Survey of Occupational Therapy Education in Telehealth

Telehealth delivered occupational therapy services are increasing, and students will need to be prepared to safely and ethically deliver telehealth services. Occupational therapy education standards require that students demonstrate knowledge of telehealth and related technology. However, there is a limited discussion in the literature on how programs are preparing students to deliver services via telehealth. This explanatory mixed methods study examined telehealth education in entry-level occupational therapy programs to understand if and how students are learning about telehealth. The quantitative portion involved a survey of 429 occupational therapy programs in the United States. The qualitative part involved four survey respondents in an interview. The low survey response rate (11.89%; N=51) brings into question if programs are comfortable talking about how they are meeting telehealth education standards. Survey respondents reported the use of lecture (98%) and electronic health records (55.1%) as the most frequently cited methods to deliver educational content about telehealth. Half of the programs did not include interactive content for students to apply telehealth knowledge and skills. The least frequently cited content included interaction with robotic arms (2.2%), telemonitoring (20%), provision of services through telehealth (20%), and use of gaming systems (23.9%). Three themes emerged from the interviews: educational activities, telehealth technology, and curriculum planning. Participants discussed a desire to add content and strategies for overcoming barriers to telehealth education such as utilizing existing technology and utilizing resources and experts. Telehealth education is not advancing as quickly as needed for application in practice. Students could benefit from added telehealth learning opportunities to become competent in telehealth service delivery

Correlation Between Simulation and Fieldwork Performance in Adult Physical Rehabilitation

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between performance in simulation used as a learning method in an adult physical rehabilitation and Level II fieldwork. A retrospective cohort research design was utilized to analyze data gathered from occupational therapy student cohorts between 2011-2017 enrolled in an entry-level Masters (MS) and Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program located in the Midwest United States. Course performance on skills checks, which utilized simulation methods, as well as final exam and course grades were analyzed and compared to performance scores on the FWPE. The overall course exam performance is the strongest predictor of Level II fieldwork success. The strongest relationship was for Level IIA fieldwork, with no correlation found between any didactic variable and performance on Level IIB fieldwork. Performance on Level II fieldwork can, in part, be determined by didactic performance in simulated experiences as indicated by the final course exam in adult physical rehabilitation

Clinician, Educator, and Student Perceptions of Entry-level Academic Degree Requirements in Occupational Therapy Education

Entry-level occupational therapy degree requirements have varied since the establishment of the profession. Currently multiple degree paths exist. There are cited benefits for a multiple degree path system; however, barriers also exist. Most notable among these are confusion among recipients of services and other health care providers. As other healthcare professional programs have transitioned to a single point of entry at the doctoral level, occupational therapy, until recently, had not yet made this change. A nationwide online survey was used to assess perceptions of the entry-level doctorate. Participants included current occupational therapy practitioners (clinicians or educators) and students in entry-level occupational therapy or occupational therapy assistant programs. Results indicated decreased awareness of the benefits of an entry-level doctorate and suggested that the majority of occupational therapy practitioners, educators, and students surveyed were in favor of an optional entry-level doctorate. Fewer respondents believed that the doctorate should be required for entry-level competence. Education among current occupational therapists and occupational therapy students regarding the benefits of a mandatory entry-level clinical doctorate would be beneficial as the profession moves towards this as the mandated degree. Future research should address to what extent experiential learning, carried out during a doctoral rotation, increases student preparation, as well as how these experiences influence clinical practice and scholarship

Exploring Occupational Therapy Student and Entry-Level Practitioner Perceptions of Mental Health Accommodations

