Browsing by Author "Bavender, Clay"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Promoting an Interdisciplinary Approach to Health Management for Patients with an Acute Spinal Cord Injury: A Doctoral Capstone Report
    (2024-04-25) LaVier, Grace; Hull, Kristin; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Bavender, Clay; Kiser, Ryan
    A spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause permanent impairments impacting quality of life and participation in daily activities. Due to the impact on daily living, occupational therapy is an integral component of the SCI recovery process. Occupational therapy goals focus on improving all aspects of daily task performance for patients with an SCI. Health management is a component of occupational therapy that involves establishing and managing health and wellness routines for increased participation in daily living and meaningful activities. An individual following an SCI may experience limitations and differences in body functions such as bowel and bladder changes which limit that individual’s quality of life if new health management strategies are not adopted. Rehabilitation staff at a level one trauma hospital identified a gap in interdisciplinary knowledge and confidence in health management best practices for patients admitted with an SCI. In an acute care setting, health management goals are shared with other disciplines as physicians guide the care plan and nursing staff carries out the plan including the initiation of new health management strategies. The purpose of this doctoral capstone experiential and project was to increase interdisciplinary knowledge and confidence in best practices for health management when caring for individuals after an SCI. The capstone student disseminated different modes of education to nursing staff on best practices for SCI health management and collected confidence surveys before and after the education interventions. Results of the survey support the effectiveness of the education in increasing overall self-reported confidence and knowledge in each target category.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Promoting Inclusive Continuation of Therapy Services for Stroke Patients Post Discharge: A Doctoral Capstone Project
    (2022-05) Lee, Mallory; DeRolf, Annie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Bavender, Clay
    Patients that have experienced a stroke can experience a variety of deficits that impact functional independence, therefore promotion of continuation of services is essential. Barriers to continuation of services may be encountered when discharging some patients, an occurrence not unfamiliar to those healthcare providers working at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). FQHCs have the ability to provide health care services to the underserved population by receiving funds from the Health Resources and Services Administration (Health Resources & Services Administration, 2018). At a local Marion County FQHC, several gaps preventing continuation of services for rehab in-house patients were identified. This specific population labeled as the rehab in-house population consists of patients with multiple diagnoses, including stroke, that require additional therapy services however do not have funding to discharge from the hospital to another rehab facility. Therefore, rehab in-house patients receive rehab services at the hospital until patients are able to discharge home. The capstone site’s therapy staff identified several gaps including lack in education and resources that hinder rehab in-house patients from continuing with therapy services after discharge. This capstone project involved direct collaboration with the identified stakeholders to create successful materials to aid in the mission of helping rehab in-house patients continue therapy services after discharge. After dissemination of the new capstone project materials, there was an increase in knowledge from an inpatient therapist standpoint on essential areas in order to be an advocate and influence patients to continue therapy services after discharge.