bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Pilot Community Living Skills Group: An Evaluation
Authors: Brown Fiona , Shiels Mary , Hall Caroline 
Published: April 2015

This article presents the findings of a 12-week pilot community living skills (CLS) group for eight adults with enduring mental health needs; five of these adults met the inclusion criterion for the study. The group was established to promote skills for home management, community living, personal care and safety, and social and interpersonal functioning. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and a client satisfaction questionnaire were used as broad measurement tools: the COPM was scored pre-group and post-group and the questionnaire was completed following the final session. A follow-up home visit was carried out by therapists to gauge further the skill transfer from group to home environment. In the tasks identified according to the COPM pre-group and post-group, performance and satisfaction scores were improved slightly. The questionnaire results indicated high levels of client satisfaction. The topics rated as most helpful were of a practical nature and those enjoyed less were of a discursive nature. The post-group home visits demonstrated an improvement in the majority of group members in effective task management within the home. The implications for future occupational therapy and research are considered on the basis of the findings. These demonstrate that a basic form of evaluation can be used effectively to promote good clinical practice and, on this occasion, the need for future CLS groups. They also serve to demonstrate the need for a larger scale, more in-depth evaluation of CLS groups within mental health practice.
The Assessment of Motor and Process Skills: An Evaluation of the Impact of Training on Service Delivery
Authors: McAdam Kathy , Thomas Wendy , Chard Gill 
Published: April 2015

Thirty-six occupational therapists that completed a training course on the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS), held in the West Midlands, took part in a follow-up evaluation. This examined the effectiveness of the AMPS training on the occupational therapy service delivery. Twenty-eight structured interviews were carried out with occupational therapists from the West Midlands region and eight postal questionnaires returned from occupational therapists outside the region. The outcome indicated that observation skills had improved and that the AMPS was an appropriate tool to use for the purposes of assessment, guiding intervention and measuring outcomes of occupational therapy. There were variations in the ease with which the AMPS was administered with different client groups, but 89% of the occupational therapists were still using the AMPS at 9 months following training across a range of services. The main difficulties encountered were a lack of access to a computer and the additional support needed for the AMPS to be fully integrated into clinical practice. The adaptability of the AMPS as a standardised assessment and outcome measure makes it a good choice of tool to use across an occupational therapy service. The effects of the AMPS training on such a service are discussed, with recommendations for managers planning the distribution of limited training budgets and the implications for service development needs.
Supervision in Occupational Therapy, Part 3: Accommodating the Supervisor and the Supervisee
Authors: Sweeney Grace , Webley Paul , Treacher Andy 
Published: April 2015

This paper, the final one in a series of three, aims to draw together the findings of the two reported studies on the experiences of supervisors and supervisees in the discipline of occupational therapy (Sweeney et al 2001a,b) and to distil recommendations for the future practice of supervision within the profession. A paucity of empirical research on the process of supervision within the health care professions has resulted in a confusion concerning the purpose of supervision, its distinctiveness from other activities and the role and function of both supervisors and supervisees, and a lack of clarity regarding the tasks and techniques to be employed within supervision. In keeping with concerns about supervision expressed in the general literature, the findings of these studies (Sweeney et al 2001a,b) suggest that supervision as it is currently practised within occupational therapy is not a comfortable experience for either the supervisor or the supervisee. This paper recommends steps that can be adopted by both supervisors and supervisees to facilitate the development of a more productive relationship within supervision; for example, the use of training, exposure to theories and models of supervision, and the use of agendas, contracts and feedback. Supervisor and supervisee recommendations are discussed within the wider framework of professional, cultural and organisational implications.
Rethinking the Practice-Knowledge Interface in an Uncertain World: a Model for Practice Development
Authors: Higgs Joy , Titchen Angie 
Published: April 2015

The world of professional practice is uncertain because of the very nature of working with inexact health sciences in human contexts and because of the rapid changes constantly occurring in the health sciences' knowledge, practice and technology. To work in this uncertain world, occupational therapists, along with other health professionals, need to participate in the development of their individual and collective professional practice. This paper presents a model for practice development which reframes the practice-knowledge interface. This traditional point of division (between knowledge and practice, between academic and practice learning, between propositional and experience-based knowledge) is replaced with a dialectical relationship. Practice can be enhanced through the development of the practice and knowledge of individuals and the profession, recognising the interdependence of practice and knowledge in their mutual generation and operation.
Using Learning Contracts in Fieldwork Education: the Views of Occupational Therapy Students and those Responsible for their Supervision
Authors: Whitcombe Steven W 
Published: April 2015

