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Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects
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This collection includes capstone projects authored by doctoral students in the Department of Occupational Therapy.
If you are an OTD student and need access to upload your project, please contact the IUPUI University Library Center for Digital Scholarship (digschol@iupui.edu).
If you are an OTD student and need access to upload your project, please contact the IUPUI University Library Center for Digital Scholarship (digschol@iupui.edu).
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Item Implications for Occupational Therapy in Community Re-Entry(2021-04-27) Vest, Breea; DeRolf, Annie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Edwards, RhiannonThe United States has the highest rates of incarceration in the world (Sawyer & Wagner, 2020). Long periods of incarceration lead to occupational deprivation, alienation, and decreased autonomy. A longitudinal study from 2005-2010 found that 67.8% of incarcerated individuals were re-arrested for a new crime within three years and 76.6% within 5 years (Durose et al., 2014). The purpose of this research is to further determine the role of occupational therapy within the criminal justice system and how it can promote occupational justice, improve overall well-being, and decrease the rates of recidivism. The continuous high rates of recidivism signal a call to action, to modify the programming in place to better serve those that it affects. This research took place over a 14-week period at both a work-release facility and a non-profit organization. An interest survey was sent out to participants who have utilized Public Advocates in Community Re-entry (PACE) resources. A total of 74 responses were collected and the data was analyzed to determine the levels of interest in different types of programming. Pre/Post-test surveys were also administered at Duvall Residential Center regarding the PACE career readiness course. Data was collected to identify gaps in knowledge, areas of improvement, and overall general feedback regarding the course. A total of 36 responses were collected. Occupational therapists can provide direct support as well as serve as a consultative role within this setting. OT’s can also provide client-centered and/or group-based programming to work with individuals to meet their personal and professional goals through a client-centered approach. While more research is needed to fully determine the role of OT within the criminal justice setting, survey results indicate that there is a need for OT.Item Area Agency on Aging and Occupational Therapy(2021-05-07) Minnich, Victoria; DeRolf, Annie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Ziegler, Dustin; Stinson, KelseyArea Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and the profession of occupational therapy have similar values as they pertain to the promotion of aging in place amongst community-dwelling older adults. AAAs provide a wide range of services that allow older adults to safely and productively age in their own homes rather than in institutionalized settings (National Association of Area Agencies on Aging [n4a], n.d.). Occupational therapy practitioners have an essential role in promoting quality of life, health, and participation in meaningful occupations amongst community-dwelling older adults (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2016). Despite these similar values, there are few partnerships between the two entities as fewer than 3.2% of occupational therapists even work in community settings with older adults (AOTA, 2020b). The goal of this capstone project was to evaluate an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and provide the organization with an evidence-based, client-centered proposal on how a staffed occupational therapy practitioner could fit within their organization. Outcomes of this capstone project consisted of five tailored recommendations for the organization as well as an increase in knowledge and perception of the scope of occupational therapy amongst the organization’s staff. Future research should be conducted on the outcomes associated with partnerships between AAAs and occupational therapy practitioners.Item Reducing Hospital Readmission from Skilled Nursing Facilities to Reduce Healthcare Costs and Improve Quality of Care(2021-04-29) Ekstrom, Morgan; DeRolf, Annie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Cochran, RebeccaPatients discharged to skilled nursing facilities after hospital stays experience high readmission rates due to insurance mandating length of stay. This study used mixed methods to determine patient characteristics that contribute to readmissions and develop recommendations to reduce readmissions. The medical records of 241 patients discharged from a skilled nursing facility (SNF) were reviewed to identify common characteristics of individuals who readmitted in 30 or 60 days. Data was analyzed using an independent samples t-test and binary logistic regression analysis. There was a significant difference in average SNF length of stay, number of comorbidities, and self-care and mobility scores of patients readmitted in 30 days and those who did not. There was a significant difference in SNF length of stay, more comorbidities, self-care and mobility scores, and number of risk factors of patients readmitted in 60 days and those who did not. Binary logistic regression showed short SNF length of stay, congestive heart failure, and more comorbidities predicted a readmission in 30 days. Similarly, diabetes, more comorbidities, and not receiving home health predicted readmissions in 60 days. Qualitative data was collected from patient interviews to gain perspectives