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Moving toward evidence-based practice: a research utilization capacity building program

Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) are reporting low levels of research application in everyday practice, causing a low frequency of evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation (Krueger et al., 2020; Myers, 2019a). A review of the literature demonstrates that individual level factors, such as lack of knowledge, skill, time, and resources for research use, coupled with organizational factors, such as low priority, support, and expectation for EBP, act as barriers to EBP (Wang et al., 2019). This doctoral project aims to build the capacity for research use at both the practitioner and the organization levels through an evidence-based multifaceted intervention program. It will impact the knowledge and skill for understanding and applying research evidence in practice and the frequency of research use in daily practice among school-based occupational therapy practitioners (Sb-OTPs), as well as the organization’s resources, priorities, and environment to support EBP. A mixed-methods design will be used, with a convenience sample of nineteen Sb-OTPs employed at a therapy agency that provides services through contract positions to local school districts. The program consists of four main components of education, provision of resources, working in groups, and organizational supports. The Knowledge-To-Action (KTA) framework (Graham et al., 2009) provides a context-focused iterative process to the program design, from problem identification to sustainability. Continual involvement of all stakeholders, assessment of barriers to tailor the intervention, and adaptation of the knowledge for use in the practice context are KTA-based core program features. The education component is informed by Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) (Bandura, 1986), brain-based learning strategies (Willis, 2006; Yee & Boyd, 2018), and literature supporting blended learning and digital health education formats (Brown et al., 2020; Hew & Lo, 2018; Liu et al., 2016). The program description, implementation, research evaluation plan, and program funding and dissemination are described in detail.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/45080
Date30 August 2022
CreatorsFernandes, Angeline
ContributorsVaughn, Lori
Source SetsBoston University
Languageen_US
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis/Dissertation

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