Katie Robinson

Pilot study of participating in a fatigue management programme for clients with multiple sclerosis

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the experience of participating in a community-based fatigue management programme for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Method. Eight people with MS who participated in an 8-week community-based fatigue management programme were interviewed using a semi-structured, open-ended interview protocol. Data were analysed using constant comparative analysis informed by a phenomenological perspective. Results. Participants experienced ownership, active participation and empowerment. Participants’ fatigue was legitimised and validated, and participants described a shared experience and shared voice. Outcomes identified by participants included: lifestyle and occupational changes, altered thinking about fatigue and the development of social supports. Conclusion. Participants’ experience of the community-based fatigue management programme was described in positive terms with unanticipated benefits and outcomes described.

Happiness: A Review of Evidence Relevant to Occupational Science

Occupational scientists must synthesise and apply knowledge generated within related disciplines to ensure the continued development of the discipline. This paper reviews the evidence available to occupational scientists on human happiness. This body of knowledge can be utilised by occupational scientists to better understand the subjective experience of occupational engagement. Two key philosophical traditions in happiness studies, hedonism and eudaimonia, are presented and theories of human happiness, including set-point theory, are described. A number of thematic areas of research on human happiness are reviewed. The relationships between happiness and health, living situation, personal goals, work, volunteering, flow, religiosity and relationships are reviewed. The reviewed studies underscore the centrality of occupation to current understandings of human happiness.

Major trends in the use of occupation as therapy in Ireland 1863-1963

Purpose Major gaps exist in the documented history of occupational therapy in Ireland. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to filling these gaps by providing an overview of three major transitions in Irish occupational therapy in the century preceding the opening of St. Joseph?s College of Occupational Therapy in 1963. Research on occupational therapy’s past is valuable not only for recording and commemorating key events and individuals but also for allowing reflection on and questioning of contemporary practice and assumptions. Design/methodology/approach This descriptive paper draws on multiple documentary sources to present an overview of the first 100 years of the use of occupation as therapy/occupational therapy in Ireland from 1863 to 1963. Findings Three major transitions in occupational therapy in Ireland are presented: from moral treatment and the use of occupation as therapy to medical patronage of occupational therapy, from medical patronage to the early/pre-professional era and finally from the pre-professional era to the era of professionally qualified occupational therapists. To illustrate these transitions, a small number of individuals and their contributions are discussed including Dr Eamon O’Sullivan, Dr Ada English, Donal Kelly, Olga Gale and Ann Beckett. Originality/value This paper charts the foundations upon which the currently thriving profession of occupational therapy are built. The Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland recently celebrated their 50th anniversary (AOTI, 2015a), and in 2017, it is 100 years since occupational therapy was formalised in Clifton Springs, New York, USA. Occupational therapy is a relatively young profession, and great opportunities exist to research its history in Ireland to capture the memories and experiences of the pioneers who laid the foundation of the profession as well as to situate the development of the profession in the broader social, cultural and scientific contexts within which it developed.

Using historical documentary methods to explore the history of occupational therapy

Introduction Historical research can benefit health professions by providing a basis for understanding how current beliefs and practices developed over time. From an occupational therapy perspective, a need for deeper critical understandings of the profession has been identified; historical research can facilitate this process. Documentary research is a significant methodology in historical inquiry, but there is a dearth of guidance for occupational therapists wishing to employ this method. Method A conceptual literature review was conducted to describe how to use documentary sources to understand the development of the profession, drawing on literature from the disciplines of history and occupational therapy. Results The stages of historical documentary research are described: choosing a topic, sourcing and selecting evidence, and managing sources. How to consider the authenticity, credibility and representativeness of historical material is discussed. Various means to determine the meaning of historical evidence are considered, with chronological, thematic and theoretical approaches proposed. Conclusion Methodological transparency is central to the process of historical documentary research. To enhance understanding of the quality of historical source material, adoption of the guidelines outlined is recommended. Adopting a clearly defined questioning perspective promotes more substantial conclusions and professional understandings.

The Bluebirds: World War I Soldiers’ Experiences of Occupational Therapy

OBJECTIVE. More is known about the experience of occupational therapists than the experience of patients during the profession’s early years. We examined soldiers’ experiences of occupational therapy in American Base Hospital 9 in France during World War I through analysis of a 53-line poem by Corporal Frank Wren contained in the unpublished memoir of occupational therapy reconstruction aide Lena Hitchcock. METHOD. Historical documentary research methods and thematic analysis were used to analyze the poem, the memoir, and the hospital’s published history. RESULTS. The poem describes the activities engaged in during occupational therapy, equipment used, and the context of therapy. It articulates positive dimensions of the experience of engaging in activities, including emotional benefits, diversion, and orthopedic benefits. CONCLUSION. Previous historical research has identified core philosophical premises about the use of occupational therapy; in this article, the enactment of these principles is established through the analysis of a soldier’s account of receiving occupational therapy.

