Mindfulness in Occupational Therapy Education

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of mindfulness and its role in occupational therapy education. The plethora of research on mindfulness-based stress reduction programs has shown consistent and positive results to enhance quality of life in clinical and nonclinical populations. Offering students the opportunities to learn and experience mindfulness could lead to enhanced self-awareness and care, focus and empathy, and a decrease of client judgment enhancing the success of clinical interventions.     

SHORT REPORT European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education: A five-year review

In 1995 occupational therapy programmes in Europe founded a network in Aalborg, Denmark, with the aim of advancing the education of occupational therapists and the body of knowledge of the discipline. The European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE) is one of 43 other academic networks supported by the European Commission. The achievements, impact and obstacles in the work of ENOTHE will be discussed.     

What,Why, How – Creative Activities in Occupational Therapy Practice in Sweden

Creative activities have historically been used in occupational therapy, and although their usage has declined in recent decades, they are still used in Swedish practice. The aim of this study was to better understand how occupational therapists use creative activities in practice. A web‐based survey was sent to 520 occupational therapists, of which 304 (58.5%) responded. The main reason identified for using creative activities was to strengthen the client's occupational performance, well‐being and self‐esteem. The expected outcomes of applying creative activities were to support the client in self‐expression and experiencing joy and desire. More than half of the occupational therapist respondents did not use creative activities to the extent they desired. Creative activities in occupational therapy are still used as a vital treatment to strengthen the clients' occupational performance abilities. The survey has looked at only a professional perspective on effectiveness of applying creative activities in occupational therapy. More research is needed to evaluate how occupational therapists internationally apply creative activities. There is also a need to gain information from the client's perspective on the therapeutic value of creative activities. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Occupational Therapy 1981–1986: Trends and Implications

This article reports the main findings of a Victorian occupational therapy labour force survey (1986). The survey was conducted in two parts. The first part sought information from heads of departments of occupational therapy and sole practitioners and focused on current and proposed future staff establishments and recruitment and retention problems. The second part sought data from both practising and nonpractising occupational therapists on career patterns, career and professional development plans and reasons for temporary or permanent withdrawal from the labour force. The findings of the survey are placed in the context of occupational therapy in Australia and their implications for educators, employers and practitioners are discussed.     

The Nature of Emerging Practice in Occupational Therapy: A Pilot Study

The profession of occupational therapy is responding to changes in the health care system by expanding the contexts and models for service provision, typically referred to as emerging practice. As a pilot study, a survey was completed by 174 occupational therapists to gather information and opinions about emerging practice. Results indicated occupational therapists hold diverse perceptions about emerging practice settings and services as well as the role and significance of emerging practice within the profession. Occupational therapists engaged in emerging practice described numerous rewards and challenges inherent within the process of developing and delivering services. The findings indicate continued professional dialogue and research are needed to support the development and efficacy of occupational therapy services in emerging settings and roles.     

Creating Occupational Therapy: The Challenges to Defining a Profession

The creation of a new profession in the early 20th century, such as occupational therapy, required a commitment to certain ideas and a willingness to accept certain challenges. This study examines the commitment to the idea of therapeutic and health supporting occupation by the early leaders and proponents of the profession and the challenges they faced in gaining acceptance of occupational therapy as a profession capable of delivering a valued health care service to society. Six challenges are reviewed as they occurred in the history of the profession and as they continue to challenge the profession into the present era.     

Concept Mapping as a Learning Tool in Occupational Therapy Education

This paper describes concept mapping and its use as a teaching and learning tool in an entry level occupational therapy program. In order for students to demonstrate their mastery of the concepts associated with a particular topic or body of knowledge, assignments involving concept maps were developed and used in two courses in an entry level occupational therapy program. Students were then surveyed about their perceptions and attitudes regarding the assignments. Students found the process of creating concept maps valuable to their learning of the content and the majority also enjoyed the process as a learning activity. The use of concept mapping as a way to encourage independent, individualized, and student-centered learning is discussed.     

