OT Alumni Collaboration
Bridging Gaps in OT: Alumni Collaboration Enhances Student Learning & Community Impact
The SFU occupational therapy (OT) program is so thrilled that our alumni continue to reach out to us, fostering valuable collaborations that enrich both student learning and community engagement!
Maura (Koshute) Shearman, an OT alumna, identified a unique opportunity to involve our OT students and faculty in improving the functional mobility of her client, Nate, who lives in a rural area where accessible outpatient OT services for custom orthotic device fabrication are unavailable. This situation highlights the challenges faced by individuals in rural communities in accessing specialized healthcare services, particularly custom orthotic solutions. Maura connected Nate and his family with our OT faculty, who then created a unique opportunity for our students to address Nate's mobility needs.
Dr. Julie Nagle’s Advance Topics in Pediatrics course and Dr. Andrew Miller’s Advanced Topics in Hand Rehabilitation course provided ideal platforms for students to apply their knowledge to a real-world scenario involving a child with quadriplegic cerebral palsy. The students conducted a comprehensive chart review focusing on Nate’s history, abilities, and mobility needs in preparation for his arrival to campus. The students applied evidence-based practice principles to analyze Nate’s diagnosis and the specialized assistive devices he uses for mobility, communication, and rehabilitation. Also, in preparation for his arrival, the students prepared design options for orthoses and orthotic devices, demonstrating their understanding of custom solutions for complex mobility challenges.
During Nate’s visit to the SFU OT Lab, we fostered a client-centered atmosphere involving Nate’s mother, Nate, Maura, Drs. Nagle and Miller, and the OT students. This hands-on experience allowed us to adapt Nate’s Lofstrand crutches, addressing the challenges posed by increased muscle tone and improving his functional mobility.
The outcome was mutually beneficial. Nate and his mother were pleased with the adaptations, while the students gained invaluable experience in community engagement and client-centered care. This learning opportunity not only enhanced the students' practical skills but also reinforced the importance of adaptive technologies in improving the quality of life for all individuals with cerebral palsy.