Occupational therapy students at the University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, use learning contracts during fieldwork placements. A learning contract is a practical agreement between the student and the fieldwork educator, which is designed to take account of the student's individual learning needs. Studies have considered the value of using learning contracts within health care settings; however, there is little evidence available of their use with occupational therapy students and fieldwork educators. The aims of this study were to consider occupational therapy students' and fieldwork educators' opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of learning contracts and to identify how contracts were used in the fieldwork setting. A further aim was to identify the attitudes of students and fieldwork educators towards the educational theory — andragogy – underpinning learning contracts. A postal questionnaire was used to gather information from a year group of 46 occupational therapy students and the 52 fieldwork educators responsible for their supervision. The respondents suggested a number of advantages and disadvantages of using learning contracts and most respondents had positive attitudes towards andragogical theory. The study found that the majority of the respondents supported the use of learning contracts in fieldwork settings and further research is recommended. Conclusion and recommendations Learning contracts can be used to apply the theory of andragogy to the fieldwork component of health care courses. Some research has looked at the use of contracts in clinical settings; however, research that took account of the views of occupational therapists and occupational therapy students was not found when reviewing the literature. Overall, the study is supportive of research that suggests that learning contracts can be a useful tool in fostering independent learning and the skills of self-evaluation. However, when interpreting the findings, it needs to be taken into account that the study focused on one group of occupational therapy students from one particular problem-based learning course. In view of this, the following recommendations are made:
Conducting Focus Groups: Purpose and Practicalities
Authors: Hollis Vivien , Openshaw Sheila , Goble Rita 
Published: April 2015

Focus groups are increasingly used by health professionals for obtaining research data and for gathering opinions about the perceived qualities of a service. The advantages of this method are that it is easily understood, reflects cultural differences and has a high face validity by providing convincing findings. Focus groups are especially useful for exploring the attitudes and experiences associated with a particular topic. Although occupational therapists may be using focus groups, only a very few studies have been reported. This paper provides background information on focus groups which will assist in weighing this method against a number of other group techniques. Personal experience and a wide range of published material contribute to guidelines for preparing for and conducting focus groups. Practical suggestions and approaches are offered to help occupational therapists to increase the credibility and dependability of their results.
Speech Recognition as an Input to Electronic Assistive Technology
Authors: Hawley Mark S 
Published: April 2015

Automatic speech recognition systems can be enormously beneficial for people with physical disabilities, having the potential to provide a fast and easy-to-use input for computer access and control of the home environment. An overview, based on a review of the research literature and clinical observations, is given of the suitability and performance of speech recognition for computer access in two situations ± for people with no speech problems and for people with dysarthria ± and case studies are presented as examples. Commercial large vocabulary systems are often appropriate for people with no, mild or moderate speech problems, although adequate time, training and support are essential. Those with severe dysarthria achieve lower recognition rates, but speech recognition can still be a useful method of input for some individuals. Speech input as a means of controlling the home environment is mainly based on small vocabulary speech recognition, and recognition reliability is dependent upon the consistency of the speech of the individual. Although speech recognition may be a solution for some people, others reject the technology because of inadequate reliability. This is particularly a problem for people with dysarthria, where speech recognition rates can be unacceptably low due to inconsistent speech.
Older People and Mobility in the Home: in Search of Useful Assistive Technologies
Authors: McCreadie Claudine , Seale Jane , Tinker Anthea , Turner-Smith Alan 
Published: April 2015

A number of assistive technologies exist to help older people with their indoor mobility needs and there is an increasing recognition that older people are capable of being critical and active consumers of these technologies. This paper reports on a study that used focus groups and informal trials to explore older people's perspectives on their indoor mobility problems, their ideas on what assistive technologies might resolve these problems and their evaluation of assistive technologies that were developed in response to these ideas. The analysis of the results from the four focus groups led to the development of a stair-climbing aid and a new cataloguing aid. The analysis of the results from the informal trials produced useful feedback on the design of the two products and indicated some limitations to the focus group methodology which could be addressed in future research.
Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation for Work
Authors: Joss Malcolm 
Published: April 2015