Occupational injuries among adolescents in Washington State, 1988–1991

Background To characterize work-related injuries and illnesses in minors. Methods We analyzed Washington State workers' compensation claims from 1988 through 1991. Results There were 17,800 claims among adolescents from age 11 through 17 years accepted in the 4-year period, including three occupational fatalities, 22 amputations, and 464 fractures; 89% of all injuries occurred among the 16- and 17-year-olds. Claims were most frequent in restaurants, food stores, service industry, other retail and wholesale trade, and agriculture. Washington State census data were used for the denominator in calculating injury rates for adolescents and adults. The crude injury rate for 16- and 17-year-olds employed at the time of the census was similar to that seen among adults (9.0 vs.10.4 per 100 workers), despite that minors work fewer hours per year. The rate among boys was almost twice that seen among girls (11.7 vs. 6.4 per 100 workers). Highest rates, per 100 workers, were in public administration (27.0), construction (21.1), agriculture (11.4), and restaurants (11.0). Using census data for those working anytime over the course of the year and adjusted for the number of hours worked, the injury rate for 16- and 17-year-olds was 19.4/100 full-time equivalents compared with 10.6 of 100 full-time equivalents for adults. Most injuries were lacerations, sprains and strains, contusions, and burns. Conclusions Public health policy and injury prevention strategies for working adolescents should be developed and implemented. Am. J. Ind. Med. 34:121–132, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The Forensic Model of Occupational Therapy

In the past decade attorneys have increasingly sought the services of occupational therapists to serve as experts in legal and quasi-legal personal injury proceedings. This emerging specialty area of forensic practice is rapidly developing. The unique qualifications of the therapist enables him to assess and document functional assets and deficits of the individual and relate them to daily life tasks. This ability makes the occupational therapist an important expert on the forensic panel. The therapist provides reports and information to persons who are responsible for applying the law, but who are without medical backgrounds and therefore do not understand the problems or lack of problems which an injured person has in meeting the physical demands of work and daily life. Common proceedings in which the occupational therapist's expertise is called for include Social Security disability and Workman's Compensation hearings and personal injury litigation. The complementary group of forensic experts, of which the occupational therapist is one, frequently consists of physician, psychologist, vocational expert and economist. Information is provided through verbal and written reports as well as through testimony.     

A Call to Wellness – Whitiwhitia i te ora: Exploring Māori and Occupational Therapy Perspectives on Health

The World Health Organization records that indigenous peoples throughout the world experience poor health. The concept of health was explored from a Māori world view and compared with occupational therapy perspectives. The aim was to understand and value indigenous knowledge and promote culturally safe responsive practice. Māori methodologies were employed to protect the Māori knowledge shared in the study. This involved applying seven principles, including respect for people, be cautious, and look, listen, and speak. Perspectives on health and wellbeing were collected in 2008–2009 from indigenous occupational therapists, other occupational therapists and indigenous health practitioners using interviews and a questionnaire. The findings are presented as a conceptual framework, depicting a whare, a Māori meeting house to show relationships between culture and health. Key concepts held by occupational therapists and Māori were spirituality, holistic views, client responsive practice, and environmental contexts. Areas of difference were the focus on occupations, the interdependence of indigenous relationships, and the place of the extended family in supporting wellness. A strength was the respect for Māori methodologies and limitations were the number of participants (N = 23) and the small proportion of Māori therapists in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Recommendations: Attention to culture is vital for appropriate, safe, and responsive practice. The conceptual framework provides a tool to inform, guide, and evaluate practice understandings. It acknowledges the importance of the individual within their extended family, their natural environment, and the historical, social, and political realities of living as Māori. Further research should explore the use of the framework and interaction between occupational therapy practice and specific indigenous cultures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Course in Autoethnography: Fostering Reflective Practitioners in Occupational Therapy

This paper describes an academic course designed to lay the foundation for reflective practice in occupational therapy. In this course, students conduct highly personalized research based on experiences in Level II fieldwork that leads to writing an autoethnography. The paper describes autoethnography, details its use in occupational therapy literature, and discusses the design and outcomes of the course. Students' experiences with this autobiographical genre of qualitative research are illustrated. In the writing process, students find clinical stories that must be told and learn to “move around” in their stories. The outcomes of the course include integration of personal and professional experiences, closure to academic preparation, and deep reflection about what it means to be an occupational therapist.     