on the quality of care at the SNF and therapist surveys to determine their understanding of readmissions and their proposed solutions for readmissions. Recommendations included improving communication between staff and patients, increasing patient education, and providing therapy discharge instruction to ensure successful discharge. The results propose possible reasons for readmissions and ways to reduce them to improve patient outcomes and decrease healthcare spending.Item Developmental Playbook, Staff Training, and Resources for Community Child Development Center: Infant to Four-Year-Old Programs(2021-04-13) Egnatoff, Emily; Petrenchik, Terry; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; White, DebraResearchers suggest that lower levels of socioeconomic status (SES) in children are associated with higher rates of infant mortality (Haider, 2014), higher rates of obesity (Levine, 2011), decreased success in education (Sheridan & McLaughlin, 2016), and have lasting impacts on behavior, learning, and health (Shonkoff & Garner, 2012). Sheridan & McLaughlin (2016) discuss how poverty can negatively affect the child's ability to have more exceptional school achievements, fewer difficulties with academics, and the ability to graduate from high school compared to children not raised in poverty. They found a correlation between the lack of learning experiences before entering school and the impact on memory, language skills, attention span, and unspoken and unambiguous learning processes. The purpose of the capstone project was to provide the Child Development Center (CDC) in a low-income area of Indianapolis with a developmental playbook incorporating age-appropriate play suggestions, educational materials, and additional resources for the child development center staff and the families that they serve to encourage child academic success. Project success was evaluated through the use of quantitative and qualitative data from participants. Due to low teacher response rates, it is not possible to analyze the significance between pre-and post-survey responses. However, in-person qualitative data was obtained to provide insight on project successfulness from the teacher's perspective. Executive staff reported they were extremely satisfied with the materials delivered and presented, and the materials were excellent and valuable to the CDC.Item Interdisciplinary Approach to Fall Prevention at HTS(2021-05-03) Wolter, Emma; DeRolf, Annie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Murray, CassieThe doctoral capstone student developed a fall prevention program, “Steady: A Comprehensive Therapy Approach to Fall Prevention,” for physical, occupational, and speech therapists at Healthcare Therapy Services (HTS) to utilize to reduce the prevalence and risk of falls among older adults. The student conducted a thorough needs assessment process involving research, meetings, and an anonymous survey to gather necessary information to create the program. The majority of the capstone was spent creating a 100-page manual that included assessments, interventions, and handouts along with a tracking log for managers to record falls among all residents. At the end of the semester, HTS sent an email with the finalized manual and a recorded presentation explaining how to implement the program. Additionally, the student emailed several therapists and managers to receive feedback to evaluate the project. Positive feedback was given regarding both the program components and presentation. By providing a program manual and recorded presentation, the student has offered a sustainable project for HTS therapists to utilize to reduce falls and to improve outcomes with their older adults residents.Item Mental Health Among Frontline Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic(2021-05-04) Nguyen, Phuong; Bednarski, Julie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; White, DebraLeadership from a local nonprofit organization serving families in Marion County, all of whom face numerous disparities, identified a need for mental health services for their frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys were distributed to employees were used to investigate the impact this pandemic has had on their occupation, their confidence in managing mental health concerns, and areas of interest based on current in-place structures. Weekly in-services were conducted based on these results. Improvements were observed in exit surveys and feedback; participants reported positive attitudes towards the in-services they attended, desires for future in-services, and that the in-services addressed their desired focus areas. These findings suggest that programs and protocols that prioritize mental health in the workplace have a positive effect on perceived mental and physical health as well as confidence levels in addressing mental health at this site.Item Improving Assessment and Intervention Strategies Using Evidence-Based Practice: Meeting the Needs of A Busy Pediatric Outpatient Clinic(2021-05) Patterson, Caroline; Van Antwerp, Leah; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Ellis, AbbyThe pediatric outpatient therapy department at a local hospital has recently been granted a new treatment space with additional services and resources to meet the evolving needs of the department. These needs included increased productivity demands, lack of adequate motor skill assessments, and deficiency of interventions targeting handwriting deficits. This capstone experience is focused on identifying and addressing the needs of the clinicians within the new therapy space. After completion of an individualized needs assessment and thorough literature review, I identified two major gaps within the evolving clinic. During my time on site, I provided an in-depth