Building Clinical Reasoning: Innovative Pedagogy with OTu’s Case Studies and Simulations

As healthcare education evolves, the emphasis on developing strong clinical reasoning skills has become paramount. Occupational therapy (OT) programs, in particular, have recognized the immense value of incorporating case studies and simulations into their curricula. These innovative pedagogical approaches not only enhance students' critical thinking abilities but also foster the confidence and competence needed to thrive in real-world clinical settings.

In the dynamic world of OT education, one platform has emerged as a game-changer: OTu. Designed by a multidisciplinary team of experts, OTu offers a comprehensive suite of resources that seamlessly integrate case studies and simulations to elevate the learning experience. In this in-depth blog post, we'll explore the transformative power of these tools and how they can be strategically implemented to cultivate exceptional OT practitioners.

The Importance of Case Studies and Simulations in OT Education

Across the healthcare professions, including medicine, nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, the use of case studies and simulations is widely recognized as a best practice. Extensive research has demonstrated the profound impact these instructional methods have on student learning and development, specifically in the following areas.

• Enhancing Clinical Reasoning: Case studies and simulations provide students with opportunities to apply their knowledge and problem-solve in realistic clinical scenarios. This hands-on approach helps them develop the critical thinking skills and clinical reasoning abilities essential for effective patient/client care.

• Boosting Confidence and Competence: By engaging in these active learning experiences, students can build their confidence and competence, better preparing them for the transition from the classroom to the clinical setting.

• Reducing Anxiety: The interactive nature of case studies and simulations helps students feel more comfortable and confident in their abilities, reducing the anxiety often associated with patient/client interactions.

• Facilitating Skill Development: These pedagogical tools allow students to practice essential skills, such as assessment, intervention planning, and client-centered communication, in a safe and supportive environment.

  Recognizing the profound impact of case studies and simulations, OT programs have increasingly incorporated these strategies into their curricula. However, the implementation and scaffolding of these learning experiences can be a complex undertaking. This is where the OTu platform shines, offering a comprehensive and innovative solution to elevate OT education.

Navigating the OTu Ecosystem: Case Studies and Simulations

OTu's robust platform provides a diverse array of case studies and simulations, each designed to support students at various stages of their educational journey. By strategically incorporating these resources, educators can create a scaffolded learning experience that gradually builds students' confidence and competence.

Case Studies: Laying the Foundation

OTu's case studies offer a range of complexity, catering to the needs of students at different levels of their education. These learning experiences can be paper-based, video-based, or a combination of both, providing students with opportunities to analyze real-life client scenarios and apply their knowledge in an environment that provokes less anxiety.

The case studies within OTu are typically organized within each app by clinical conditions, allowing educators to align them with the specific content being covered in their courses. For example, one of  the "Assistive Mobility Devices" case studies focuses on foundational concepts related to gait patterns and the use of assistive devices with a patient who experienced a stroke, while the "Lines and Tubes" case studies delve into safe movement and management of clients with various lines, tubes, or drains, for example an adult following a car accident.

By starting with these lower-complexity case studies, students can build their clinical reasoning skills and confidence in a safe, supportive environment. As they progress, educators can introduce more advanced case studies that challenge students to connect multiple concepts, interpret assessment findings, and make informed clinical decisions.

Simulations: Bridging the Gap to Practice

Complementing the case studies, OTu's simulations provide students with dynamic, interactive learning experiences that closely mimic real-world clinical scenarios. These simulations are categorized into three distinct levels of complexity:

• MicroLearning: These short, quiz-based simulations focus on the application of specific knowledge or skills, helping students solidify their understanding of key concepts.

• Mini Sims: Offering 10-20 minute patient-based scenarios, these simulations challenge students to apply their knowledge and clinical reasoning skills in a more comprehensive manner, connecting two or more concepts.

• Macro Sims: Lasting 30-90 minutes, these high-fidelity simulations require students to synthesize information, make clinical decisions, and navigate complex client interactions, closely mirroring the demands of real-world practice.