Curricular Inclusion of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Content in Occupational Therapy Education in the United States

An exploratory, cross-sectional survey design was used to explore the extent to which CAM was included, what factors impacted its inclusion, topics and student learning outcomes covered, who taught the material, and what sources were used to prepare for delivering course content. While the vast majority of responding occupational therapy educators reported curricular inclusion of CAM, educational experiences for occupational therapy students varied widely. This overview of the curricular inclusion of CAM by faculty in occupational therapy programs in the United States indicated that many occupational therapy educators are responding to the demands of a more integrative healthcare system. Resolving ethical and pragmatic issues, providing faculty development opportunities, and standardizing student learning outcomes would align all stakeholders and mitigate ambiguities that currently exist surrounding the inclusion of CAM in occupational therapy education.     

Development of a Cultural Awareness Scale for Occupational Therapy Students in Latin America: A Qualitative Delphi Study

Cultural awareness is a key issue in healthcare worldwide. Valid and reliable assessments are needed to assess cultural awareness for occupational therapy students. The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to assess cultural awareness for Latin American occupational therapy students. A Delphi design was implemented considering four rounds with experts from four countries. A 30‐item scale in Spanish was developed to assess three categories of items: personal, therapeutic strategies and persons' cultures. The experts highlighted local features for professional practice as a key aspect of the scale. Local differences in practice were considered with the profession's traditions and prevailing knowledge across the scale. A participatory strategy and an international group of experts enriched the cultural relevance. A subsequent study of statistical reliability is required (the scale is not presented in an extended version here). Further research should consider the application of the scale and strategies to improve cultural awareness across the curricula. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Student Experiences of Learning Portfolios in Occupational Therapy Education

Learning portfolios are used extensively in general education; however, limited information is available regarding its usage and value in occupational therapy education. This article discusses the experiences of 30 senior-level occupational therapy students who used student-learning portfolios as a method of comprehensive learning within an upper extremity orthotics and prosthetics course. Results indicated that portfolios assisted students in structuring their learning environment, documented their learning journey, highlighted their achievements, and developed professional skills of organization, motivation, and higher-ordered thinking. Implications of this study lend support towards using student-learning portfolios as a teaching tool to facilitate more holistic and effective student-centered learning environments.     

Historical research: The first decade of occupational therapy in Israel: 1946–1956

The present study examined the first decade of the development of occupational therapy in Israel: 1946–1956. The structural-functional approach to the study of professions, which provided the theoretical framework for this study, identifies three formal organisations in the professions: the practice, the educational system, and the association. The purpose of this article was to follow the development of occupational therapy and to examine the interrelations of the profession's three formal organisations in the reviewed period. The methodology of the study was based on qualitative historical methods. Data collection included oral histories, and published and unpublished written material. Data organisation and analysis were within the framework of the structural-functional approach. Data analysis indicated that ‘expansion’ was a major theme affecting the development of occupational therapy, the reason for which lies within the historical background of the period under investigation. In addition, data indicated that the practice was the strongest and most active organisation in occupational therapy and that expansion in practice was beyond the capacity of both the educational system and the professional association. The interrelations of the three formal organisations, and the rapid expansion of occupational therapy practice, had a lasting effect on the development of occupational therapy in Israel.     

Fifty Years of Occupational Therapy at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital

This paper has been written to acknowledge the significant contribution of the Occupational Therapy Department at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital in Victoria to the history of Occupational Therapy in Australia. Established in 1941, the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital had one of the first Occupational Therapy Departments in Australia and pioneered many new trends in occupational therapy. Information for this article was collected between 1989 and 1991 by questionnaires sent to former staff members, taped interviews with key people and the recollections of current staff. Together they provide valuable insight into the first fifty years of occupational therapy from the perspective of Australia's veteran community.