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This article is an example of what one would use if searching for evidenced based practice methods. My current fieldwork experience is in a skilled nursing facility and we frequently use the e-stim for strengthening and pain. Therefore for an article on evidence based practice i decided to search for an evidence based article that would prove what we are doing with the e-stim machine is beneficial. The article is a literature review and seeks to gather the evidence for e-stim and muscle strengthening. The results say that theoretically the e-stim is a complimentary tool for muscle strengthening. However, the e-stim still has little evidence for muscle strengthening and does not show that it is any better than traditional strengthening methods.

This article focused on the importance of having your heart, mind, and soul behind you and your profession in order to present professionalism within the occupational therapy field. The heart of professionalism in occupational therapy, focuses on doing Good Work and/or ensuring that what we are doing is right for us as well as improving another's life. The mind of professionalism in occupational therapy, this idea is centered around working to broaden the scope of knowledge within occupational therapy as well as providing EVP to your clients because they deserve more than the routine BUE exercises. Lastly, the soul of professionalism within occupational therapy, this involves collaborating with other individuals within the profession, critically evaluating, and brainstorming to ensure that the highest standard of practice is being used within the clinics. These three components are interwoven. Therefore, if one piece, the heart, mind, or soul is missing then the level of professionalism you portray decreases.

As we engage our hearts to do Good Work, strive to nourish our minds, and to cultivate the authenticity of our souls we can help make the field of occupational therapy stand out and be a pillar of professionalism. Wendy Wood's article is inspiring and is a good read to give you a little boost.

The author's purpose of this article was to promote professionalism as heart, mind, and soul at all level so that all we do in the name of occupational therapy not only remains right for ourselves and good for the world, but also grows more so over time. He described professionalism as especially important for the well-being of individuals or of society at large, having a value so special that money cannot serve as its sole measure: it is also simply good work. The author was captured by the magic of occupational therapy as a counselor at a summer camp for autistic children, which was a truly inspiring story about how he fell in love with the profession. He emphasized how personal professionalism is; so personal, in fact, that he uses the metaphors of heart, mind, and soul to depict its most vital elements. Any field claiming professional stature must be just as dedicated to cultivating its mind as it is to nourishing its heart, as the two are wonderfully symbiotic. I loved this article, and it truly depicted the meaning of and what it means to be an occupational therapist at a personal level.

This test could be used in acute care. This assessment offers a hospital version (MET_HV) that would be appropriate in the VA setting. This test was developed for use with a wider range of participants than the original version; it has more concrete rules, simplification of task demands and space provided on the instruction sheet for the patient to record the information they were to collect. There are 12 separate subtasks within four sets of simple tasks. These four task sets are as follows: 1. The patient must complete six specific errands (purchase 3 items, use the phone, collect and envelope from reception and send a letter to an external address), 2. The patient must obtain and write down four items of designated information (e.g. the opening time of a shop on Saturday), 3. The patient must meet the assessor outside of the hospital reception in 20 minutes after the test had begun and state the time, 4. The client must inform the assessor when he/she finishes the test. The test cannot be administered to patients confined to bed due to the nature of the questions. The test would be difficult to complete on patients instructed to only get up with help as they would have to have a nurse available at the time they need to meet some of the task requirements. Both validity and reliability have been established for this test for various populations (see citation for specifics).

This article discusses the treatments for trigger finger release which were splinting, corticosteroid injections, and surgery. The article discussed wearing a MCP blocking splint in 0 degrees for 3-6 weeks for different periods of time dependent upon therapist requests would be appropriate. Corticosteroid injections were preferred for immediate relief, however there is some debating going on for how many times you should get the steroid before it starts to have negative effects. Lastly, therapy should be started 10-14 days post-op for scar management post trigger finger release surgery. This articles also discusses the use of NSAIDs and cold therapy for management of symptoms for trigger finger. The articles goes onto discuss that choosing which treatment option should be based upon the severity, duration, and previous treatments given. This article helped me understand the different routes patients can take prior to coming to therapy after surgery.

