Understanding Occupational Therapy: Nursing and Physician Assistant Students' Knowledge About Occupational Therapy

Until very recently, occupational therapy services have been provided in institutional settings and have followed the medical model. The escalating costs of hospital care have been the primary incentives for moving patients out of acute settings and thus increasing the need for occupational therapy services in the community. Yet, relatively few therapists have moved from the medical model even though the need exists and legislation encourages that service be provided in the least restrictive alternative. Further, occupational therapists have been slow to adopt distinct strategies for planning with patients for their roles and needs after treatment even though the heart of the occupational therapy philosophy centers on adaptation to life roles. This paper explores the current trends away from institution-based health care and towards a continuum of health and social services, and the roles for occupational therapists in community settings. Occupational therapists are urged to act as facilitators in assisting patients to move successfully from active treatment to independence in whatever settings they find themselves.     

The Perceived Status of Occupational Therapy: Myth Versus Reality

A survey of 136 Australian occupational therapists explored their perception of their autonomy and status, through questions concerning role definition; peer network and peer review; professional association and industrial affiliation; skills and procedures characteristic of the profession; views on others' perception of their role; credentials to practise; salary and years of practice. The authors conclude that the profession has a high opinion of its status and autonomy, a belief that it has a unique set of skills (though not aims), and adequate credentials to practise. They also suggest, however, that there is reason to question the extent to which this professional self-image is well founded.     

Barriers to Occupational Therapy Practice in Wellness

Wellness programs are intended to increase the wellbeing of society and as a consequence reduce health care costs. Occupational therapy writers have urged therapists for the past two decades to move into wellness-related programming, yet current practice trends reflect only minimal involvement in wellness. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to wellness practice, components of occupational therapy philosophy and practice that can promote wellness, and wellness concepts which can be incorporated into patient therapy sessions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three occupational therapists, two related health professionals and two former patients, all of whom have made contributions in wellness programming. A summary of the barriers to occupational therapists, entry into wellness is presented. Also, recommendations are provided on how occupational therapists can expand their holistic approach to include wellness concepts in all areas of practice.     

Perceived Barriers to Excercise and Weight Control Practices in Community Women

A sample of community women was surveyed to determine exercise habits, weight control methods, and perceived barriers to sustaining and initiating exercise and weight management programs. Lack of time was reported to be the most significant factor limiting exercise, while lack of willpower and time constraints were the most frequently reported obstacles to weight management. Suggestions to aid adherence to exercise and weight control programs among women are outlined.     

The Impact of Perceived Barriers on Primary Care Physicians' Screening Practices for Female Partner Abuse

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Our purpose was to examine primary care physicians' screening practices for female partner abuse in different clinical situations and to investigate the relationship between perceived barriers and screening practices.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was mailed to Alaska physicians practicing in the following specialties: family practice, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology and general practice.

Results: The survey response rate was 80 percent (305/383). The majority (85.7%) of primary care physicians screened often or always when a female patient presents with an injury, but they rarely screened at initial visits (6.2%) or annual exams (7.5%). More than one-third of respondents estimated that 10% or more of their female patients had experienced some type of intimate partner abuse. Several barriers to screening described in the literature were not predictive of physicians' screening practice patterns. Physicians' perceptions that abuse is prevalent among their patients and physicians' beliefs that they have a responsibility to deal with abuse were the only variables independently associated with screening at initial visits and annual exams. The only variable predictive of screening when a patient presents with an injury was physicians' perceived prevalence of abuse.

Conclusion: Primary care physicians have not integrated screening for partner abuse into routine care. Strategies to increase awareness of the high prevalence of abuse in the primary care setting and to educate providers on the negative health effects of victimization can help physicians to acknowledge their responsibility in addressing abuse and the importance of screening at routine visits. Further rigorous studies are needed to identify and evaluate predictors of screening for abuse.     

Spirituality and nursing: a reductionist approach

Abstract  The vast majority of contributions to the literature on spirituality in nursing make extravagant claims about transcendence, eternity, the numinous, higher powers, higher levels of existence, invisible forces, cosmic unity, the essence of humanity, or other supernatural concepts. Typically, these assertions are made without the support of argument or evidence; and, as a consequence, alternative ways of theorizing 'spirituality' have been closed off, while the lack of consistent scholarship has turned the topic into a metaphysical backwater. In this paper, I adopt a different premise, rejecting unsupported claims, and surveying the 'spirituality' terrain from a naturalistic and reductionist perspective. I argue that, if we rid ourselves of non-naturalistic assumptions, we will discover theoretical and clinical resources in health psychology, social psychology, neuropsychology, and pharmacopsychology – resources which confirm that it is possible to conceptualize the study of existential concerns, and how health professionals might respond to them, in a properly scientific manner. In order to illustrate the potential usefulness of these resources, I will take palliative care as an example.     

The Utilization of Occupational Therapy Services for Persons with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the utilization of occupational therapy services in persons with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, to better understand if services are being provided, the types of interventions being provided, and satisfaction of services. Using survey methods, an online questionnaire was made available to persons with CMT listed on association websites worldwide. One hundred and fifteen persons with CMT, residing in all geographical regions within the United States and seven other countries participated in the study. Around half of all participants had received occupational therapy services. Twelve interventions were identified as being provided for persons with CMT. Although the majority of individuals receiving occupational therapy services did not feel like it improved their quality of life, the majority of individuals would recommend occupational therapy services to others and would return to an occupational therapist. Of those participants not receiving occupational therapy, the majority felt they would benefit from occupational therapy services. The results suggest that occupational therapy services are not being well utilized for this population. A low response rate limits generalization, thus further research is necessary.     

