1. Invests in the acquisition of evidence through participation in workshops, continued education and pursuit of additional degrees. I took a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) through AspireOT called “Adaptive Equipment: How Do I Get My Client What They Need?”. I decided to take this course since I had some clients at Regional One who could not afford adaptive equipment, such as tub transfer benches, and wanted to learn about more ways I could ensure that clients are able to afford the equipment insurance does not cover. After taking this course, I learned about different funding sources and how durable medical equipment requests are fulfilled.
This is a picture of my completed CEU course certificate through AspireOT called "Adaptive Equipment: How Do I Get My Client What They Need?".
2. Is a knowledgeable consumer of global research related to occupational therapy and utilizes an evidence-based approach to practice. I used a variety of global research related to occupational therapy to use as an evidence-based approach to practice during both of my fieldworks. I used credible sources to guide interventions based on the topics I was covering in each group therapy at ELMHS and by evidence-based interventions for hemiperesis/strokes. By reviewing class notes, research articles, and OT journals, I was able to provide interventions, such as weight bearing, mirror therapy, augmentation correction, and tapping to facilitate muscle activation with a client who had a stroke and could educate the client on the evidence behind each intervention.
Almhdawi, K. A., Mathiowetz, V. G., White, M., & delMas, R. C. (2016). Efficacy of occupational therapy task-oriented approach in upper extremity post-stroke rehabilitation. Occupational Therapy International, 23(4), 444–456. https://doi.org/10.1002/oti.1447
Madhoun, H. Y., Tan, B., Feng, Y., Zhou, Y., Zhou, C., & Yu, L. (2020). Task-based mirror therapy enhances the upper limb motor function in subacute stroke patients: a randomized control trial. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 56(3), 265–271. https://doi.org/10.23736/S1973-9087.20.06070-0
Above are examples of two sources I used to guide my treatment sessions. One article discusses the efficacy of task-oriented occupational therapy approach in upper extremity post-stroke rehabilitation. The other article is a randomized control trial of mirror therapy on upper limb motor function.
3. Integrates individual clinical expertise and patient values with the best available external clinical evidence. I have integrated my individual clinical expertise and patient values with best available external clinical evidence at both of my fieldworks. At ELMHS, I used sources, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to guide my interventions, but I also took into account patient’s value and my clinical expertise to apply various treatments to each group. Since these clients spent most of their time indoors, I wanted to provide some therapy groups outside to boost mental health and provide evidenced based research to present to my clients about the importance of fresh air. I made sure to combine coping skills and fun activities, such as coloring and blowing bubbles, to the treatment to have a balance of leisure and coping skills. This intervention helped incorporate values, expertise, and clinical evidence to provide a quality intervention. 4. Applies the domain of occupational therapy in gathering, evaluating, setting goals, planning, and implementing occupational therapy. I apply the domain of occupational therapy in gathering, evaluating, setting goals, planning, and implementing occupational therapy. At ELMHS, I created my group interventions based on the clients' goals to ensure that they gained knowledge and an opportunity to practice implementing coping and anger management skills, problem solving through hypothetical scenarios, identifying personal triggers, and community reintegration skills. At Regional One Health, I implemented occupation based interventions, such as activity of daily living interventions. I based each treatment on client environmental factors, such as if a client would have to use a tub transfer bench to get in and out of the shower, their routines, and their values. I would sometimes have to update and discontinue goals if the client reported they would not be able to obtain certain DME or if a client reported they would not be performing lower body dressing at discharge (wearing dresses/gowns). I applied all domains daily into all aspects of both of my fieldworks.
Above are images of two worksheets I had created for different groups at ELMHS. The first one is a gratitude scavenger hunt and the second one was a worksheet to help clients identify triggers and name a coping skill they could use when that event occurred. Both of these worksheets helped clients reach their goals; one client had a goal to name something they were grateful for during each group sessions and another client had a goal to identify one personal trigger.
5. Contributes to the knowledge base of OT practice by mentoring students, performing research, publishing, presenting and/or teaching. When I was at ELMHS, I created a game as my final project that I played with some of my groups and presented it to the therapy staff. This game was a spinning wheel, which had three colors on it that represented different categories of questions. The questions included a variety of topics, which related to the clients' goals, such as coping skills, health management, relapse prevention, community reintegration, and safety questions. I chose to create a spinning wheel to promote more participation in one of my mental health group where many of the clients were sensory seeking. For members in this group, it was difficult for them to pay attention through groups and they needed an activity to keep their focus on the group topic. While presenting this project to the OTs, I taught them this game and educated them on how to implement it into their mental health groups. I made sure that each question was open-ended so that the client can demonstrate their knowledge on the topic and so that the focus of the response can be graded up and down based on the clients' cognition. Some example questions include "What is an unhealthy habit you would like to change?", "How does your body feel when you are angry?", and "Name one thing to stay safe while cooking in the kitchen."
Above is a picture of the picture of the spinning wheel I created for future groups and clients with physical dysfunction to use. This wheel would not only be a fun game for clients to answer questions based on various topics, but provide sensory feedback for client's who need more input. An example of a question under the coping skills/emotional regulation category is "Name a time you were mad on the ward. How did you react?".
6. Incorporates continued education as a lifelong practice with the commitment to remain up-to-date and well-informed. I completed the Aspire CEU course on how to implement evidence based practice (EBP) as a busy practitioner. I took this course because I know EBP and CEUs are important and essential to staying an informed and quality OT. I know that even though I am busy, I need to make sure that I am providing the best treatments for my clients. This course gave me a review of various search strategies that I learned in EBP, but also educated me on the importance of critical appraisal. Below is my certification of completion of this course.
Above is a certificate of completion for a CEU course I completed called "Evidence-based Practice: Tips and Tricks for the Busy OT Practitioner".