A case study of the development of occupational therapy at St. Patrick’s Hospital Dublin, 1935-1969

This paper aims to examine the relationship between psychiatry and occupational therapy in Ireland through a case study of the development of the occupational therapy department in St. Patrick’s Hospital, Dublin, from 1935 to 1969. Patronage by psychiatrists was an important factor in the professionalisation of occupational therapy internationally.,Documentary sources and oral history interviews were analysed to conduct an instrumental case study of occupational therapy at St. Patrick’s Hospital from 1935 to 1969.,The research identified key individuals associated with the development of occupational therapy at St. Patrick’s Hospital, including psychiatrist Norman Moore, occupational therapy worker Olga Gale, occupational therapist Margaret Sinclair, and social therapist Irene Violet Grey. Occupational therapy was considered by the hospital authorities to be “an important part in the treatment of all types of psychiatric illness” (Board Meeting Minutes, 1956). It aimed to develop patient’s self-esteem and facilitate social participation. To achieve these objectives, patients engaged in activities such as dances, arts and crafts, and social activities.,This study has highlighted the contributions of key individuals, identified the links between occupational therapy and psychiatry, and provided an insight into the development of the profession in Ireland prior to the establishment of occupational therapy education in 1963. Occupational therapy practice at St. Patrick’s Hospital from 1935 to 1969 was congruent with the prevailing philosophy of occupational therapy internationally, which involved treatment through activities to enhance participation in society.

Qualitative synthesis: A guide to conducting a meta-ethnography:

Introduction Qualitative meta-synthesis draws together data from multiple studies and can enrich understandings of client experiences and inform health policy. Meta-ethnography is the most commonly utilised qualitative synthesis approach in healthcare; however, there is variation in the conduct and quality of many published meta-ethnographies. This paper aims to guide occupational therapists on the process of completing a meta-ethnography. Method A systematic search of articles published from 1986–2016 was conducted. Studies which described an evaluation or critique of meta-ethnography as a research method, and consequently provided reflections or guidance on the method, were included. Two authors independently screened papers and nine relevant papers and one key text were identified. Two authors independently extracted data from identified sources. Results The seven stages of meta-ethnography described by Noblit and Hare (1988) are presented and integrated with key advancements from subsequent publications. Stages include starting the meta-synthesis, consideration of relevant studies, reading the studies and deciding on how they should be put together, translating the studies into one another, synthesising translations and expressing the synthesis. Conclusion Given the proliferation of qualitative methods in occupational therapy research, rigorous use of meta-ethnography has great potential to contribute to the research evidence base.

An oral history of occupational therapy education in the Republic of Ireland

Introduction Historical research contributes to the critical perspectives called for in occupational therapy. Despite this, research on the history of occupational therapy education is limited. The only occupational therapy programme in the Republic of Ireland from 1963 to 1986 was the diploma at St Josephs College of Occupational Therapy, Dublin, which followed the curriculum first of the Association of Occupational Therapists and from 1974 the British Association of Occupational Therapists. This study explores oral histories of pioneering students from that programme. Method Oral history interviews were conducted with 19 former students of the programme who studied between 1963 and 1970. Interviews were thematically analysed. Findings Participants described a curriculum with two subject foci: academic and activity-based subjects. Despite a focus on activity-based subjects in the curriculum, participants were ambivalent about their use in practice. They described a need to manage tensions arising from working alongside craft workers designated as occupational therapists. Throughout the interviews, claims for the professional status of occupational therapy were identified. Conclusion The oral histories reveal a multitude of professionalisation strategies used to establish the profession in 1960s and 1970s Ireland. These findings have relevance for present day debates about professionalisation, occupation-focused curricula and interprofessional practice and education.

Effectiveness of early assessment and intervention by interdisciplinary teams including health and social care professionals in the emergency department: protocol for a systematic review

Introduction Finding cost-effective strategies to improve patient care in the emergency department (ED) is an increasing imperative given growing numbers of ED attendees. Encouraging evidence indicates that interdisciplinary teams including health and social care professionals (HSCPs) enhance patient care across a variety of healthcare settings. However, to date no systematic reviews of the effectiveness of early assessment and/or interventions carried by such teams in the ED exist. This systematic review aims to explore the impact of early assessment and/or intervention carried out by interdisciplinary teams including HSCPs in the ED on the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of care, and to define the content of the assessment and/or intervention offered by HSCPs. Methods and analysis Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses standardised guidelines, we will conduct a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs, controlled before–after studies, interrupted time series and repeated measures studies that report the impact of early assessment and/or intervention provided to adults aged 18+ by interdisciplinary teams including HSCPs in the ED. Searches will be carried in Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Cochrane Library and MEDLINE from inception to March 2018. We will also hand-search the reference lists of relevant studies. Following a two-step screening process, two independent reviewers will extract data on the type of population, intervention, comparison, outcomes and study design. The quality of the studies will be appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The findings will be synthesised in a narrative summary, and a meta-analysis will be conducted where appropriate. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval will not be sought since it is not required for systematic reviews. The results of this review will be disseminated through publication in a peer-review journal and presented at relevant conferences. Trial registration number CRD42018091794.