The scaffolded nature of these simulations allows educators to gradually increase the level of complexity as students progress through their education. By starting with the MicroLearning simulations and gradually transitioning to the more advanced Mini Sims and Macro Sims, students can develop the confidence and competence needed to thrive in clinical settings.

Importantly, the OTu platform provides educators with comprehensive support, including detailed Educator Keys that outline the learning objectives, scenario details, and expected student responses. This valuable resource empowers educators to effectively integrate these simulations into their curricula and provide meaningful feedback to students, while reducing faculty workload.

Strategically Integrating OTu's Case Studies and Simulations

To maximize the impact of OTu's case studies and simulations, educators can employ a strategic, scaffolded approach that aligns with the developmental needs of their students. By carefully sequencing these learning experiences, educators can create a seamless transition from the classroom to the clinical setting.

Scaffolding the Learning Experience

The OTu platform offers a continuum of case studies and simulations that can be strategically integrated into the curriculum. Educators can begin with the lower-complexity, static case studies, where students analyze real-life client scenarios without the pressure of direct interaction.

As students gain confidence and familiarity with the content, educators can introduce more interactive learning experiences, such as the MicroLearning and MiniSim simulations. These simulations allow students to practice essential skills, such as client assessment and intervention planning, in a safe, supportive environment.

As students progress, educators can incorporate simulations that involve interactive engagement with the MiniSims, where they respond to changes in the client’s condition as assessment and treatment progress, further increasing the fidelity and complexity of the learning experience. Finally, the high-fidelity Macro Sims within the OTu platform challenge students to navigate comprehensive client scenarios, requiring them to synthesize information, make clinical decisions, and demonstrate their higher level clinical reasoning abilities.

By carefully scaffolding the case studies and simulations, educators can foster a seamless transition from the classroom to the clinical setting, ensuring that students are well-prepared to provide exceptional client-centered care.

Leveraging OTu's Educator Resources

The OTu platform not only provides a wealth of case studies and simulations but also offers comprehensive educator resources to support effective implementation. These resources include detailed Educator Keys, which outline the learning objectives, scenario details, and expected student responses for each simulation.

Educators can utilize these Educator Keys to align the case studies and simulations with their specific course content and learning objectives. Additionally, the keys provide valuable insights into the expected student performance, empowering educators to provide meaningful feedback and guide students' clinical reasoning development.

Beyond the Educator Keys, the OTu team is dedicated to supporting educators throughout their implementation journey. Webinars, workshops, and personalized consultations are available to help educators navigate the platform, integrate the resources effectively, and maximize the impact on student learning.

Elevating OT Education with OTu's Innovative Pedagogy

In the dynamic landscape of healthcare education, the integration of case studies and simulations has become a hallmark of excellence. OTu's comprehensive platform, with its diverse range of case-based learning experiences and interactive simulations, offers a transformative solution for OT programs seeking to elevate their students' clinical reasoning abilities.

By strategically incorporating these innovative pedagogical tools, educators can create a scaffolded learning experience that gradually builds students' confidence, competence, and clinical decision-making skills. As students progress through the OTu ecosystem, they will be better equipped to navigate the complexities of real-world clinical practice, ultimately delivering exceptional, client-centered care.

Embrace the power of OTu's case studies and simulations, and unlock the full potential of your OT students. Together, we can shape the future of the profession, empowering the next generation of exceptional occupational therapy practitioners.

CASE STUDIES	SIMULATIONS
Acute Care	Acute Care Simulations
Adaptive Equipment	–
Analysis of Occupations and Activities	–
Assistive Mobility Devices	Assistive Mobility Devices Simulations
Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation	–
Gait Analysis	–
Lines and Tubes	In Acute Care Simulations
NeuroRehab	Neuro Simulations
Neurologic Case Studies**	–
Pediatric Development	–
Physical Agent Modalities	Physical Agent Modalities Simulations
–	Interprofessional Practice
–	Physical Disabilities: Musculoskeletal Simulations
–	ROM/MMT Simulations
–	Wound Healing & Care Simulations

We are thrilled to announce that our NeuroRehab app has been revised and updated! This update provides contemporary teaching and learning resources in neurologic rehabilitation and enhances the user experience. 

