OT Potential Podcast | Occupational Therapy CEUs

When we think of hand therapy, we tend to think of it as a practice area with an  abundance of research.

But, the mapping review of hand therapy interventions we examine this episode reminds us that there are also sizable gaps in the research—especially when it comes to more complex diagnoses. 

This means that when OTs are working with upper extremity conditions, we still need to pay careful attention to the other 2 pillars of evidence-based practice: the client values & developing our own skillset/clinical expertise. 

To talk about what this looks like in practice, we are excited to welcome Hoang Tran, OT/L CHT to the podcast. Hoang is the owner of Hands-on Therapy & Hand Therapy Secrets—and a vocal advocate for OTs working with the upper extremity.

In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-hand-therapy-interventions

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Takata, S. C., Wade, E. T., &; Roll, S. C. (2019). Hand therapy interventions, outcomes, and diagnoses evaluated over the last 10 years: A mapping review linking research to practice. Journal of Hand Therapy, 32(1), 1–9.

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As OTs, we believe that creating a therapeutic alliance is one of the most powerful vehicles to change. 

But, we also know that there are many barriers that exist to building transformational relationships with our clients 

Telehealth can feel like another such barrier—but it doesn’t have to be!

The article we are looking at in this 1 hour podcast-based CE course is a qualitative study exploring the parent engagement and therapeutic alliance in teletherapy programs. The author’s intent was to begin building a conceptual model to inform improved practice. 

After discussing the article, we are excited to welcome Adam Griffin to the podcast. Adam is an OT hailing from Dubai, who has vast experience using teletherapy and coaching fellow OTs in its use.

In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/telehealth-parent-alliance-ot

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Fairweather, G. C., Lincoln, M., Ramsden, R., &; Bulkeley, K. (2021). Parent engagement and therapeutic alliance in Allied Health teletherapy programs. Health &; Social Care in the Community, 30(2). 

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From pregnancy to age 2 is arguably the most important developmental window of our lifetimes. 

This makes the work of OTs who work with this age incredibly important. And, for the rest of us, we should be using our professional knowledge to advocate for the proper support for families at this critically important window.

In this one hour podcast course, we are looking at a broad systematic review about OT motor inventions for children ages 0-5. 

The importance of this paper cuts across multiple practice areas, but we are going to use this paper as a jumping off point to talk about early intervention. We will be joined by Sarah Putt, OTR/L to talk about her EI experience—and more broadly about the opportunities and challenges of early childhood support that we all need to be tuned into.

In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-early-intervention-motor-performance

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Tanner, K., Schmidt, E., Martin, K., &; Bassi, M. (2020). Interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to improve motor performance for children ages 0–5 years: A systematic review. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(2).

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The use of sensory-based interventions (SBIs) and environmental modification are common OT treatments. 

But, what is the evidence behind these treatments? 

In this episode, we’ll look at an influential systematic review that explores that question. The authors lay out the evidence behind specific sensory techniques and environmental modifications for children with sensory integration (SI) differences. 

The authors explore and rate the levels of evidence of common treatments, like massage, weighted vests, sensory enrichment in preschools, and linear swinging.

After we review the article, we’ll welcome to the podcast our guest, Bryden Giving, MAOT, OTR/L to talk about how the research has impacted his work in pediatrics, his doctoral studies, and most importantly, and what it all means for your OT practice.

In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/sensory-techniques-and-ot

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Bodison, S. C., &; Parham, L. D. (2018). Specific sensory techniques and sensory environmental modifications for children and youth with Sensory Integration Difficulties: A systematic review. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72(1).

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Whether or not you are personally a fan of virtually reality—all OTs should be following the developing research on this technology. 

In this episode, we’ll discuss an article where the authors explore the use of virtual reality (VR) systems that are built specifically for rehab versus general-use VR, like the Nintendo Wii and Xbox. 

The authors really focus on the active ingredients that seem to make VR-based rehab effective. And, they put forth the principles of neurorehab that underlie successful rehab. (They also specifically look at UE motor recovery after stroke, so this all feels so relevant to OT.)

After we review the article, we’ll welcome to the podcast our guest, Christopher Gaskins, MS, OTR/L, CSRS (and Neuroscience and Cognitive Science PhD Candidate) to talk about the research—and what it all means for your OT practice.

In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-virtual-reality

See rehab-specific VR options here:
https://otpotential.com/blog/new-occupational-therapy-tech-tools

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Maier, M., Rubio Ballester, B., Duff, A., Duarte Oller, E., & Verschure, P. (2019). Effect of Specific Over Nonspecific VR-Based Rehabilitation on Poststroke Motor Recovery: A Systematic Meta-analysis. Neurorehabilitation and neural repair, 33(2), 112–129.