electronic seminar to clinicians describing appropriate administration and scoring procedures. This information was utilized to develop a competency evaluation for the hospital to assess the interrater reliability of the new assessment tool within the clinic. After analyzing the data, it was clear the therapists were both valid and reliable when scoring the assessment. Next, the occupational therapists were interested in obtaining information and materials to begin planning for a new handwriting group within the clinic to address poor legibility and writing skills. I prepared an extensive seven-week curriculum along with detailed resources and parent communication handouts and provided them to the clinic for future implementation. At the end of fourteen weeks, through a qualitative interview process, clinicians indicated they were both satisfied and appreciative of the program developmentItem Providing Therapeutic Materials to Families with Children Participating in Telehealth Services: Caregiver and Therapist Perception of Impact on Telehealth Services(2021-04-27) Benich, Jacob; Zeigler, Jayson; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Blain, BarbTelehealth has been a lesser-known service delivery option for occupational therapy for many years. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has now become mainstream and had even been utilized as a complete replacement for in-person treatment at certain points during the pandemic. The telehealth sessions at the capstone site, a private Pediatric therapy clinic, have been found to be limited by what materials the family has in their home. At the clinic, every therapeutic item one could think of is available for use, but when stuck at home, families must use what they have. This capstone project sought to provide care packages with therapeutic materials to families receiving telehealth to determine if both their own and their therapist’s perception of telehealth changed. A non-standardized survey was utilized for data collection, and slight improvements had been found for the caregiver perception of telehealth, with little change in the therapist perception. Further exploration of results and implications on OT and telehealth are discussed as well.Item Occupational Therapy’s Role in Low Vision: A Doctoral Capstone Experience(2021-04) Wolford, Charly L.; Bednarski, Julie A.; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Riccio, LindaLow vision is a prevalent condition found in the aging population. Occupational therapists hold a unique skillset in which they are able to assess and treat low vision, however due to lack of education, training, and confidence it is often dismissed in practice. Therefore, the purpose of this doctoral capstone was to develop and implement a low vision program to increase the quality of low vision care being provided to residents in subacute low vision programs. In order to determine program specifics, the capstone student designed and implemented a low vision survey via Qualtrics. From the results of the Qualtrics survey the student designed the “Low Vision Assessment and Treatment Resource for Occupational Therapists” which included topics surrounding eye anatomy and age-related conditions, low vision assessments, low vision interventions, sample goals, community resources and a case study. Five narrated PowerPoints surrounding the same topic were also designed and distributed via Email. After distribution of the designed program a post survey was completed to determine program success. Respondents reported knowledge on low vision causes increased from a mean of 3.56/5 to 3.72/5, while confidence assessing and implementing low vision interventions increased from 3.03/5 to 3.07/5 and 3.28/5 to 3.52/5, respectively. Successful implementation of the capstone process was the first step in narrowing the gap of high-quality low vision care being provided. Additional training and education in low vision is needed in occupational therapy curriculums in order for practitioners to feel more confident in addressing low vision in the occupational therapy process.Item Occupational Therapy's Role in Hand Therapy: Approaches and Perspectives(2021-04) Shelton, Hayley; Albright, Megan; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Roscetti, SallyHand therapy is a practice area within occupational therapy. Occupational therapists have a unique skillset in which they are able to treat patients with upper extremity musculoskeletal injuries while realizing that each patient is an occupational being. The purpose of this capstone was to identify reasons occupational therapy practitioners lacked occupation-based interventions in treatment sessions, search the literature to find the best way to implement occupation-based interventions, and for the capstone student to utilize the findings from the research to provide the best possible patient care. Research suggests a combination of the biomechanical frame of reference and occupation focused frame of reference is the best approach to patient care in hand therapy. However, having the skillset to do that comes after months of experience. This capstone student identified the ways having a capstone in hand therapy in addition to a level II fieldwork in hand therapy advanced their skillset past that of an entry level practitioner. The capstone student implemented occupation-based interventions into treatment sessions and utilized advanced skills, such as provocative testing, to advance their skills beyond a level II fieldwork student. The student then created a table outlining the differences between a fieldwork student and a capstone student for future students and practitioners to use as a reference. Keywords: hand therapy, occupational therapy, occupation-based, capstone student, advanced clinical skill