Partners for Success – Presentation and Poster Abstracts
TSAHP 2008 Research Award Presentation
CCRI Auditorium (Room 2.160)
Thursday, September 24, 2:50-3:15 pm
Multidisciplinary Concussion Management: Allied Health Student Learning Opportunities. Denise Gobert, Texas State University-San Marcos
This presentation highlights the program “Bobcat Heads Ups” program at Texas State University-San Marcos, which includes interdepartmental collaboration for concussion management in a university setting. Allied health students from different programs such as physical therapy, athletics, communication disorders, respiratory care and social work all work together to assist with preseason athletic screenings and concussion management. Thought-provoking discussion is provided on student learning opportunities for postgraduate collaborations and program expansion.
Concurrent Presentation Session A
CCRI Auditorium (Room 2.160)
Thursday, September 24, 3:25-5:05 pm
A New Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Sciences Program: Multidisciplinary Research Curriculum Coupled with Corporate Partnerships. Steven F. Sawyer, C. Roger James, Paul P. Brooke, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
There is a critical need for a substantial increase in the number of research-trained faculty with terminal degrees to support the research and teaching agendas of physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT) and athletic training (AT) education programs. Faculty vacancies within these rehabilitation science professions are projected to increase in the coming years. Furthermore, current clinical faculty who do not have a terminal degree will soon become unqualified by professional and institutional accreditation standards as these clinical education programs shift from conferring entry-level masters to clinical doctoral degrees. This situation is already occurring in Texas, as most physical therapy programs now confer the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Likewise, Master of Occupational Therapy programs are expected to migrate to the clinical doctorate in the next few years, and new OT accreditation standards require 50% of each program’s faculty to have a terminal degree by 2012. Even though PT, OT and AT educational programs have a strong preference to hire faculty with a Ph.D. or similar terminal doctorate, many programs often have little choice than to hire individuals with clinical competencies but who do not have terminal doctorates, due to the scarcity of such credentials in national and regional faculty applicant pools. The shortage of qualified faculty who possess Ph.D. level training and education within the field of rehabilitation sciences exists within Texas and nationally.
A newly developed Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Sciences program in the School of Allied Health Sciences at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) will address this widespread shortage of faculty by graduating individuals with in-field terminal degrees. This Ph.D. program is traditional in its emphasis on students conducting original research under the tutelage of faculty advisors, but unique for Texas universities in that it has a multidisciplinary (PT, OT, AT) curriculum that emphasizes the development of future faculty with the skill set and attributes needed by rehabilitation science education programs. The research activities of this Ph.D. program will largely be performed in the state-of-the-art research laboratories at the Center for Rehabilitation Research, TTUHSC Lubbock campus. Students are being accepted for the fall 2009 semester. Most students in the program will already have a license for clinical practice and years of clinical experience, but they seek grounding in clinical research and university teaching to become qualified for clinical rehabilitation faculty positions.
The research-oriented focus of the curriculum will produce graduates who will meet the clinical competency and research expertise requirements of PT, OT and AT education programs in Texas and elsewhere, since these graduates will be in possession of a Ph.D. that is within their field. Corporate partnerships have been nurtured to provide opportunities for faculty-directed, outcome-based graduate student dissertation projects that analyze large clinical data sets, as well as to provide assistantship funding for Ph.D. students.
Pilot Clinical Integration Project between Dental and Dental Hygiene Students. Taline D. Infante, William Rose, Tina Stein, Emelda Hernandez, LaDonia Franke, and Erica Oliveira, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Dental and dental hygiene students work together on a daily basis. However, their education is separate and their opportunities to interact during dental and dental hygiene school are minimal. Among the 5% of dental hygiene programs that are located in the same institution as dental programs, only a few have collaborative educational opportunities for students to learn or gain appreciation of each others’ roles. This may have a negative impact on patient care and on career satisfaction.