Partnership to deliver world-class Parkinson’s disease treatment methodology (LSVT BIG®)

We are pleased to partner with Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) Global to provide an introduction to LSVT BIG®, an intensive, amplitude-focused treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease and other adult and pediatric neurological conditions. LSVT BIG® treatment is backed by over 25 years of extensive research and is used by over 40,000 physical and occupational therapists around the world who are certified in the LSVT BIG® method. Within the Evidence-Based Practice Resources section of the NeuroRehab app:

• Access four educational modules introducing the LSVT BIG® treatment approach 

• Interact with an LSVT-specific case study

• Within the case study, watch videos of LSVT BIG® exercise and functional task examples

For more information about LSVT BIG® treatment or LSVT BIG® certification for students and therapists, visit LSVTGlobal.com.

Expanded Interventions Library

We’ve added an even larger library of interventions including several new categories shown here:

• Bed Mobility

• Balance and Stability Training

• Coordination Training

• External Cueing

• Gait

• High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

• Muscle Strengthening

• Manual Therapy

• Transfers

• Task-Specific Training

• Vestibular Training

MORE Real-Life Patient Examples

We’ve filmed more real-life patients with various neurologic diagnoses, including:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS)

• Parkinson’s disease (PD)

• Spina bifida

• Spinal cord injury (SCI)

• Stroke (both Pontine and middle cerebral artery)

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Seated Postural Control

Standing Balance with Harness

Box Jumps

Cup Stacking

Visual Improvements 

We’ve changed the video background from black to white for better clarity. We also removed text overlays on the videos, allowing learners to focus on the intervention techniques. Detailed information and cues are now provided below each video.

These updates are designed to provide a richer, more engaging learning experience for both educators and students. Explore the revamped NeuroRehab app today and elevate your teaching!

Before

After

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO ENHANCE STUDENT LEARNING

See the Power of the App in Action: Schedule a meeting NOW to discuss how we can help you implement these strategies in your classroom.

Are you an educator seeking to enrich your curriculum and provide your students with real-life clinical experiences?

We are thrilled to introduce the Neurologic Case Studies app, an innovative tool designed to elevate your teaching and deepen your students' understanding of neurological conditions.

Explore the Neurologic Case Studies App

The Neurologic Case Studies app is an extensive collection of videos featuring real neurologic patients performing various functional and occupational tasks. This invaluable resource allows you to organize information by diagnosis, impairment, or outcome measure, facilitating easy navigation and comparison of different patients' conditions and treatments.

This app highlights an interdisciplinary approach to patient care, featuring Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Language Pathology clinicians working together to treat real patients. By synthesizing clinical information related to patients with neurological impairments, this resource provides your students with a comprehensive view of patient care.

Develop Clinical Reasoning with Customizable Worksheets

The app also includes a downloadable and fully customizable Subjective Examination Clinical Reasoning Worksheet and an Objective Examination Clinical Reasoning Worksheet. These tools are designed to enhance your students' critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills by guiding them through detailed patient assessments and treatment planning.

Bring Real-World Clinical Scenarios into Your Classroom

The Neurologic Case Studies app allows you to bring the complexity of real-world clinical scenarios into your classroom. By incorporating videos of real patients, you can offer your students valuable insights into the challenges and intricacies of treating neurological conditions. This app serves as a bridge between theory and practice, preparing your students for their future roles as occupational therapists.

ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING > DRESSING: ANOXIC BRAIN INJURY

A video showing a patient putting on and taking off their shoes independently.

INSTRUMENTAL ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING > COOKING: RIGHT MIDDLE CEREBRAL ARTERY (MCA) STROKE

A video showing a patient preparing a bowl of cereal.

FUNCTIONAL MOBILITY > BED MOBILITY: PARKINSON'S DISEASE

A video showing a patient transitioning from sitting at the edge of the mat to lying on their side, to prone, to lying on their right side, and back again to sitting at the edge of the mat independently.