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It is so easy to get caught in the minutiae of our daily work. 

And, sometimes it is incredibly helpful to zoom out and take a big picture look at the incredible changes we have seen in healthcare over the past decades. 

The journal article we are looking at this week gives us a bird’s-eye view of the past, present, and future of managing rheumatic and musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases. 

In the article you’ll find the same trends that we see in occupational therapy-specific research: a focus on self-management, patient reported outcome measures and patient centeredness. In looking to the future, technology is going to further enable all of these trends. 

After the articles orients us to the advances in MSK care, we will be joined by Winnie Tsui, OTL, CHT, MBA, who works as a product manager on the frontiers of technology in this area.  Winnie will help us understand the exciting technology that is ushering the future of care—and the role OT has the potential to play in this exciting new reality.

In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/rheumatic-musculoskeletal-occupational-therapy

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Burmester, G., Bijlsma, J., Cutolo, M. et al. Managing rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases — past, present and future. Nat Rev Rheumatol 13, 443–448 (2017). 

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We need some of our OTs with the biggest hearts and brightest minds to consider specializing in burn therapy.

But, no matter what setting you work in, you will likely have someone with a burn patient on your caseload at some point. Burns are the 4th most common type of trauma worldwide (behind traffic accidents, falls, and interpersonal violence.) 90% of burns occur in low- to middle-income countries.

While OTs have worked in burn units for decades, the research behind OT-specific contributions to burn care is still in its infancy. We’ll see this at the beginning of the podcast as we look at some early-stage research from Iran on occupational therapy for hand burns. 

Then, we’ll be joined by burn-rehab clinical specialist, Jody Sabel, OT/L. Jody will share about her work in acute and outpatient burn care. And, she will speak with us about the challenges and opportunities is in this incredibly important practice area.

In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/occupational-therapy-for-hand-burns

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Aghajanzade, M., Momeni, M., Niazi, M., Ghorbani, H., Saberi, M., Kheirkhah, R., Rahbar, H., & Karimi, H. (2019). Effectiveness of incorporating occupational therapy in rehabilitation of hand burn patients. Annals of burns and fire disasters, 32(2), 147–152.

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Helping people change their habits to change their health is one of the main mechanisms that makes OT effective. 

But, I don’t think we spend enough time thinking about how HARD it is to change our habits. 

The article we are looking at today focuses on changing lifestyle habits for adults at high risk of a cardiovascular incident, like a stroke. The author’s aim is to conceptualize how engaging occupations can be used to facilitate health promoting habits.

We’ll use this article as a jumping off point to discuss both habit formation and Lifestyle Medicine with Ryan Balats Osal OTD, MS, OTR/L, NZROT, CEAS, CHC.

In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/lifestyle-medicine-ot

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Mälstam, E., Asaba, E., Åkesson, E., Guidetti, S., &; Patomella, A.-H. (2021). ‘Weaving lifestyle habits’: Complex pathways to health for persons at risk for stroke. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 29(2), 152–164.  

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Constraint-induced Movement Therapy has the reputation for being an intervention that is only for specialized OTs in some far-away speciality clinic. 

But, trust me: no matter what population you work with, OTs should be following this research. 

Today, on the podcast we are looking at a Cochrane review of all the evidence that undergirds this treatment. CIMT is perhaps the most-studied OT intervention—and it has lessons to teach us all  about: neuroplasticity, intensity, and the future of OT 🙂 

After reviewing the article, we are excited to welcome to the podcast Catherine Hoyt, PhD, OTD, OTR/L to discuss how you can be leveraging the principles behind the intervention in your OT practice.

In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/cimt-occupational-therapy

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Hoare, B. J., Wallen, M. A., Thorley, M. N., Jackman, M. L., Carey, L. M., & Imms, C. (2019). Constraint-induced movement therapy in children with unilateral cerebral palsy. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 4(4), CD004149.

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The change from “caseload” to “workload” may not seem that dramatic, but make no mistake it is a quiet revolution that is happening in school-based OT. 

It fundamentally shifts how we deliver care. 

The article we are discussing on the podcast encourages a  shifting away from an individualist, medical model “caseload” based approach. And, encourages us to embrace a “workload” approach, which hypothetically yields opportunities to focus more on population health. 

This shift has been underway for a while now, and the research we are looking at gives us an update on how this change is playing out on the front lines. 

After our article review, I’m so excited to talk about this with Jayson Davies, M.A., OTR/L of the OT School House! Jayson has experienced this shift in his own practice, and has a wealth of experience supporting school-based OTs.

In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/school-based-ot-trends

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Seruya, F. M., &; Garfinkel, M. (2020). Caseload and workload: Current trends in school-based practice across the United States. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(5).

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