The Partnering Model: Occupational Therapy Assistant and Occupational Therapy Students Working Together

SUMMARY

Establishing a partnering relationship between the occupational therapy assistant (OTA) and the occupational therapist (OT) is imperative in order to create an optimal working environment and deliver effective client care. A developmental model that provides students with opportunities to practice such a relationship has been used by an OTA and OT program in southwestern Ohio. This developmental Partnering Model gives students an opportunity to interact, work as teams, and collaborate during their educational experience. Each aspect of the model provides students with experiential learning opportunities. Educators will serve their OTA and OT students well in providing opportunities for them to develop and practice the skills they will need to create an optimal working environment and deliver effective client care as occupational therapy practitioners.     

Perceived Knowledge,Practices, Attitudes and Beliefs of Jordanian Nurses Toward Sexual Health Assessment of Patients with Coronary Artery Diseases

Sexuality and Disability - Sexual health assessment is an important aspect for patients with coronary artery diseases. Nurses are at key position to address patients’ sexual health concerns...     

Cultural Childbirth Practices,Beliefs, and Traditions in Postconflict Liberia

In this qualitative study we used an interpretive, critical ethnographic approach to provide an understanding of childbirth and maternal illness and death in Liberia through the lens of women, families, and communities. We identified three major themes from the data: (a) secrecy surrounding pregnancy and childbirth; (b) power and authority; and (c) distrust of the health care system. The interpretive theory, Behind the House, generated from data analysis provides an understanding of the larger social and cultural context of childbirth in Liberia. Our findings provide a more complete understanding of the contextual factors that impact on the intractable problem of maternal mortality.     

Spirituality and Counseling Supervision: Current Practices of Board-Approved Supervisors

This study surveyed three levels of licensed professional counselors—interns (LPC-Is), counselors (LPCs), and supervisors (LPC-Ss)—regarding the extent to which spirituality is addressed in supervision. An exploratory factor analysis (N = 373) revealed four salient factors: supervisory system, meaning and values, client system, and diversity. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed statistically significant differences between LPC-Ss and LPC-Is. This study found supervisors’ perceptions of addressing spirituality in supervision were statistically significantly higher than interns. Implications of the findings are presented.     

Survey of Handwriting Instruction Practices of Elementary Teachers and Educational Programs: Implications for Occupational Therapy

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of elementary school teachers on training in handwriting instruction received during their education, as well as their current classroom practices. The quantity and quality of training in handwriting instruction provided by baccalaureate degree-granting teacher education programs in North Carolina was also examined. An online survey was administered to each population identified to inquire about handwriting instruction practices. Results from 505 teachers and 16 professors indicated that while handwriting instruction content is valued by both teachers and professors, varied levels of training were provided to the teachers. Implications for occupational therapy practice are discussed including strategies for school-based therapists.     

Young Adult Mental Health: a Prospective Examination of Service Utilization,Perceived Unmet Service Needs,Attitudes, and Barriers to Service Use

Prevention Science - Most young adults with mental health symptoms do not receive treatment or access services. It remains important to identify barriers to service utilization to improve access to...     

Spiritual Care,Pastoral Care,and Chaplains: Trends in the Health Care Literature

This study analyzes trends in the health care literature based on electronic searches of MEDLINE between the years 1980 and 2006. The search terms used were “spiritual care,” “pastoral care,” and “chaplain.?” The results document an expected surge in the rate of English-language journal articles about spiritual care beginning in the mid 1990s. Although the rate of articles about pastoral care was several times higher than that for spiritual care over much of the study period, there was a steady decline in articles about pastoral care during the past 10 years. These two trends produced a convergence in the rates, so by 2006 the rate of published articles on pastoral care (21.1 per 100,000) was less than twice as high as that on spiritual care (13.3 per 100,000). The rate of articles about chaplains rose moderately but significantly from 9.6 per 100,000 in the years 1980–1982 to 12.2 per 100,000 in the years 2004–2006. Increasing interest in spiritual care was evident in nursing, mental health, and general health care journals, being most pronounced in nursing. Declining interest in pastoral care was also most pronounced in nursing. This article discusses some implications of and responses to these trends.     

The Human Quest for Meaning, 2nd Edition (Hardcover). Wong,Paul T. P.

The current study analyzes data from 30,995 chaplain visits with patients and families that were part of the New York Chaplaincy Study. The data were collected at 13 healthcare institutions in the Greater New York City area from 1994–1996. Seventeen chaplain interventions were recorded: nine that were religious or spiritual in nature, and eight that were more general or not specifically religious. Chaplains used religious/spiritual interventions, alone or in conjunction with general interventions, in the vast majority of their visits with patients and families. The types of interventions used varied by the patient's medical status to some degree, but the pattern of interventions used was similar across faith group and medical status. The results document the unique role of the chaplain as a member of the healthcare care team and suggest there is desire among a broad range of patients, including those who claim no religion, to receive the kind of care chaplains provide.     

A Study on Developments in Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Education in WA: 1961–1991

1991 marks thirty years of formal education in occupational therapy in Western Australia. From its humble origins in an old hotel, the undergraduate occupational therapy programme in Western Australia has evolved from one which had a very strong vocational focus, was largely steeped in medical traditions and which had an emphasis on teaching technical skills, to one which is more academic and outward looking in its orientation. However, as we enter the 1990s undergraduate education in occupational therapy must face the challenges associated with the National Training Board's move to competency-based standards and assessment in the workplace. This study of historical material compares the three major stages of development in the thirty years of undergraduate education in occupational therapy in Western Australia. Reflection on these developments may guide future directions in undergraduate education and result in outcomes which will equip occupational therapists for leadership in the provision of health services.