FUNCTIONAL MOBILITY > GAIT: MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

A video showing a patient backwards stepping and forward stepping.

Want to Learn More? 

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App Authors and Contributors - Thank You!

Grace Peek, MSOT, OTR/L

• Occupational Therapist at Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare

• Ms. Peek is the head occupational therapist managing clients, providing evaluations, treatment plans, and therapy for vision, ADLs, IADLs, pain, community integration, mental health, and more.

Kristen Moore, PT, DPT

• E-Learning Lead & Simulation Design Manager (OTu) 

• Dr. Moore specializes in treating neurologic injuries, professional education, and developing e-learning and simulation modules to improve classroom learning. She has extensive experience treating in interprofessional teams, emphasizing community integration with neurologic patient populations.

Mary Hudson-McKinney, PT, DPT, NCS

• Professor at Western University of Health Sciences

• With a variety of experience and board certification in neurology, Dr. Hudson-McKinney is an educator, serves on the National MS Society Professional Board, and researches novel exercise programs, fall prevention, and interprofessional education.

Sarah Green, MA, CCC-SLP, CBIS

• Speech Language Pathologist at Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare

Sheila Krajnik, EdD, OTR/L

• Education Lead (OTu)

• Dr. Krajnik, with extensive clinical and academic expertise in adult neurology and gerontology, has held various administrative and specialist roles, contributed to research and advocacy, and excelled in educating future practitioners.

Tracy Moore, PT, DPT, ONC

• Product and Education Manager (OTu)

• Dr. Moore, a clinician, educational leader, and a board-certified Oncology Clinical Specialist, teaches oncology, cardiopulmonary, and clinical skills, and has published research regarding chronic pain, simulations in education, and interprofessional patient care.

A question recently landed in our inbox from a faculty member, sparked by a student inquiry within the Physical Disability: Musculoskeletal app. The student, curious and eager to learn, posed the question: Are associated impairments and movement faults the same thing? Let's delve deeper and untangle the cause-and-effect relationship between associated impairments and movement faults. In the realm of orthopaedics, pinpointing the root cause of a patient's limitations is crucial for effective treatment. Our Physical Disability: Musculoskeletal app tackles this by differentiating these two key concepts.

Associated Impairment:

• Definition: An associated impairment is a measurable limitation in a physiological system, such as weakness, stiffness, or balance deficits. 

• Think of it as: A consequence of the injury/pathology or a preexisting impairment or set of impairments that may be contributing to the cause or maintenance of non-optimal movements, leading to tissue stress and production of symptoms. It's the "what" - the measurable dysfunction.

• Example: A patient with uncoordinated or weak scapular muscles (associated impairment) contributing to the onset of shoulder impingement during shoulder abduction during a tennis serve.

Movement Fault:

• Definition: A movement fault is an observable deviation from optimal movement patterns during functional activities. 

• Think of it as:  A faulty "how" - the way the body compensates for the impairment or moves as a result of impairments. This could be due to pain avoidance, limitations in mobility or improper movement coordination.

• Example: A patient with weak scapular muscles might exhibit scapular winging (the scapula is internally rotated) during posture assessment. These movement faults may result in significant tissue stress over time, resulting in patient complaints of pain and loss of function.

Scapular postural assessment anterior tilting, abduction and winging

The Chicken 🐔 or the Egg 🥚?

The question of which comes first - the impairment or the fault - is often complex. Here's a breakdown:

• Injury often leads to impairment: The initial injury (e.g., shoulder impingement) directly causes the impairment (e.g., scapular muscle weakness).

• Impairment can lead to faulty movement: To compensate for the weakness, the patient might adopt a scapular winging posture (movement fault).

Importance of the Distinction:

Understanding the difference is critical for treatment planning:

• Addressing impairments: Techniques like strengthening exercises can target the scapular muscle weakness (impairment).

• Correcting faulty movement: Movement re-education can address the faulty scapular position (movement fault).

By effectively differentiating between associated impairments and movement faults, your students can develop a more holistic approach to patient care.

