The Human Library and the development of cultural awareness and sensitivity in occupational therapy students: a mixed methods study.

Introduction: Monash university in Australia has adopted the Human Library as a teaching activity aimed at enhancing occupational therapy (OT) students' cultural awareness and sensitivity; however, its effect on cultural competence in healthcare profession students has not been previously investigated.

Aim: To examine whether participation in a Human Library can facilitate the development of OT students' cultural awareness and sensitivity and to understand the factors contributing to changes in cultural competence from the students' perspective.

Method: This is a mixed-method study.

Economic evaluation of simulated and traditional clinical placements in occupational therapy education.

Introduction: This economic evaluation complements results of the randomised controlled trial that established non-inferiority of the learning outcomes of a one-week simulated clinical placement (SCP) in occupational therapy qualifying degrees in comparison to an equivalent traditional clinical placement (TCP). This companion study presents detailed cost analyses of two placement alternatives and a cost-benefit study to assess the value for money of SCP. An economic evaluation of simulated versus traditional placements has not previously been conducted in Australia.

Placement replacement: A conceptual framework for designing simulated clinical placement in occupational therapy.

Simulation is increasingly used to supplement clinical placement in preregistration health professional programs. However, there are no conceptual frameworks to guide the design of these learning experiences when replacing a clinical placement. In the present study, the conceptual framework for simulated clinical placements (CF-SCP) is presented.

Simulated versus traditional occupational therapy placements: A randomised controlled trial.

Background/aim: Professional practise placements in occupational therapy education are critical to ensuring graduate competence. Australian occupational therapy accreditation standards allow up to 200 of a mandated 1000 placement hours to include simulation-based learning. There is, however, minimal evidence about the effectiveness of simulation-based placements compared to traditional placements in occupational therapy.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of embedded simulation in occupational therapy clinical practice education: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Clinical placements are a critical component of the training for health professionals such as occupational therapists. However, with growing student enrolments in professional education courses and workload pressures on practitioners, it is increasingly difficult to find sufficient, suitable placements that satisfy program accreditation requirements. The professional accrediting body for occupational therapy in Australia allows up to 200 of the mandatory 1000 clinical placement hours to be completed via simulation activities, but evidence of effectiveness and efficiency for student learning outcomes is lacking.

Development and evaluation of an allied health research training scheme.

Allied health professionals are increasingly encouraged to utilise clinical research skills within their practice. While undergraduate allied health courses include some training in basic research skills, little is known about the most effective methods of continuing research training into professional life. This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of a 12-week allied health research training program, targeting interested clinicians and utilising a mixed approach of group learning and individual mentoring to guide participants through the process of conducting a systematic review of the literature.

Does attendance at a multidisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation program for people with Parkinson's disease produce quantitative short term or long term improvements? A systematic review.

A systematic review was conducted of the evidence for the effectiveness of the outcomes from treatment by multidisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation programs which were provided by more than one allied health or nursing discipline for people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD). The search yielded only 4 studies ranging from poor to good quality, on the outcomes of multidisciplinary rehabilitation. There were no available random controlled trials on short term outcomes although some limited evidence from lower quality studies suggested significant short term gains are achieved in gait speed and step length.