Investigation of Predictors of Psychological Resilience in Occupational Therapy Students in Terms of Different Variables

There is an increased number of publications concerning the mental health of occupational therapy students. The aim of this study is to investigate the predictors of psychological resilience in occupational therapy students in terms of different variables. Four scales measuring resilience, psychological flexibility, coping and coping attitudes were used in this study. Predictors of resilience were evaluated using multiple linear regression analysis with the backward elimination. It was determined that psychological resilience, psychological flexibility, and coping attitudes are interrelated concepts (p < 0.05). This is the first study to examine the predictors of the concept of resilience in occupational therapy students in terms of different variables. The results show that students' psychological flexibility and positive coping behaviors need to be improved to develop psychological resilience.

Occupational Therapy Students' Evidence-Based Practice Skills as Reported in a Mobile App: Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is an important aspect of the health care education curriculum. EBP involves following the 5 EBP steps: ask, assess, appraise, apply, and audit. These 5 steps reflect the suggested core competencies covered in teaching and learning programs to support future health care professionals applying EBP. When implementing EBP teaching, assessing outcomes by documenting the student's performance and skills is relevant. This can be done using mobile devices.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess occupational therapy students' EBP skills as reported in a mobile app.

METHODS

We applied a cross-sectional design. Descriptive statistics were used to present frequencies, percentages, means, and ranges of data regarding EBP skills found in the EBPsteps app. Associations between students' ability to formulate the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome/Population, Interest, and Context (PICO/PICo) elements and identifying relevant research evidence were analyzed with the chi-square test.

RESULTS

Of 4 cohorts with 150 students, 119 (79.3%) students used the app and produced 240 critically appraised topics (CATs) in the app. The EBP steps "ask," "assess," and "appraise" were often correctly performed. The clinical question was formulated correctly in 53.3% (128/240) of the CATs, and students identified research evidence in 81.2% (195/240) of the CATs. Critical appraisal checklists were used in 81.2% (195/240) of the CATs, and most of these checklists were assessed as relevant for the type of research evidence identified (165/195, 84.6%). The least frequently correctly reported steps were "apply" and "audit." In 39.6% (95/240) of the CATs, it was reported that research evidence was applied. Only 61% (58/95) of these CATs described how the research was applied to clinical practice. Evaluation of practice changes was reported in 38.8% (93/240) of the CATs. However, details about practice changes were lacking in all these CATs. A positive association was found between correctly reporting the "population" and "interventions/interest" elements of the PICO/PICo and identifying research evidence (P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We assessed the students' EBP skills based on how they documented following the EBP steps in the EBPsteps app, and our results showed variations in how well the students mastered the steps. "Apply" and "audit" were the most difficult EBP steps for the students to perform, and this finding has implications and gives directions for further development of the app and educational instruction in EBP. The EBPsteps app is a new and relevant app for students to learn and practice EBP, and it can be used to assess students' EBP skills objectively.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Role-Play Simulation versus Real Patient Transferal Skills Training in Occupational Therapy Students in Saudi-Arabia- A Quasi-Experimental Study

Purpose

To compare the effectiveness of using role-play simulation as a possible alternative to real-patient training to teach transferal skills to occupational therapy students.

Patients and Methods

Seventy-one occupational therapy students (including those in their second, third and fourth years) participated in a quasi-experimental study. The students were randomly divided into two groups. One group received role-play simulation at the university. The other received training on real patients with mild to moderate stroke and spinal cord injury (one session/week for six weeks) in clinical (inpatient) settings in Jeddah to learn patient transferring skills. Student performance was taken as a measure of teaching method effectiveness, and was evaluated by using a validated OSCE-type assessment tool developed at the end of training. The tool showed good reliability (Cronbach's α was > 0.7) and inter-reliability (Kappa < 0.001).

Results

A total number of 71 students participated in the study. The majority of the students were female (66.2%, N=47) and 33.8% (N=24) were male. About 33.8% (N=24) of students were in the second year, 29.6% (N=21) were in the third year and 36.6% (N=26) were in the fourth year. There were 36 (49.3%) students in the simulation group The mean age of the students was 20.70 (SD=1.2). There was no significant difference in the students' performance in both groups with a P-value of 0.139.

Conclusion

Role-play simulation can effectively be used for students' training as there was no difference in the outcome of the students' performance in patient transferring skills in both groups. This finding can help in designing and implementing training through simulation, especially in situations where training on severely ill patients may be a safety risk.

Predictors of undergraduate occupational therapy students' academic performance during the Covid-19 pandemic: A hierarchical regression analysis

BACKGROUND

The rapid switch to online learning in response to the Covid-19 pandemic affected occupational therapy students' education delivery. It is, therefore, important to investigate these impacts.

