International allied health student placements: A meta-synthesis.

Background: Increasingly universities are offering international student placements as part of the global internationalisation movement. This review sought to synthesize the findings of studies to further understand the learning outcomes described by allied health students.

Aims/objectives: To contribute to the understanding of the learning outcomes described by allied health students who have undertaken an international placement.

Using social return on investment analysis to calculate the social impact of modified vehicles for people with disability.

Introduction: Returning to driving is often a goal for people with acquired disabilities. Vehicle modifications make it possible for people with both acquired and lifelong disabilities to drive yet can be costly. There has been no financial evaluation of vehicle modifications in Australia or internationally.

Valuing the impact of health and social care programs using social return on investment analysis: how have academics advanced the methodology? A systematic review.

Objectives: To identify how social return on investment (SROI) analysis-traditionally used by business consultants-has been interpreted, used and innovated by academics in the health and social care sector and to assess the quality of peer-reviewed SROI studies in this sector.

Design: Systematic review.

Settings: Community and residential settings.

Modified motor vehicles: the experiences of drivers with disabilities.

Driving is often a rehabilitation goal of people with acquired disability, and vehicle modifications are typically required to facilitate this outcome. Though there have been several survey studies on vehicle modifications for people with disability, there has been no qualitative work on understanding people with disabilities' experiences of being a modified vehicle driver. An interpretative phenomenological approach was used to understand the lived experiences of drivers with disability.

Valuing the impact of health and social care programmes using social return on investment analysis: how have academics advanced the methodology? A protocol for a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature.

Introduction: Unlike other forms of evaluation, social return on investment (SROI) methodology offers a way of placing values on personal, social and community outcomes, not just economic outcomes. Developed in 2000, there have been calls for greater academic involvement in development of SROI, which to date has been more typically implemented in-house or by consultants. This protocol describes a systematic review of SROI analysis conducted on health and social care programmes which represent a significant sector of social enterprise internationally.

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.

Partnership, inclusion and innovation in occupational therapy: Essential or optional ingredients to flourish in a changing environment?

Background/aim: Historically occupational therapy has evidenced a tenacity to adjust and adapt to societal changes. Currently in Australia we are in the midst of significant change in health, disability and aged care service delivery alongside increasing numbers of new graduates seeking employment. Both of these changes create challenges and opportunities for the profession.

Mapping an Australian Occupational Therapy curriculum: Linking intended learning outcomes with entry-level competency standards.

Background: Curriculum mapping involves systematic charting of programme content against professional competencies. This process can reveal strengths, gaps and redundancies within educational programmes.

Methods: Curriculum mapping occurred using intended learning (ILOs) as documented in individual courses and linking them to units and elements within the occupational therapy minimum competency standards (ACSOT) and Miller's Framework of competency.

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.

Effectiveness of distance learning strategies for continuing professional development (CPD) for rural allied health practitioners: a systematic review.

Background: Allied health professionals working in rural areas face unique challenges, often with limited access to resources. Accessing continuing professional development is one of those challenges and is related to retention of workforce. Effectiveness of distance learning strategies for continuing professional development in rural allied healthcare workers has not been evaluated.

Previously inactive rural adults' experiences of commencing and maintaining a walking routine following participation in a walking intervention.

Objective: This study aimed to richly describe previously inactive Riverland adults' experiences of commencing and maintaining a walking routine following participation in a walking intervention.

Design: Qualitative description using semi-structured in-depth interviews and thematic analysis.

Setting: Riverland, South Australia.

New graduate occupational therapists experience of showering assessments: a phenomological study.

Background: Shower assessments are complex and challenging tasks undertaken by many occupational therapists with little known about how they are conducted and how new graduates learn to carry these out. There are no published guidelines and limited opportunity for students to practise shower assessments during their training bringing into question how new graduates learn to do this assessment and judge their effectiveness.

Aim: To investigate the experience of new graduate occupational therapists undertaking their first shower assessments in South Australia.

Occupational therapy entry-level education in Australia: which path(s) to take?

Background/aim: There has been an increase in the number of occupational therapy educational programmes offered in Australia over recent years. Although universities offer bachelor, masters and graduate-entry masters programmes, there is a push to consider phasing out occupational therapy bachelor degrees. The aim of this study was to identify advantages and disadvantages associated with current and future credentials needed for entry into the profession.