The purpose of this pilot project was to create a clinical training opportunity for dental and dental hygiene students to gain knowledge and appreciation for each other’s professions and to develop enhanced working relationships. Participants included selected senior dental hygiene (School of Health Professions) and dental students (Dental School) attending the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio who were paired together and simulated a private practice model by providing dental services to assigned patients. A pre- and post-project instrument was used to determine the concerns and attitudes regarding the clinical integration experience and the perceived level of confidence in accomplishing the tasks associated with the team approach to patient care. In addition, two debriefing sessions were incorporated during the fall and spring semesters to discuss concerns and gain a sense of how well the program was received and perceived by students, faculty and staff. In comparing the pre- and post-project survey results, overall dental and dental hygiene students regarded the experience to be valuable. Prior to the experience, dental hygiene students indicated a sense of trepidation, concern and “nervousness” about working in a new clinical environment with dental students. Survey results indicated that the experience increased the dental hygiene students’ confidence, sense of preparation and “readiness” to work with dental students. Comments from dental students revealed a positive attitude and commitment about hiring and working with a dental hygienist on graduation.
UAMS AHEC-SW Educational Programs: Bringing Health Educational Opportunities to the Ark-La-Tex through Community Partnerships. D. Patrick Evans, William Pedigo, Gloria Mugno, and William J. McIntyre, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Area Health Education Center-Southwest
Purpose – The mission of the Arkansas Area Health Education Center Program is “To improve the supply and distribution of health care professionals in Arkansas, with an emphasis on primary care, through community/academic educational partnerships, to increase quality health care for all Arkansans.” The purpose of this platform presentation is to describe the unique partnerships that have developed under the AHEC mission in Texarkana. Located away from university health centers, these partnerships have provided a mechanism to offer quality health education programs to an underserved community.
Objectives – After attending the session, attendees will be able to: (a) List the health educational programs offered at UAMS AHEC-SW, (b) Describe the financial support of these programs provided by local institutions and the states, (c) Describe the benefits perceived by local institutions in sponsoring these programs, and (d) Describe the mechanism for funding medical education
Major Findings – Eight health education programs are offered in a bi-state community by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) at the UAMS Area Health Education Center –Southwest (UAMS AHEC-SW). Programs are offered in the following areas: family medicine residency, nursing education, respiratory care, diagnostic medical sonography, radiographic imaging sciences, nuclear medicine, medical technology and health information management. The academic programs are housed in the UAMS Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Related-Professions in Little Rock. The faculty for the programs includes local AHEC-based faculty, UAMS faculty in Little Rock, and community volunteer faculty. Classes are offered through a variety of formats including face-to-face lectures, interactive television, and web-based course work. The programs are funded through combination of state funding and through community partnership with local institutions. Currently, local institutions provide funding for seven faculty FTE’s and one FTE administrative assistant and 21 FTE medical residents. Over 500 individuals have graduated from the programs with approximately 80% practicing in the service area.
Conclusion – Unique partnerships formed, which through combining resources has led to quality health educational programs being offered in an underserved community.
Linking Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant Students in a Collaborative International Experience. Alison J. Beck, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
The purpose of this presentation is to describe the planning and implementation of a collaborative student service-learning project in Guatemala. Master of Occupational Therapy students from UT Health Science Center, San Antonio participated with Occupational Therapy Assistant students from St. Phillips College, San Antonio to provide developmental services to children in an orphanage near Antigua, Guatemala.
Many lessons were learned from both the collaborative and cultural aspects of the project. The planning of the trip revealed different organizational approaches between the two institutions, requiring extensive investigation and utilization of resources by the participants. A Yahoo group was utilized to increase communication between the educational institutions, students, and community practitioners and resulted in a two year long sharing of resources and reflections. The partnership with the staff and children at the orphanage produced not only outcomes of increased understanding of a team approach in the provision of services, but also a discovery of local issues of occupational justice.
