Librarian and Researcher Assessments of Search Result Relevance: How Well Do They Align?

Conducting comprehensive but efficient literature searches for complex evidence syntheses involves selecting databases that will retrieve the greatest number of relevant results on the question. Lack of a comprehensive single database on allied health educational topics challenges those seeking such literature. In this study, six participants contributed research questions on instructional methods and materials for allied health patients, caregivers, and future health professionals. Two health sciences librarians created search strategies for these questions and searched eleven databases. Both the librarians and the six participants evaluated the search results using a rubric based on PICO to assess extent of alignment between the librarians' and requestors' relevance judgments. Intervention, Outcome, and Assessment Method constituted the most frequent bases for assessments of relevance by both librarians and participants. The librarians were more restrictive in all of their assessments except in a preliminary search yielding twelve citations without abstracts. The study's results could be used to identify effective techniques for reference interviewing, selecting databases, and weeding search results.

A Scoping Review of Grasp and Handwriting Performance in School-Age Children.

OBJECTIVE: Handwriting is a critical functional skill that impacts academic participation and progress. Occupational therapists address components of grasp in their handwriting intervention as it is commonly assumed that grasp affects legibility, fluency, and endurance, yet research studies examining this relationship are limited. METHOD: We used scoping review methodology to map existing research on grasp and handwriting performance in school-age children and to identify gaps in the literature. RESULTS: Thirteen articles met search criteria and were categorized by grasp patterns and handwriting performance, and grasp force and handwriting performance. Findings suggest an inefficient grasp can lead to decreased handwriting legibility and fatigue. The current literature is inconclusive and several gaps were identified. CONCLUSION: Additional studies should address research gaps through inclusion of children with special needs and interventions including lengthier handwriting tasks representative of a typical school day.

Occupational Therapists' Perceptions of Online Competence Assessment and Evidence-Based Resources.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored U.S. occupational therapists' perceptions of online competence assessment and associated evidence-based resources. METHOD: The study used a cross-sectional design with a survey. Respondents were occupational therapists certifying or recertifying with the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy in March 2016. RESULTS: The response rate was 88.6%, with 58.5% indicating they had used the online competence assessment platform. A majority agreed that the platform's tools helped them identify clinical knowledge (n = 211; 79.9%) and skill needs (n = 160; 60.8%). Of those who obtained copies of the evidence-based resources (n = 98; 45.6%), 72.5% (n = 71) read at least one. Chi-square analysis demonstrated negative relationships between years as an occupational therapist and clinical skills assessment and between highest degree and use of evidence-based practices. CONCLUSION: Online competence assessment assisted participants in identifying competence needs and evidence-based resources for improving clinical knowledge and skills.

Occupational Therapists' Self-Reported Research Utilization and Use of Online Evidence Sources.

Research utilization of occupational therapists may positively influence the quality and cost-effectiveness of service delivery; however, previous studies suggest that therapists' overall use of research in clinical practice is limited. This cross-sectional study used survey methodology to investigate the research utilization behaviors of occupational therapists and examine the differences in behaviors between those who had and had not used the Navigator®. The Navigator® online competence assessment platform supports research utilization through recommended readings and access to online databases with full-text articles. Findings showed a low level of research utilization overall, with Navigator® users more likely to use online databases than non-users. Future research should examine if access to online platforms, such as the Navigator®, combined with context-specific training that integrates active learning approaches could improve occupational therapists' research utilization for increased implementation of evidence-based practice.

Continuing competence assessment and maintenance in occupational therapy: Scoping review with stakeholder consultation.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Continuing competence activities hold the promise of improving health-care service quality, especially given concerns about system inefficiencies and fragmentation. The aim of this scoping review was to describe the assessment and maintenance of occupational therapists' continuing competence and identify knowledge gaps for future research. A secondary aim was comparing scoping review findings with those from other health-care fields and considering possible impact of varying international regulations. METHODS: A series of database searches retrieved peer-reviewed and grey literature on assessment and maintenance of occupational therapy continuing competence from 1995 to 2015. Themes were developed and findings shared with stakeholders, whose comments drove a second phase: searching for reviews related to continuing competence from allied health, medicine, and nursing, and reviewing websites and documents concerning regulatory requirements for occupational therapy continuing competence in seven English-speaking nations. RESULTS: Twenty-seven sources from the scoping review search met inclusion criteria. Stakeholder consultation validated the themes and preliminary knowledge gaps. Research into other health-care specialties corresponded to findings from the scoping review. The website/document review of occupational therapy regulatory requirements revealed wide variation on both the state/province and national levels. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review highlights gaps in research on effective methods and assessment of occupational therapy continuing competence. Findings suggest a need for research on approaches to continuing competence that incorporate the translation of evidence to practice and address the influence of external factors. Regulatory agencies may address the quality of occupational therapy services by incorporating a variety of professional development options into requirements.

Practitioner Training for Use of Evidence-Based Practice in Occupational Therapy.

The purpose of this integrative review was to examine the evidence-based practice (EBP) training literature for occupational therapy practitioners in order to describe the relationships between EBP use in practice and practitioner training for EBP. A systematic search of literature related to EBP training in occupational therapy was followed by a research evaluation, review of case examples, and qualitative content analysis. Findings suggest that comprehensive, contextually-relevant, and collaborative training approaches are necessary for practitioners to address implementation of EBP. Research investigating the mechanisms of practitioner training and ways to measure the relationships between training, changes in how practitioners use evidence-based practices, and client outcomes and other quality indicators is recommended.