Mental health concerns are prevalent among occupational therapy graduate students and entry-level practitioners entering the workforce. Prior research has highlighted that the rise in mental health concerns and the high-achieving nature of occupational therapy students impacts their success in the classroom and the clinic. While formal and informal mental health accommodations are beneficial, obtaining and implementing such accommodations has been cited as a challenging process plagued with negative stigma. This study aimed to understand the perceived effectiveness of common academic and work-related mental health accommodations for meeting the role demands that occupational therapy students and practitioners encounter in the classroom, during fieldwork and capstone, and in entry-level practice. Data were gathered from 218 occupational therapy students and entry-level practitioners who completed an electronic survey, including checklists and Likert scale items. Results include the prevalence of mental health concerns, the use of formal and informal mental health accommodations, and the perceived effectiveness of mental health accommodations in meeting the role demands of occupational therapy students and entry-level practitioners. Participants reported that the commonly prescribed mental health accommodations effectively met role demands in academic and work settings. Qualitative responses to the survey provided a deeper understanding of these perceptions and the barriers students encountered when attaining or implementing such accommodations in the classroom and clinical settings. Implications for occupational therapy education address the prevalence of mental health concerns and the barriers occupational therapy students face when attaining and implementing mental health accommodations

Relationship between Occupational and Physical Therapist Students’ Belongingness and Perceived Competence in the Clinic using the Ascent to Competence Scale

Clinical education experiences (CEEs) serve an essential role in physical therapist (PT) and occupational therapist (OT) student development. The Ascent to Competence Scale (ACS) measures valuable attributes of belongingness, competence, and welcoming associated with CEE placement. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between PT and OT students’ belongingness and perceived competence during CEE using the ACS. A survey consisting of 35 questions from the ACS measuring students’ feelings of belongingness and perceived competence in the clinic was administered to PT and OT students from 7 Midwest universities. Respondents rated statements using a 5-point Likert-type scale (“never true” to “always true”). Ascent to Competence items were aggregated to develop belongingness and perceived competence constructs. One hundred nineteen (67.2% PT, 32.8% OT) of 509 (23.4% response) eligible students completed the survey. Results of a linear regression analysis showed belongingness in the clinical environment significantly predicted perceived competence measures, F(1, 117) = 182.389; P = r2 = .609, y(comp) = .721(Xbel) + 1.249. Cumulative weeks in CEE and practice environment did not contribute to the predictive model. The analysis lends further support to the role that belongingness plays in advancing perceived competence during the CEE. The results suggest that supportive clinical education environments can positively impact student learning by promoting a sense of belongingness among student therapists

Evaluating Interprofessional Competencies and Knowledge of and Confidence in Addressing Social Determinants of Health

Promoting health requires coordinated, team-based interventions responsive to multiple determinants of health. This study aimed to determine if interprofessional competencies and knowledge of and confidence in addressing the social determinants of health improved following an interprofessional learning event. A two-group randomized controlled trial was used to determine study outcomes among 408 health science students from 14 health profession programs in the Midwest. Formed groups were randomly assigned to the customary medical-based (control) or social determinants of health focused (experimental) case study. In small groups students engaged in a case study simulation and offered recommendations for intervention. Small improvements in knowledge of the social determinants of health were found among participants in both groups. Interprofessional competencies largely showed no significant differences between using the case study which emphasized social determinants of health compared to a medically based case study. The suggestions for interventions resulted in more frequent recommendations related to socioeconomic status and access to health care among students in the experimental group versus the recommendation of medically based health services among students in the control group. Additional qualitative research is recommended to learn more about how groups collaborated to form these recommendations

Development of Learning Materials to Address Social and Medical Factors Impacting a Minoritized Population

Health outcomes are multi-factorial. Health professionals must weigh all factors when making recommendations and providing intervention, however, limited learning materials which describe the health of minoritized populations exist for students in health science educational programs, necessitating the development of content for interprofessional learning that address the health factors experienced by underserved populations. This study used a descriptive design. Eleven expert content reviewers from eight health science and medical professions were recruited and provided feedback on the quality and content of a developed case study that described the lifestyle and health status of an individual from an ethnic minoritized population. Participants strongly agreed that the content strengthened the case study’s usefulness as a tool for interdisciplinary education. Most reviewers strongly agreed that social factors were a key component of the case and that it was suitable for use in interdisciplinary education. Incorporating social determinants into a case was viewed favorably by case reviewers who indicated that the components of the case were high quality and important as a tool for interprofessional education