Activity Engagement after Cancer in Community-Based Survivors.

This paper discusses the activity engagement in a sample of cancer survivors (n = 25) seeking community-based support. A modified version of the Activity Card Sort (ACSm) was used to measure activity engagement after cancer. On average, participants reported a 27% reduction in activity engagement since their cancer diagnosis. Findings provide direction for continued study of the needs of survivors in community-based cancer care and generate ideas on occupational therapy's unique role in community-based survivorship.

Providing occupational and physical therapy services in a free community-based interprofessional primary care clinic.

Interprofessional care provided in a free community-based clinic that focuses on chronic health conditions and health promotion provides an innovative solution to improve societal health. Many existing clinics provide a range of professions, but few include allied health services such as occupational and physical therapy. This paper provides a description of the development and implementation of an expanded faculty-guided student-led community-based primary care clinic that includes occupational and physical therapists as part of an interprofessional collaborative practice model. A detailed description and explanation of the partners involved, the institutional missions that drive this work, the logistics completed that enabled the 'doors to open,' faculty and student roles, and initial outcomes will be provided. A review of the service delivery model, lessons learned, and future directions for the clinic will also be offered.

An Interprofessional Pain Diary in Transitional Care: A Feasibility Project.

BACKGROUND: Understanding pain perceptions in older adults is important for pain management. An interprofessional team conducted a feasibility project to examine whether a pain diary designed for older adults in a transitional care unit offered a more holistic description of the pain experience. OBJECTIVES: The project was designed to: (a) Develop a pain diary, (b) Examine patient usability, (c) Determine feasibility of the diary in workflow, and (d) Examine outcomes of diary entries and satisfaction surveys. METHODS: Three rapid change cycles assisted in developing and implementing the diary. RESULTS: Five patients followed for 32 days during implementation wrote simple narratives and rated their pain (M = 2-5.3) on 11-point pain rating scales. Themes from narrative responses were medicated relief and alternative methods, finding a balance between motion and activity, emotional burden of pain, and the importance of feeling supported by the health-care team. Patients and staff completed satisfaction questionnaires indicating enhanced communication. CONCLUSIONS: The diary was feasible for patients and staff to use and has potential as an effective interprofessional tool for pain management. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The pain diary provides the interprofessional team an opportunity to understand the patient experience and provide holistic care.