Occupation

Abstracts
Anna Smith is a Band 5 occupational therapist working in a
rotational post at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust. She
graduated from University of Derby this year and is currently on
her first rotation in elective orthopaedics.
P142
What did they learn? A 5 year review of preregistration
group skills training
Maris-Shaw S, London South Bank University
Group skills training has been a foundation of the LSBU
occupational therapy curriculum since 2000. It supports the
HCPC (2013) proficiency standards 9.8 and 9.9, that stress the
importance of understanding and working within groups and
managing the dynamics of these situations to aid learning and
change. The students participate in group training over a 4 day
period, delivering a student-led group to their peers and receive
feedback related to their facilitation skills. At the end of their
final day a questionnaire is used to evaluate their experience
and gain feedback to establish whether these skills enable
them to achieve a level of competence in readiness for their
future practice as occupational therapists. The findings from
this questionnaire conclusively support students have increased
their learning in relation to group facilitation skills (Cole 2012),
awareness of therapeutic use of self (Nicholls et al 2013) and
improved their skills in planning, co-ordination and engaging
others in a meaningful occupation. Verbal feedback revealed
despite struggling initially, with some of the group concepts,
students were able to reflect and valued the wider learning skills
set they developed with regard to interpersonal skills. The impact
of this training led students to feel more confident to engage
with service users, carers and other agencies. This was due to
a heightened understanding of the importance of delivering
meaningful occupation through a thoughtful consideration of
the dynamic processes in play within all interactions (Yalom
2005).
References
Cole, M. B. (2012) Group Dynamics in Occupational Therapy:
the basis and practice application of group treatment 4th ed.
Thorofare: Slack
Health and Care Professions Council (2013) Standards of
proficiency – Occupational therapists. London: Health and Care
Professions Council
Nicholls, N, Cunningham Piergrossi, J Gibertoni, C, Daniel (2013)
Psychoanalytic Thinking in Occupational Therapy. W. Sussex:
Wiley-Blackwell
Yalom, I Leszcz, M (2005) Theory and Practice of Group
Psychotherapy 5th ed. New York: Basic Books
Keywords
Occupational therapists, Practice development, Education and
learning, Education
Contact E-mail Addresses
sarah.maris-shaw@lsbu.ac.uk
Author Biographies
Sarah qualified as an occupational therapist in 1986. She has
worked in a variety of mental health settings and has a particular
interest in the importance of the therapeutic relationship. She
currently works as an occupational therapist in a parental mental
health team in Southwark, South London and Maudsley NHS
Foundation trust and as a Senior Lecturer at London South Bank
University.
P143
Care Act: can technology assist occupational
therapists with the personalisation agenda?
Posters
Webb J, Harrison D, University of Salford
Background: Manual handling and personalisation is intrinsic to
occupational therapy assessment and intervention (COT, 2011
The Care Act, 2014). The Care Act (2014) creates new duties for
local authorities and their partners, driving personalisation as a
core value giving people maximum control over how their needs
are met. There is a need for therapists to have an increasing
knowledge and skills base around moving and handling methods
and equipment considering that one size does not fit all.
The vast range of equipment and techniques can be
overwhelming for a busy therapist. Scoping alternative options
to meet an individual’s needs is time consuming and often
flawed with limited solutions identified. Electronic learning is
the use of information and communication technologies such as
interactive web-services as tools to support the learning process,
allowing learners to access more diversified learning experiences
without the limitations of time, space, and place (Chen, 2011p.
1501).
Is access to a 24 hour online resource offering detailed, up
to date professional support on a range of manual handling
techniques and equipment the answer to meeting the
personalisation agenda?
Methods: This poster will explore the implications of the Care
Act (2014) making clear links to research findings from The
University of Salford investigating the impact of a web based
moving and handling system on skill acquisition when compared
with traditional manual handling training.
Conclusion: The poster will present the findings of the research
with Undergraduate occupational therapy students, outlining
the value of how different learning styles and use of technology
can improve clinical skills and knowledge of equipment available,
whilst promoting enablement, patient safety, and harm free care
with service users.
References
Chen,J.L. (2011) The effects of education compatibility and
technological expectancy on e-learning acceptance. Computers
&Education, 57, 1501–1511.
College of Occupational Therapists (2011) Manual handling –
Guidance 3. London: College of Occupational Therapists Ltd.
The Care Act (2014) Available at: https://www.gov.uk/
government/publications/care-act-2014-part-1-factsheets
(Accessed: 11 August 2015).
Keywords
Occupational therapists, Service improvement or transformation,
Innovative practice, Education
Contact E-mail Addresses
j.webb@salford.ac.uk
Author Biographies
Jo-Anne Webb, MSc, PGCAP, Dip COT ROT, FHEA qualified
as an occupational therapist in 1996, gaining her MSc in
Health Practice in 2002. Prior to moving into education, Jo
has significant experience in physical disability with clinical
specialisms in orthopaedics and rheumatology, splinting, the role
of the O.T. in continence, moving and handling and community
rehabilitation. Jo’s most recent research projects have included
moving and handling, tissue viability and single handed care.
Deborah Harrison, RGN, PGCPMH, Dip S.M. initially qualified as
a nurse in 1987, working across the NHS and social services in
138