The use of occupational therapy in work rehabilitation has diminished over the last 20 years. Therapy resources have been diverted to the acute sector as a response to the pressure within National Health Service trusts to achieve early discharges. Occupational therapy in the United Kingdom has therefore suffered a loss of facilities and of therapists experienced in returning injured or ill employees to work. This contrasts with the development of occupational therapy in work rehabilitation abroad. Occupational therapists, through their education and training, have the potential to develop the necessary skills to assess and treat injured employees to return them to work. There exists a significant number of employees at work and absent from work with musculoskeletal problems, who need the services of occupational therapists specialising in work rehabilitation. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the current status of work rehabilitation, to give an example of a therapist-led work rehabilitation intervention with a client and to demonstrate the unique role that occupational therapy played in assisting in the client's return to work.
Fact and Fiction: A Clarification of Phantom Limb Phenomena
Authors: Fraser Carole 
Published: April 2015

Phantom limbs are widely recognised but poorly understood phenomena. Most health professionals dealing with amputees are aware that, post-amputation, some amputees may feel that at least part of their amputated limb is still there. However, there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding the variety, complexity, prevalence and impact of the phenomena. In an attempt to address this problem, a systematic descriptive survey was carried out on a clinic population of upper limb amputees. The results revealed that 73 of the 76 participants who took part in the study had experienced phantoms. Sixty-six were still experiencing phantoms, of whom 44 stated that their phantoms were painful. It was also found that the amputees claimed that they were provided with very little information about the phenomena and demonstrated a reluctance to discuss their experiences with others apart from their close families. Based on the findings of the survey, this paper discusses the main characteristics of phantom limb phenomena and separates fact from fiction in order to clarify therapists' understanding of the phenomena.
Modernising Fieldwork, Part 2: Realising the New Agenda
Authors: Fisher Angela , Savin-Baden Maggi 
Published: April 2015

In recent years, many discussions have taken place regarding the need for new and different forms of fieldwork education. Research was undertaken to explore the capacity for and barriers to placement provision in the West Midlands Region (reported in part 1 of this article) and to investigate the views of fieldwork educators about the Role Emerging and the Collaborative (2:1) Models of Fieldwork Education. While these have been reported to be viable approaches, as yet few attempts have been made to implement them in practice and issues of context were found to have an impact on their implementation and the provision of placements. Part 2 of this article examines these two models of fieldwork education in the light of the findings of this study and an innovative approach that emerged from discussions with participants is presented. It is argued here that choice and diversity, in terms of the different models of fieldwork education meeting the needs of different service environments and different students, is valuable; however, the development of an appropriate infrastructure and the provision of adequate resources to support these alternatives are key issues.
Psychoeducation in Acute Mental Health Settings: Is There a Role for Occupational Therapists?
Authors: Eaton Polly 
Published: April 2015

Acute mental health facilities have been under scrutiny in recent years. One of the results of government directives was the creation of a 12-bed women's ward in an acute mental health unit. After concerns about a lack of female-specific treatment, a psychologist and an occupational therapist sought to establish a group specifically for the ward. They used a psychoeducational model to facilitate a ward-based group. A psychologist, an occupational therapist and a staff nurse devised and ran the programme. This paper describes the aims, challenges and outcomes of the group. It discusses the role of the occupational therapist in delivering this intervention based on observations and relevant literature. The paper concludes by suggesting that occupational therapists, with their knowledge of group processes and activity, are well placed to deliver psychoeducational interventions.
Getting the Evidence into Practice: The Challenges and Successes of Action Research
Authors: Atwal Anita 
Published: April 2015

In health and social care, occupational therapists are acknowledging the importance of being evidence-based practitioners. The challenge is not only how to find the evidence but also how to implement research findings or best evidence in clinical practice. Furthermore, the pressure for more effective implementation of research findings is likely to increase. This paper discusses the issues and challenges that occupational therapists may face and must overcome when doing action research from the inside. Action research can be used to improve clinical practice by identifying and solving practical problems. The paper demonstrates the use of action research to change practice by implementing a new interprofessional discharge model with fractured neck of femur patients in an inner-London teaching hospital. The strategies used to help to overcome the challenges of action research are discussed. The main problems encountered were the difficulties in reaching amicable solutions and in empowering health care professionals who often had little or no influence on decision making. While the aims of the research project were not met, it did highlight further areas that needed to be resolved in order to enhance interprofessional working.
Clinical Applicability of an Educational-Behavioural Joint Protection Programme for People with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Hammond Alison , Jeffreson Paula , Jones Nerys , Gallagher Jane , Jones Tracy 
Published: April 2015