Bonus Tip: The Physical Disability: Musculoskeletal app can be a valuable tool for students to practice identifying these concepts in real-world scenarios.

In occupational therapy education, Miller's Pyramid of Clinical Competence (1990) serves as a relevant framework for developing students' clinical reasoning abilities. Within the context of education, the levels of the pyramid correspond to the acquisition of theoretical knowledge, practical application, supervised clinical practice, and autonomous clinical decision-making.

Here's a look at Miller's Pyramid and how it can be applied in occupational therapy education:

• Knows (Knowledge): This is the foundation of the pyramid, encompassing the factual knowledge base of the principles and concepts underlying occupational therapy. For example, knowledge of anatomy, physiology, psychology, and the occupational therapy practice framework.

• Knows How (Competence): Here, students develop the ability to apply their knowledge of therapeutic principles to solve problems. This involves clinical scenarios, case studies, simulations, and other problem-based learning exercises.

• Shows How (Performance):  Next, students demonstrate their competence in simulated settings. Learning experiences like practicing techniques in a lab or role-playing client interactions are appropriate at this stage.

• Does (Action): The pinnacle involves students applying their knowledge and skills in real-world clinical situations through fieldwork placements and internships, thereby gaining exposure to diverse clinical populations and refining clinical skills under the guidance of experienced practitioners.

Pyramid graphic from Ramani, S., & Leinster, S. (2008). AMEE Guide no. 34: teaching in the clinical environment. Medical Teacher, 30(4), 347–364.

How to Use Miller's Pyramid of Clinical Competence with OTu to enhance clinical reasoning:

• Build the “Knows” level through video-based lectures/handouts and assess factual recall through MicroLearning.

• Elevate students to “Knows How” with Case Studies and other problem-solving activities.

• Allow students to “Show” their knowledge through clinical simulations found in MiniSIMS using standardized patients.

• Provide the crucial “Does” experience through MacroSIMS to augment students’ supervised fieldwork.

By aligning educational objectives and curricula with Miller's Pyramid, occupational therapy educators can systematically cultivate students' clinical reasoning skills throughout their academic training. This holistic approach prepares future occupational therapists to deliver evidence-based, client-centered care and to thrive in diverse practice settings.

Ready to transform your classroom? Schedule a meeting with our Education Lead, Sheila R. Krajnik, EdD, OTR/L.

References:

1. Miller, G. E. (1990). The assessment of clinical skills/competence/performance. Academic Medicine, 65(9 Suppl), S63-67.

2. Ramani, S., & Leinster, S. (2008). AMEE Guide no. 34: teaching in the clinical environment. Medical Teacher, 30(4), 347–364.

We are all keenly aware of the unique challenges of teaching during the pandemic and in the “post-pandemic” era.  The classroom landscape has changed in many ways for nearly all of us, not to mention the implications for staffing, budgeting, and implementation at the program level. This is why OTu is focusing on our 4 Key Academic Drivers–to help faculty and students thrive in this new and evolving classroom environment:

#1 Reduce Financial Burden for Students

Graduate education costs, along with the cost of just about everything else, is rising steadily.  Students often have to pay the price as the cost is passed down to the learner. As educators, the responsibility falls to us to balance cost savings with efficacy when it comes to the resources we require our students to purchase.

Source: Chart of the Day: The Astronomical Rise in College Textbook Prices Vs. Consumer Prices and Recreational Books (link)

While there is definitely some material students can learn well from textbooks (think pathophysiology, human anatomy, and other non-motor skill subject areas), we have been able to carefully phase out many resources in our own classrooms in favor of OTu’s video library within our apps and e-learning content. In the long run, the cost of a 3-year OTu subscription while also eliminating some traditionally required resources, saved close to $1200 per student at some of our adopted programs. As we continue to build more content into the suite, the savings per student will only grow higher.

#2 Video-Based Resources for Millenial Learners

Millennials love videos. Between social media, video chat, streaming services, and all the like, every industry is driven by video-based resources. Especially in the post-pandemic era, videos are an essential part of every classroom, especially for the acquisition of motor skill development and emotional intelligence.  

