Date of Paper/Work

12-2016

Type of Paper/Work

Doctoral Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Department

Occupational Science/Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Kate Barrett

Department/School

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Abstract

As occupational therapists around the world engage in global partnership activities focused on knowledge exchange to support and grow the profession, new awareness of how health professionals should engage in global health projects is emerging. Despite these trends, there are no comprehensive guidelines that help prepare occupational therapists who visit Mexico for global health projects. This paper will present the process used to develop a document inclusive of important concepts in partnership development unique to the Mexican context to prepare OT visitors for practice, volunteerism, and education. The document was developed using the Knowledge Translation (KT) framework and is based on current evidence, grey literature, and stakeholder interviews. Nine American occupational therapists evaluated the utility of the document. Results indicate that the document is a practical tool that would adequately prepare occupational therapists to prepare for partnership activities in Mexico. Development of similar guidelines for other countries using the steps described in this project is recommended to ensure thoughtful approaches to global partnerships with the goals of supporting local communities as well as promoting the occupational therapy professionalization process in host countries.

Share

COinS