Joint protection is a major part of rheumatology occupational therapy. Recent research emphasises that an educational-behavioural approach is more effective than current practice in enabling people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to increase their use of joint protection and benefit from reduced pain and inflammation and improved function. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether occupational therapists, following a 2-day training course in delivering an educational-behavioural joint protection programme, could enable people with RA to improve use of joint protection significantly and obtain similar results to previous clinical trials. This tested whether it would be feasible to introduce the programme into clinical practice. Three occupational therapists attended a ‘Looking After Your Joints’ training course for leaders. A single-blind crossover trial was conducted. Three centres participated, with each therapist delivering two or three joint protection programmes. Thirty participants with RA attended: 27 women and 3 men, with a mean age of 52.3 years (SD 12.08) and a mean disease duration of 6.76 years (SD 7.02). The primary outcome measure was an observational assessment of use of joint protection, the Joint Protection Behaviour Assessment (JPBA; Hammond and Lincoln 1999b). The median baseline JPBA score for all 30 participants was 15.39% (IQR 11.45–26.82%), which rose significantly to 35% (IQR 25–42.40%) (Z = −3.97; p = 0.0001) at 6 months following the programme. Both participants and therapists expressed positive views of the efficacy of this training approach. Sixteen participants increased use of joint protection by 20% or more. The findings highlight that the 2-day training course facilitated therapists in delivering the programme effectively and they could gain similar behavioural improvements to previous clinical trials.
Frames of Reference: Their Use in Paediatric Occupational Therapy
Authors: Berry Jane , Ryan Susan 
Published: April 2015

The aim of this study was to explore how paediatric occupational therapists provide intervention for children with cerebral palsy in the United Kingdom. A survey design was used with a sample of 120 paediatric occupational therapists. The results of this study were representational of practice among members of the National Association of Paediatric Occupational Therapists. It was found that 91.7% of occupational therapists in this study used an eclectic treatment approach. Treatment was usually provided on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the individual needs of the child, and family-centred functional therapy was valued. Postgraduate training in the areas of neurodevelopmental treatment and sensory integration is recommended in a continuing capacity if therapists choose to use these frames of reference to guide treatment for children with cerebral palsy.
Preventing Unnecessary Hospital Admissions: An Occupational Therapy and Social Work Service in an Accident and Emergency Department
Authors: Carlill Gill , Gash Elizabeth , Hawkins Glenis 
Published: April 2015

In spite of the recent increase in occupational therapy services being provided to accident and emergency departments, and the anecdotal evidence that these are beneficial, there is very little published research to substantiate the need for such services. This paper describes the occupational therapy and social work service set up to serve an accident and emergency department in an acute NHS trust. The pilot service was audited after a 6-month period (December 1998 to May 1999) and the results of the audit are also presented. The results showed that the service was beneficial in terms of both preventing unnecessary hospital admissions and arranging suitable community support when patients were discharged home from the accident and emergency department. There were clearly ways in which the service could be improved and expanded; these are discussed, together with the implications of the results for future practice. The most important expansion for the service is an increase in staffing to allow 7 days a week cover.
Characteristics of Students Who Enter Occupational Therapy Education through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Clearing System
Authors: Craik Christine , Wyatt-Rollason Tracey 
Published: April 2015

Since the 1960s, there has been substantial research outside the United Kingdom (UK) on recruitment to occupational therapy education. Recent UK studies have explored the characteristics of mature students (Craik and Alderman 1998), first-year students (Craik et al 2001) and students with a first degree (Craik and Napthine 2001). Based on these studies, a semi-structured, self-report, postal questionnaire gathered data from 50 students who entered the BSc(Hons) Occupational Therapy course at Brunel University, London, via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the UK (UCAS) clearing system. The students tended to be younger and were more likely to be female and Caucasian and to have similar or higher academic qualifications than standard-entry students at the same university. The majority first became aware of occupational therapy through previous work in a health care setting, although some did so while researching allied health professions. Although one-third originally had physiotherapy as their first career choice, 92% now considered that occupational therapy was what they wanted to do. The principal reason for applying through the clearing system was timing, with some applicants deciding late in the academic year to study occupational therapy. These findings add further weight to the need to promote the profession.