All of our videos are filmed in professional quality with a team of expert clinicians demonstrating the key motor skills for entry level programs, based on the most up-to-date literature. We take the heavy lifting out of filming, organizing, and distributing videos. This allows faculty to focus on innovating and scaffolding their students' learning experience rather than getting bogged down with re-verifying links to old videos each semester. Students are also able to preview these videos prior to class time, improve their retention of the information, and ultimately decrease anxiety surrounding motor skill acquisition. 

#3 Clinical reasoning development

Clinical reasoning development is arguably one of the most critical aspects of any entry level program.  Developing good clinicians hinges on the students’ ability to think critically, independently, and effectively–this is why OTu has focused so much on weaving clinical reasoning development into all of our apps, simulations, and e-learning content. 

We have built over 90 e-learning and simulation modules based on Bloom’s Taxonomy to naturally guide students through a low-stakes learning experience, all designed to optimize the understanding, synthesis, and eventual clinical application of their didactic coursework. Faculty can use OTu’s downloadable learning reports to track their students learning and use them directly through the LMS as assignments to ensure continued engagement throughout the semester. 

These learning reports allow students and faculty to see the past 5 attempts a student has made, their highest score, time spent, and the simulation completed.  Assign shorter microlearning activities ahead of your lab or lecture to ensure students are engaged with the upcoming material or assign it afterwards to confirm understanding and help students review. Whatever you deem appropriate for your classroom, OTu is here to support you as you help to cultivate strong clinical reasoning skills in your students.

#4 Supports Students Across the Entire Curriculum

Our last key academic driver is to support students across the entire curriculum.OTu is a constantly growing library of evidence-based resources, built to solve the challenges of today’s classrooms. 

One classroom at a time, we have built apps and simulations spanning the entire curriculum in the hopes that both faculty and students have the high-quality resources they need to enhance teaching and learning, support students during clinical rotations, and help bridge the gap from graduating student to new clinician. OTu is built to support students from day one through their professional journey into the clinic.

Sign up for your free faculty access to transform your classroom with OTu today!

Good news! Now you can easily access Faculty Friday live webinars and quick app demos within the webapp. The direct links are located under the Educator Resources section on the right hand side menu of the homescreen of the webapp.

FACULTY FRIDAY / EVERY FRIDAY 9AM PST

Here is a list of our new webinars our educator team prepared for you. Sign up today!

• FRI 1/13 Acute Care in Occupational Therapy Practice

• FRI 2/3 Creating Learning Environments to Analyze Occupations

• FRI 2/10 Building Visual Constructs for Splinting

• FRI 2/17 Supporting Student Learning of Developmental Motor Milestones

• FRI 2/24 Translating Physical Agent Modalities for Occupational Therapy Practice

• FRI 3/10 Illustrating Neuroanatomy for Practice and Function

• FRI 3/17 Developing Foundational Knowledge for ROM, MMT, and Palpation

• FRI 3/31 Infusing OTu into Cardiopulmonary and awareness of Lines and Tubes

ALTERNATIVELY, CHECK OUT THESE RECORDED WEBINARS OR SHORT APP DEMOS

If you can’t make it to the above webinars, you can also access the recordings of our past webinars here or step over our self-guided quick app tutorials here during your coffee break!

Summary

THREE KEY DRIVERS IN OUR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

1. Reduce Financial Burden for Students

2. Video-Based Resources for Millennial Learners 

3. Support Students Across the Entire Curriculum

WHAT WE HAVE RELEASED IN 2022

• Interprofessional education module: We ran two IPE experiences successfully with over 200 PT, OT, and SLP students using this asynchronous simulation built around a real client with traumatic brain injury

• eLearning & SIMs -we released over 150 modules and simulations with almost 100,000 learners completed modules with a focus on developing clinical reasoning by gamifying learning

• Neuroanatomy app

• Acute care app

WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2023: 

• Vision app

• Adaptive Equipment app

• Mental health simulations and app

• Medical screening app

• Full update of the Neurorehabilitation app, filmed with real clients with neurologic dysfunction and new evidence-based interventions

• And, more simulations

• We are delighted to welcome our new Education Lead - Dr. Yvonne Randall

• Faculty webinars are back!