Individuals experiencing mental health disorders are susceptible to impairments in occupational functioning due to decreased concentration, memory, thought processes, insight, judgement, decision-making, reality orientation, regulating emotions, understanding perception, motivation, and psycho-motor activity. This is a quantitative study out of the South American Journal of Occupation Therapy that studied the effects of slow vs. fast tempo of music on symptoms of psychosis during occupation. There were 160 individuals with diagnosed psychological disorders in a psych hospital in South Africa. The subjects participated in a leatherwork activity while listening to either fast paced/upbeat music or low tempo/slow music. Attention/focus, ability to follow instructions, directedness towards the activity, and motivation were measured in groups of individuals who had psycho-motor agitation or psycho-motor inhibition psychosis. The study found that listening to music during an activity has the ability to improve all three variables in both agitation and inhibited-motor psychosis. Fast-paced tempo significantly improves attention in individuals with inhibited motor-psychosis. The ability to follow instructions improved in both fast and slow tempo music for both agitated and inhibited individuals. Directedness and motivation did not significantly improve in any of the groups. This study indicates that music can improve the ability to perform occupations and activities in individuals with mental health disorders. Music is very individualized and it may be difficult for OT practitioners to work with groups of individuals when introducing music. IT is important for an OT to gather a good understanding of a patient's preferences and determine if they would be a good candidate for the use of music during therapy. More research is recommended in this area to further determine the effects of music on occupation in this population.

Should Children with ADHD be Routinely Screened for Motor Coordination Problems? The Role of the Pediatric Occupational Therapist British Journal of Occupational Therapy November 2007 vol. 70 no. 11 483-486 Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is commonly comorbid with movement difficulties, including developmental coordination disorder (DCD). With services being provided from many different areas, it may result in children with ADHD not being screened, and assessed if necessary, for DCD and vice versa. In this study, 69 children attending an ADHD clinic were screened for movement problems, using the parent-completed Movement Assessment Battery for Children Checklist (Henderson and Sugden 1992). The results showed that 19% of the children with ADHD were defined as having a 'movement problem', with a further 16% defined as 'at risk'. With 19% of the children having a movement problem and another 16% considered to be at risk it appears that it would be beneficial for children who are diagnosed with ADHD to also be screened for DCD so that they may qualify for services to help in that area.

The aim of this study is to identify and evaluate the psychometric properties of cognitive assessments for older adults. Assessments were categorized based on length of time to assess, less than or more than 30 minutes and body function versus activity or participation. The authors reviewed evidence to determine the strength of each assessment (validity, reliability, sensitivity, specificity) and the amount of literature supporting the use of these cognitive assessments for older adults. The following assessments demonstrated the best rigor for psychometric properties for cognitive assessment with older adults: for body function(under 30 minutes): the MMSE and 3MS, for body function (over 30 minutes): the Cognistat and CASE/Pecpa, and for the activity and participation level: the AMPS.

I am using this study as an example of clinical reasoning in the field. The systematic review of k tape effectiveness for musculoskeletal injuries found 6 studies that met inclusion, exclusion, and quality criteria. Only 3 of the 6 studies found K tape to have significant positive outcomes, 2 studies concluded that K tape had positive short-term benefits for shoulder injuries and 1 study found to have positive short-term benefits for whiplash injuries. The review concluded that there is insufficient evidence for or against K tape effectiveness on musculoskeletal injuries, however, the patient may perceive a benefit from its use. After reading this article a therapist has to use there best clinical reasoning when treating there patients with K tape . A therapist has to consider that K-taping may provide a perceived pain reduction to the patient and should be used in conjunction with other modalities and therapy approaches. However K- tape is not meant to be a stand-alone treatment. Patients experience and clinical observation by skilled therapists should be taken into account for K-tape use.

This article outlines five steps to achieve professionalism in order to demonstrate that you have respect for your employer, your co-workers, as well as yourself. Oftentimes, individuals can demonstrate professionalism during the interviewing process or when meeting with individuals in higher management. However, professionalism should be practiced on a daily basis. There are various ways to demonstrate professionalism within the workplace, including but not limited to, dressing appropriately, respecting others, and actively engaging in learning experiences. The first step to demonstrating professionalism includes looking the part. First impressions are lasting impressions, and an individual's attire sends a message to others concerning how serious they are about their work. Secondly, a professional should always use proper grammar, regardless of the type of communication. In addition, individuals should seek additional tasks and challenges as a means to show responsibility as well as a desire to succeed and grow within their company. Professionals should show respect toward others in all interactions regardless of whether it is a consumer, co-worker, or upper management. Lastly, part of demonstrating professionalism includes admitting any mistakes or mishaps. A willingness to admit one's mistakes takes courage; however, these individuals are often more cautious employees.