AIMS/OBJECTIVES

This study investigated the potential predictors of academic performance in undergraduate occupational therapy students after moving to online or blended learning post-Covid-19.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 208 students from three Australian universities completed a demographic questionnaire and the Distance Education Learning Environment Scale (DELES). Hierarchical linear regression analyses were completed to identify significant students' academic performance predictors.

RESULTS

Hierarchical regression explained a cumulative total variance of 24.6% of students' academic performance. The following independent variables were significant predictors: DELES student autonomy (p = 0.033), number of hours per semester week dedicated to indirect online study (p = 0.003), number of hours per semester week dedicated to indirect offline study time (p = 0.034), gender (p = 0.005) and English as a first language (p = 0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings add to the knowledge base on the range of factors that have impacted occupational therapy students' academic performance during the Covid-19 pandemic.

SIGNIFICANCE

The outcomes will assist faculty in developing supportive and pedagogically sound learning modes across online, hybrid and traditional forms of instruction within occupational therapy curricula.

'Learning in and out of lockdown': A comparison of two groups of undergraduate occupational therapy students' engagement in online-only and blended education approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction

In many countries, the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in sudden changes to the delivery of health professions education in response to local and national lockdowns. Within occupational therapy, university education programs traditionally delivered in face‐to‐face classroom, and clinical settings, the transition to online learning presented unique issues and challenges for faculty and students. This study compared the experiences and perceptions of learning in two groups of occupational therapy students during the pandemic: one group converted to online learning only and the other had a blended approach that combined face‐to‐face on‐campus learning with some online lecture content delivery.

Methods

Two hundred and eight (n = 208) undergraduate occupational therapy students from three Australian universities completed an online self‐report demographic questionnaire and two standardised instruments: the Student Engagement in the e‐Learning Environment Scale and the Distance Education Learning Environment Scale. An independent‐samples t test with bootstrapping was completed to examine differences in students' scores.

Results

Statistically significant differences were observed between the online and blended learning groups across a range of the SELES and DELES subscales. The strongest findings related to psychological motivation (p = 0.001), personal relevance (p = 0.001), interactions with instructors (p = 0.002), instructor support (p = 0.001), student interaction & collaboration (p = 0.001), and cognitive problem solving (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Occupational therapy students who transitioned to online‐only learning experienced higher levels of motivation, interactions with instructors and peers, and self‐directed learning than students who experienced a blended education delivery approach of face‐to‐face and online learning. The findings extend educators' understanding of the matrix of factors that have impacted students' education during COVID‐19 and support the development of contemporary and pedagogically sound online and traditional modes of occupational therapy instruction. The results provide evidence of the importance of well‐structured programs that facilitate active and flexible learning, provide meaningful and positive experiences, and promote initiatives safeguarding social and personal well‐being. Further research in this area is recommended.

An Anti-Stigma Course for Occupational Therapy Students in Taiwan: Development and Pilot Testing

Attitudes of healthcare professionals towards people with disorders/disabilities are important for the development of therapeutic relationships, as well as to the evaluation and intervention processes. Therefore, it is critical to be aware and reduce stigmatizing attitudes in future healthcare professionals. An 18-week anti-stigma course was developed for occupational therapy students based on literature review and focus group interview. The course consisted of three components, including social contact, roleplaying, and critical reflection strategies. A quasi-experimental design was implemented to evaluate participants at three time points (i.e., pre-test, post-test, and one year after completion) using the Social Distance Scale and several questionnaires (i.e., stigmatising attitudes towards mental illness, physical disabilities, and children with emotional behavioural disorders). A total of 16 students completed the course and had significantly decreased social distance and stigmatising attitudes towards mental illness and emotional behavioural disorders in the post-test. These decreases remained one year later. The results support the provision of an anti-stigma course for occupational therapy students to reduce stigmatising attitudes. Future research should extend the anti-stigma course to occupational therapy students at other universities to increase both the sample size and overall generalisability.

Graduate Occupational Therapy Students: Communication and Research Preferences from Three University Libraries

Library liaisons from three universities distributed an anonymous survey to graduate occupational therapy students to gauge preferred methods of communication when conducting research. This article discusses three findings: whom the students prefer to turn to when seeking research assistance, which methods of communication students prefer, and how long students spend searching before asking for assistance. From 193 responses, the liaisons reasoned that students prefer consulting with their peers before seeking help from librarians or faculty or instructors and they prefer assistance face-to-face. Additionally, the majority are willing to research from 30 min to one hour before seeking research help.

Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) preparing occupational therapy undergraduates for practice education: A novel application of a proven educational intervention

BACKGROUND/AIM

With rapid growth in occupational therapy education programmes across Australia and a corresponding increase in demand for placements, there is a need to ensure that students are well prepared for practice education. An occupational therapy education programme at a Victorian university introduced a specific Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) programme to develop students' preparedness for practice education, supplementing core and existing teaching activities. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of occupational therapy students, including their perception of its impact on learning and preparation for practice education.

METHODS

Using a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 15 students who participated in PASS for Placement, 2 of whom were the student leaders. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.

RESULTS

Seven themes emerged from the data: a safe environment; skill development; one of us; feeling connected; student-centred and student-led; different motivations; and learning through leading. Students were positive about the impact of the programme on their confidence and readiness for practice education. Student leaders also reported that it contributed to the development of leadership skills and overall levels of confidence regarding practice education.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports the use of PASS to promote practice education preparedness, as there were positive outcomes for both students and student leaders. However, it indicates that participation in such programmes should be voluntary rather than mandatory. This study addresses a clear gap both in current practice and research, describing the application of a proven educational intervention in a new and innovative way. It is the first reporting of the use of PASS to support the preparation of students for practice education in any health discipline and subject to feasibility studies, could be adopted more broadly by disciplines beyond health, where work integrated learning is a mandatory element of the education programme.

Enhancing Occupational Therapy Students' Knowledge, Competence, Awareness, and Interest in Accessibility

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to assess whether the incorporation of an environmental assessment for accessibility, as part of an "Activity Analysis" course, would enhance new students' knowledge, competence, awareness, and interest in accessibility issues for people with disabilities.

METHODS

In this research, we included an out-of-class training of environmental assessment for accessibility. One hundred and two 1st-year occupational therapy students at Tel Aviv University participated in this research. Of the 102 participants, 56 experienced the training and 46 did not but attended the regular Activity Analysis course. The students explored a typical community environment, during which a specific checklist was used for assessing levels of accessibility. The "Accessibility-Knowledge Competence Awareness and Interests" questionnaire was administered before and after the course to both groups.

RESULTS

Students who participated in the out-of-class training showed significant increases in their knowledge, competence, and partial awareness of accessibility and also had better grades in two separate courses that required knowledge of accessibility. There was no significant difference in the results of the Accessibility-Knowledge Competence Awareness and Interests before and after the Activity Analysis course in the control group.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the current study support the contribution of teaching 1st-year occupational therapy students the principles and practices of accessibility for people with disabilities, by improving their knowledge and level of competence at this early stage of their professional lives. Further studies are needed, however, to determine the optimal course of implementation in order to enhance awareness and interest in the subject of accessibility.

OC38 - Beyond boundaries: inter-professional simulation in children and young people's nursing - three pilot projects

Theme: Nursing education, management and leadership.

An exploration of knowledge and practice of patient handling among undergraduate occupational therapy students

PURPOSE

To explore knowledge and practice relating to patient handling among final year occupational therapy students in the Republic of Ireland.

METHOD

We conducted a survey of final year students in three out of four occupational therapy programs in the Republic of Ireland (n = 81). The survey measured students' knowledge of manual handling principles and techniques and explored their experiences and ability to apply this knowledge to clinical situations.

RESULTS

All students (n = 81) had undertaken training in patient handling. Just under half of students (n = 35, 43.2%) had received additional training outside of the university setting. Overall knowledge of safe patient handling principles techniques and risk assessment was low (Mean Score = 15.71/28; SD = 3.81). Participants who received additional training achieved a lower mean total score (M = 13.89, SD = 3.54) than those who only undertook university-based training (M = 18.11; SD = 2.66; t(79) = -5.87; p < 0.05). The majority of participants reported intermittent use of taught principles while on clinical practice placements (n = 50, 61.8%) Reasons for not using taught principles included; selection of alternative technique by supervisor (n = 30, 56.6%); lack of available equipment (n = 13, 24.5%) and lack of time (n = 13, 24.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

While occupational therapy students in Ireland receive training in safe patient handling they appear to have limited knowledge of best practice and experience difficulties in applying their learning to clinical situations. There is an urgent need to consider the effectiveness of current educational strategies in this area. Implications for Rehabilitation Safe patient handling is a key component in preventing musculoskeletal injury among rehabilitation professionals The extent to which pre-professional training prepares rehabilitation professionals to practice safe patient handling is unclear Occupational therapy students in this study had limited knowledge of safe patient handling and had difficulty applying their learning to clinical practice Alternative education models are required to support development of safe patient handling skills. Educators may wish to consider how safe patient handling can be embedded across curricula to avoid the challenges of once off instruction and massed practice.