• Simulations & e-learning modules are now available in the webapp

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Supercharging the OTu team - Yvonne Randall, EdD, MHA, OTR/L, FAOTA

Dr. Randall brings 25 years of higher education experience to the OTu team. She also brings a leadership focus in her past roles as Chairperson of the American Occupational Therapy Political Action Committee (AOTPAC), Treasurer – Society for the Study of Occupation (SSO: USA), Speaker – AOTA Representative Assembly, AOTA Board of Directors, President – Nevada Occupational Therapy Association, and Mentor – AOTA Emerging Leaders Development Program. 

Her curriculum development, teaching, and learning expertise will lead content development for OTu. She will host the summer series of webinars to help you take your course and your program to another level. 

Summer Faculty Webinar Series

• Jun 29 Wed 4pm PST: OTu - Applying Clinical Reasoning into ROM and MMT Assessment

• Jul 8 Fri 8am PST: OTu - Bridging Neuroanatomy and PNF Content for Function

• Jul 13 Wed 4pm PST: OTu - Creating Learning Environments to Analyze Occupations

• Jul 22 Fri 8am PST: OTu - Supporting Student Learning of Developmental Milestones in Childhood

Simulations & eLearning Modules are finally available in the OTu webapp suite!

The OTu education lead team is delighted to announce new simulation & e-learning modules that have just been added to the web app.

• Prepare for tests and quizzes

• Self-knowledge checks

• Develop clinical reasoning

• Board exam test preparation

MiniSIMS

Short patient-based scenarios designed to help students apply and interpret learned knowledge in a simulated clinical environment.

MacroSIMS

Typically broken into several “chapters” consistent with the components of an evaluation or treatment sessions, and often used as homework or pre-work. Students will be able to synthesize and apply content that they have already been exposed to.

MicroLearning

Simple, short, and easily deployed. These mini-assessments help the students draw on the knowledge they have acquired, and can be used as quizzes or exam preparation.

Click any of the apps below and begin to explore these modules!

Acute Care

Assistive Devices

Neurology

Orthopaedics

Physical Agents

ROM & MMT

Wound Care

Free Faculty Access | Purchase Options|Adopted & Trial Schools

After 2 years of research and development, the OTu team is proud to deliver these new apps and modules to our users. They are now officially available on our web app. Click an app to learn more:

Analysis of Occupation

NeuroAnatomy

Log in to your OTu account and check it out! Don’t already have an OTu account? Create a trial account here!

Analysis of Occupation

The Analysis of Occupation App was designed to bring the client into the classroom! Based on the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework1, the OTu team followed clients into their home setting, capturing glimpses of activity or occupation in the context of the clients living environment. Multiple angle videos allow for detailed analysis and discussion as young clinicians develop the skill of activity analysis.

The app starts with the “Activity Analysis Instruction” section, which includes analysis and documentation of three common activities by Dr. Jayna Niblock Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L, BCP, BCTS:

• Feeding

• Toileting

• Money management

The clients featured in the app span a spectrum of different genders, ethnicities, and conditions including:

• “Typical” male

• “Typical” female

• Client Post Total Hip Replacement

• Client with Congestive Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• Client with C5 Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

• Client Post Cerebrovascular Accident

Each Client was filmed performing a range of activities in their home environment:

• Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

• Instrumented Activities of Daily Living (IADL’s)

• Health Management

• Rest and Sleep

• Leisure

Case studies and analysis worksheets are integrated into the app for classroom activities, discussion, and development of activity analysis skills.

Special Acknowledgements:

• Special thanks to Dr. Lou Jensen OTD, OTR/L for her consultation and guidance in the early design of this app.

• Special thanks to Dr. Jayna Niblock Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L, BCP, BCTS for her contributions to app design and analysis of occupation “instruction” section.