This website talks about professionalism and 5 steps to achieve professionalism. These steps are as follows: look the part, grammar is essential, tasks and challenges should be approached head on, show respect towards others, and accepting accountability for mishaps or mistakes. I believe these are good tips to achieve professionalism.

This resource shares 5 simple ways to increase professionalism. These ways include dressing appropriately and having proper hygiene. WHO and the CDC have different guidelines for hygiene so it is important to know and understand the appearance policies for the facility you are interviewing/working for. The use of proper grammar and communication skills in all forms of communication (written or verbal) is essential. It is also important to face challenges head on and to view challenging circumstances as learning opportunities. Always showing respect for others even in times of disagreement will show that you can handle yourself in a professional manner. The final suggestion was to always accept responsibility for mistakes.

In my rotation I have had an opportunity to work with multiple different stroke patients, and I have seen how aphasia has affected their lives, and this article documents how these individuals are at an increased risk for depression. The goal of this study was to determine whether an early intervention for an individual who has aphasia post stroke, as well as that persons family, leads to better mood and quality of life outcomes for people with aphasia, and less caregiver burden and better mental health for their family members. What was unique to me was that this study/intervention was the first known program tailored for people with aphasia and their family members -Unfortunately, this study is not finished, and is still in progress. However, to me this is also very unique that it was published to let you know that there is a new program being tested, and I think since it is supposedly the first of its kind, it could truly have great psychosocial benefits for individuals with aphasia post stroke.

This study aims to discover the impacts of an occupational therapy driving intervention with returning combat veterans. A single-subject design with three phases was used and conducted by a certified driving rehabilitation specialist. The three phases included a baseline pre-test, intervention with three 1-hr training sessions, and a post-test. Participants were recruited from several VA clinical in northern Florida. Inclusion criteria for participants included service in OEF or OIF, presence of a mTBI or orthopedic injury with PTSD, participation in driving prior to medical condition, valid driver's license residence in community, score of a least 24/30 on Mini-Mental State Examination. Outcome measures included the OT-CDRS and Optec 2500 for visual abilities, Useful Field of View for visual attention and processing speed, MMSE for general cognitive abilities, Trail-Making Test Part B for shifting, foot tap test for peddle control in car and right lower extremity ROM. One subject was selected and showed improvements in outcome measures. The subject showed improvements in visual search skills post-intervention. Patient also showed improvements in his appropriateness of searching skills post-intervention. Patient was also shown to improve on his on-road communication skills and recognition of need to inform other road users of intended actions. Although there were improvements in the veterans driving abilities, the threats to internal validity pose limitations to the study. The investigators intend to use data and address limitations in the hopes of conducting a random-controlled trial with more participants.

AOTA. Occupational Therapy Assistant Supervision Requirements. This AOTA document summarizes laws for supervision of COTAs by state. I compared some of the supervision laws of Ohio and Kentucky because I will most likely be working in one or both of these states. As I read through the specific laws for each of these states, I was surprised by the differences. For practitioners living near the border of multiple states, being well-versed in specific state laws will be essential for protecting our licensure. I summarized just a couple specific laws of these two states to give you a better idea of how they may differ state to state. This is a very important document to keep handy, and it goes into much more detail than what I've provided here. In Kentucky, supervising OTs must provide no less than 4 hours per month of general supervision for each COTA, which must include no less than 2 hours per month of face-to-face supervision. This law is more specific in Ohio. In Ohio, OTs must provide supervision at least once a week for all COTAs who are in their first year of practice. The OT must provide supervision at least once a month for COTAs beyond their first year of practice. Ohio law specifies that co-signing client documentation alone does not meet the minimum level of supervision. Supervision is specified as an interactive process that includes review of the following: client assessment, client reassessment, treatment/intervention plan, intervention, and discontinuation of treatment/intervention plan. In Kentucky, OTs may not have more than the equivalent of 3 full time COTAs under supervision at any 1 time. In Ohio, the number of COTAs an OT can supervise varies based upon the OTs job duties. If the OT performs evaluations, direct treatment, and supervision of OT personally, an OT may supervise up to 4 COTAs. However, if the OT does NOT provide direct treatment, the OT may supervise up to 6 COTAs.