The students were placed in teams with community health care professionals from Texas and New Jersey. Student learning outcomes were evident through growth in their interpersonal communication skills on multiple levels. While at the orphanage, and in the nightly planning meetings, the teams resolved challenges and reflected on new cultural experiences. The growth of professional and personal ties, within and across countries, has led to the development of further educational opportunities for faculty, students, and community partners.
Concurrent Presentation Session B
CCRI Classroom (Room 2.150)
Thursday, September 24, 3:25-5:05 pm
Delivering Effective Oral Health Care through Collaborative Partnerships in Head Start. Beatriz Hicks and Michelle Landrum, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
The Office of Head Start awarded an Oral Health Initiative grant to Parent/Child Inc. (PCI), the local Head Start delegate agency in San Antonio, Texas. As a result, collaborative partnerships were formed with the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio’s Department of Dental Hygiene. The objectives of the program are to develop collaborative partnerships in order to deliver an effective oral health care program to Head Start children, parents, and the staff in the areas of prevention, education, and access to care. The program began in the fall of 2006; data were collected every year with the Basic Screening Survey (BSS).
Approximately 7,226 children were screened during the 2007-08 school year. Results showed that approximately 1,285 of these children needed dental treatment; out of these, 112 were urgent care cases. A case management system and a dental referral network were implemented to ensure treatment follow up on children who needed dental care. Also, follow-up phone interviews were conducted with parents to assess treatment barriers and issues related to access to care.
In the area of prevention, a fluoride varnish program was implemented, utilizing dental and dental hygiene students. In the 2007-08 school year, 93% of Head Start children participated in the fluoride varnish program, for a total of 10,495 fluoride varnish applications. In the area of education, pre-test questionnaires were administered to parents and PCI staff to determine their level of dental knowledge. Based on the results of this survey, a culturally sensitive education plan was developed. Two hundred eighty-six Head Start teachers were trained on the basics of oral health and given an oral health curriculum to incorporate into their classrooms. Training sessions were also developed for Head Start staff. Finally, an education plan was established utilizing dental hygiene students to reach out to the parents and educate them about select oral health topics. Education sessions were held at parent meetings, parent orientation days and other Head Start family activities.
The collaborative partnerships established an excellent model program that is creating an awareness of the oral health needs in the Head Start community. Through oral health education and monitoring, Head Start families and staff are developing an understanding of the importance of prevention and linking to a dental home, thus improving the oral health of the Head Start community.
Findings from a Research Partnership: Comparison of POLM vs. Non-POLM VAS Scores on First Clinical Rotation. Michael Geelhoed, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Purpose/Hypothesis – The purpose of our investigation was to determine whether physical therapy (PT) students who participated in clinical research during the didactic phase of their education performed better on their first clinical rotation compared to students who do not participate in clinical research. Sixteen students from the class of 2009 elected to participate in data collection procedures for a large clinical trial called Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military (POLM). Our hypothesis was that students who participated in the POLM study would have higher scores on their visual analog scale (VAS) rating of their overall clinical performance at the conclusion of their first clinical rotation than students who did not participate.
Number of Subjects – Data from clinical performance assessment tools were analyzed for a total of 32 students. Sixteen of these students participated in the POLM study during their didactic phase of PT education (POLM group). Sixteen GPA-matched students who did not participate in POLM were selected as the comparison group.
Materials/Methods – The POLM group assisted with the initial examination of subjects including ROM measurements, diagnostic ultrasound imaging, and tests of muscular strength and endurance during their first two years of didactic PT education. All students began their first nine-week clinical rotation in May 2008. The mean final VAS scores of their level of performance on the clinical rotation were calculated and the POLM group and control group were compared using a one-way ANOVA. The VAS score was documented by the clinical instructor by placing a vertical hash mark on a 10 cm line to rate their level of performance on the first clinical rotation. The midpoint of the VAS was “meets expectations for this level,” with “below expectations for this level” at the far left and “exceeds expectations for this level” at the far right. “Meets expectations” was further defined as meaning that the student’s overall performance is what is expected at this level of clinical and academic experience.