• Special thanks to all of the clients who invited us into their homes and into their lives, so that we could create learning tools to elevate professional education.

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (4th ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Suppl. 2), 7412410010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001

Log in to your OTu account and check it out! Don’t already have an OTu account? Create a trial account here!

NeuroAnatomy

We are proud to announce our exciting new NeuroAnatomy App.

Intentionally designed with progressively more challenging activities, it provides opportunities for the learner to build a solid foundation of neuroanatomy for clinical practice. Beautiful graphics include an interactive 3D model of the brain and spinal cord, with actual human anatomical slices that are labeled with explanations.

Content expert Charlotte Chatto, PT, Ph.D., Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy has had a passion for finding creative ways of teaching neuroanatomy and treating patients with neurologic conditions for over 30 years. 

Features:

• In the four Neuroanatomy Explorer Challenges, each with multiple sections, practice questions cover basic concepts, structures, functions, and dysfunctions of the brain and spinal cord. Interactive Mini-Games are incorporated into the Challenges to reward the learner with fun facts about the nervous system. 

• In Learn by Slice, the learner can choose a slice of the brain or spinal cord and explore the major structures on the slice by clicking on anatomical pins to reveal explanations. 

In Learn by Tract, the learner can understand connections between anatomical structures, through short explainer videos, overview images, and clickable structures, to reveal the location and function of major motor and sensory tracts.

Log in to your OTu account and check it out! Don’t already have an OTu account? Create a trial account here!

A few words from our founder, Dr. Mike Wong, about the upcoming summer product release: this covers NeuroAnatomy and Analysis of Occupation!

Look out for this release in your OTu account this month!

Curious about what exercises are the BEST exercises for your patients?

When using Exercise Patterns, we guarantee an evidence-based exercise approach that allows you to save time when building patient programs, address specific concerns with specific exercises, and create programs for exclusive patient needs.

Once in the Exercise Patterns web app, you will notice we have all exercises categorized by:

• Body Region

  • Once in a specific body region, you will be able to navigate further to address unique patient needs:

    • Musculoskeletal Patterns

    • Post-Operative Programs

    • Performance

Easy, Effective, and Efficient

Did you know you can also email your program directly to your patients through our app?

The fall is just a month a way and the OTu team has been working tirelessly to create new apps to enhance teaching and learning! After careful assessment of the various curricular needs, OTu is releasing new products this Fall.

Surface Anatomy Palpation

A groundbreaking app mixing the art and science of a master clinician (all muscles, bones, and nerve entrapment are hand-drawn onto the subject)

Taping

The first evidence-based taping app that covers the most common taping techniques including basic principles of taping and materials

Activity Analysis

A collection of videos for analysis of functional movements and activities of daily living from typical performance to impaired performance in patients with spinal cord injury, stroke, COPD, Post-op Total Hip Replacement, etc.

//Return to our normal Discounted Student Pricing//
In 2020, we gave OTu to all faculty and students for free to support education during the challenging year.

We are back to our normal discounted pricing for students to continue to support filming of patients, new app development, and simulation development; only $99.00 per year, (Full value $199/year), which is $8.25/month. There are enhanced savings for multiple-year subscriptions and additional discounts for bulk orders by academic programs.

For schools: Please follow this link to submit your request and place the order early. We want to make sure your students will have OTu on the first day of class.

For students: Buy direct on our website and enjoy over 50% off student rates.

For the teaching community: On top of these releases, our faculty team is hosting several webinars in August. We will discuss ways to enhance hybrid learning with OTu and dive into specific specialty areas. If you can't make it to the live webinars, that's ok. You can view these recorded webinars at your leisure here.

Dear Faculty Fellows,

The Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation App (PNF) has been added to your Web App Suite!

Announcement from Dr. Michael Wong

App WalkThrough and Lab Handouts

You can find the PNF lab handouts here. It's under the "Teaching Content" section. 

If you are a faculty member and don't have a OTu login, please submit your request here.

Please feel free to start using it and sending us feedback to care@otu.health. We can make adjustments "Over the air"!