Evaluating Cultural Competence in an Occupational Therapy Pediatric Course.

This study examined the impact on student cultural competence of using specific guided activities in a pediatric occupational therapy course. A combined two-group pre-posttest design was used with a convenience sample of 41 entry-level occupational therapy doctoral students. Using a measure of cultural competence change, results indicated significant increase in scores from pre to post course testing suggesting cultural competence structured activities in course work were associated with an increase in student cultural competence.

Differentiating Fieldwork Settings: Matching Student Characteristics to Demands.

Academic fieldwork coordinators (AFWCs) face the challenge of matching students to Level II fieldwork (FW) sites. This study surveyed 301 fieldwork educators (FWEs) from 30 states to explore how important it was for students to possess 25 characteristics or abilities to enable success at the educators' individual work sites. The top three characteristics and abilities overall were as follows: (1) time management, (2) ability to communicate with supervisor when help is needed, and (3) overall professional behavior.

Evaluation of a Prison Occupational Therapy Informal Education Program: A Pilot Study.

This pilot study explored the strengths and weaknesses of an informal education program and identified elements of the program valued by participants. Participants were men living in a minimum security prison who had been incarcerated for ten or more years. The outside researcher was joined by three former program participants as co-researchers.

Critical Reflections on Participatory Action Research in a Prison Setting: Toward Occupational Justice.

There is little information about prison-related occupational deprivation, and about doing research in prison. To document an occupational therapist and two prisoners' critical reflections on an informal occupational therapy education program using participatory action research (PAR), we reflect on our combined experiences of evaluating an occupational therapy program. The reflections include articulation of power differentials and examples of occupational deprivation and injustice at every stage of the program evaluation process.

The entry-level occupational therapy clinical doctorate: The next education wave of change in Canada?

Background: Currently, Canada and the United States are the only two countries that mandate entry to the occupational therapy profession at the master's level. There was a recommendation considered by the American Occupational Therapy Association that by 2025 all education programs would move to the clinical doctorate level. In August 2015, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education made the formal decision that for now, the entry-level qualification for occupational therapists in the United States will remain at both the master's and clinical doctorate levels.

The Next Paradigm Shift in Occupational Therapy Education: The Move to the Entry-Level Clinical Doctorate.

The occupational therapy profession in the United States is considering another shift in the level of entry-to-practice education. Currently, all accredited U.S.

The entry-level occupational therapy clinical doctorate: advantages, challenges, and international issues to consider.

Internationally, occupational therapy education has gone through several paradigm shifts during the last few decades, moving from certificate to diploma to bachelors to masters and now in some instances to clinical doctorate as the entry-level professional credential to practice. In the United States there is a recommendation under consideration by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) that by 2025, all occupational therapy university programs will move to the clinical doctorate level. It should be noted, however, that the AOTA Board can only make recommendations and it is the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) who has regulatory authority to approve such a change.

Relationship between touch sensation of the affected hand and performance of valued activities in individuals with chronic stroke.

Objective: To investigate the association between touch sensation of the affected hand and performance and satisfaction with performance of valued activities in individuals with chronic stroke.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, this study correlated factors related to hand sensation and activity performance in individuals with chronic stroke. The Touch Test Evaluators and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) were used.

Public transportation to obtain food: an overlooked instrumental activity of daily living.

This study documents the need for public transportation access to nutritional food for adequate nutrition. A secondary data analysis of the 1994 National Health Interview Survey on Disability population-based survey was conducted. Controlling for age, race, and health status, results revealed that the presence of an impairment that prevents or limits use of public transportation, standing for 2 hours, sitting for 2 hours, lifting/carrying 10 pounds (p < .

Occupational therapy master-level students' evidence-based practice knowledge and skills before and after fieldwork.

ABSTRACT Evidence-based practice (EBP) has become a universal standard for practice among healthcare professions, but due to barriers to EBP, the most effective ways of teaching EBP are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to report students' EBP knowledge and skill gained from an entry-level Master's of Science in Occupational Therapy course in EBP. The Adapted Fresno Test of EBP was administered at the beginning and end of the course and after fieldwork experience.

On occupational performance.

Occupational therapists use many complex and dynamic techniques and approaches in their interventions. The notion of occupational performance is emerging within our profession as one such approach that is unique to occupational therapy and that has great promise for our clients. The thesis of this article is that for occupational performance to be therapeutic, it must meet certain necessary conditions.