Date
8-2023
Research/Project Type
Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Occupational Therapy
Department
Occupational Science/Occupational Therapy
Advisor
Kimberley Persons, DHS, OTR/L
Second Advisor
Heather Johnson, MS, OTR/L
Third Advisor
Kathryn Koehne, RN, DNP
Abstract
Introduction: Pediatric hospice care is often under researched and under-resourced for children and their families. In addition, children with medical complexities often have difficulties with receiving holistic comprehensive care.
Purpose: This project aims to create an end-of-life toolkit support staff at Crescent Cove providing care for children receiving services. This project will educate staff on ADLs, positioning, sensory-based interventions, and energy conservation, in addition to providing education on the role of occupational therapy at the end-of-life.
Approach: The student completed an extensive literature search for pediatric hospice care with an occupational therapy-based lens. The staff at Crescent Cove were then interviewed to complete a needs assessment of the site, were given the created resources, and completed a follow-up survey to assess the usefulness of the project.
Outcomes: Overall staff were satisfied with the resources that were created and felt it would be helpful in practice. Ninety percent of the participants found the overall usefulness of Memory Making for Children and Families to be strongly useful, and 90% of the participants found the staff resource guide as strongly useful or useful.
Recommendations: Crescent Cove should continue to educate all staff on end-of-life care utilizing resources from an interdisciplinary team approach to provide holistic comprehensive care. This project can be used to assist in training new staff and provide continuing education for current staff.