16(INK4a)/HPV DNA and E6/E7 mRNA. Serum protein expressions were compared between groups of patients according to HPV status, using the unpaired t-test with a Benjamini-Hochberg correction. ROC curves (AUC) were calculated with SPSS (v25). Results Of 174 serum proteins identified, complement component C7 (C7), apolipoprotein F (ApoF) and galectin-3-Binding Protein (LGALS3BP) significantly differed between HPV-positive and -negative tumors (AUC ranging from 0.84-0.87). ApoF levels were more than twice as high in the E6/E7 mRNA HPV-positive group than HPV-negative. Conclusions Serum C7, ApoF and LGALS3BP levels discriminate between HPV-positive and HPV-negative OPSCC. Further studies are needed to validate these host immunity-related proteins as markers for HPV-associated OPSCC.</div