Interprofessional Journal of Healthcare and Research

Background: The Coronavirus pandemic has resulted in stressful work environments above what is considered normal for acute care settings. Chronic stress is known to have adverse effects on physical and emotional health and may lead to higher risk for job burnout and decreased quality of patient care.
Objectives: To examine the role of live therapeutic music (LTM) on stress reduction among healthcare workers (HCWs) in a COVID-19 intensive care unit.
Methods: A descriptive design was used. A convenience sample of 60 HCWs working in two COVID-19 critical care units were included. Each participant attended one 30-minute LTM session during a 12-hour shift. Self-reported data for stress was collected pre and post-intervention. Pearson’s correlation and paired samples t-test were used for data analysis.
Results: Participants reported significantly higher degrees of life stress than the U.S. national average (t (59) = 5.43, p = .001) and was highest among those in nursing support roles. Higher life stress was significantly associated wth higher pre-intervention stress (r =.59, p=.001). This study revealed a significant reduction in current stress levels, post-intervention (t(59)=12.48, p = .001). Higher degrees of life stress were significantly associated with greater reductions in current stress levels, post-intervention (r=.58, p=.001).
Conclusion LTM was effective in reducing HCWs’ stress levels during a 12-hour shift. A 44.74% reduction in perceived stress scores were observed. Future studies that examine the impact of LTM as a potential strategy for stress management and wellness among HCWs are needed.

Impact of Live Therapeutic Music on Stress Levels Among Healthcare Workers in COVID-19 Critical Care Units

<h1>Abstract</h1>
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess whether there was an effect on maternal vaccine utilization rates when common barriers (e.g., lack of education or decreased access) were rectified. The study sought to answer the two clinical questions: (1) In pregnant patients will the use of educational-based telephone calls as an educational tool improve immunization rates? (2) In pregnant patients is there an effect on Tdap vaccine utilization when the patient can receive the vaccine in the obstetricians’ office versus not being able to receive the vaccine in the obstetricians’ office?
Methods/Setting: Twenty antepartum/postpartum participants aged 18-40 were interviewed in a north Georgia hospital labor and delivery unit before and after delivery using questions from the PRAMS questionnaire.
Design: A quantitative, correlational methodology and design was utilized for this study, and data entered and analyzed using SPSS (v.21) and McNemar statistical testing.
Results: Before the educational calls were made and access education was offered, none of the 20 participants had received Tdap immunization during pregnancy. Following the interventions and during the postpartum survey, 15 of the 20 participants reported that they had been vaccinated (75% vaccination rate).
Conclusion: The results show that lack of vaccine education and the inability to access the Tdap vaccine influence vaccine utilization rates.
Keywords: Tdap vaccine, antepartum, postpartum, barriers, access, knowledge, PRAMS questionnaire.

Correlation between Accessibility and Patient Education with Tdap Utilization among Pregnant Patients

Acute and Chronic Injury in Individuals with Visual Impairments Using Dog Guides

Physical Risk and Benefits Associated with Pickleball in Active Aging Adults

Purpose: This qualitative study examines how engaging interprofessional student teams in global health mission trips affects critical thinking, interprofessional engagement, and collegiality in health profession students. Two pedagogical strategies that foster broad integrated knowledge and skills are the use of Interprofessional Education (IPE) and International service-learning (ISL) opportunities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO)(2010), “Interprofessional education is a necessary step in preparing a ‘collaborative practice-ready’ health workforce that is better prepared to respond to local health needs.”
Methods/Discussion: Nineteen health profession students, 15 females, 2 males, from a regional university in the southern United States, representing a range of health education programs including nursing, biology/pre-med, and physical therapy, participated in two global engagement student learning 10-day health mission trips (Uganda and Bolivia). Both trips afforded students the opportunity to work with medically underserved and impoverished populations with limited resources. Students were organized daily into interprofessional health care teams which worked together as single units addressing the needs of the people which they served. Students completed two written assignments during their trips: daily reflective journals of their experiences working in interprofessional teams; and each student’s cultural story regarding a key cultural learning experience in critical thinking and collaboration. Each submission was then examined using a deductive six-step method of thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke) to determine how interprofessional teamwork affected collegiality and critical thinking in healthcare profession students.
Results/Outcomes: Thematic analysis of student reflective journals and cultural stories yielded two main themes with several sub-themes identifying the impact of international service learning in interprofessional healthcare teams. The first theme coded was critical thinking and problem solving, which supported sub-themes of balancing culture while providing optimal medical care, overcoming communication barriers due to language and health literacy, and providing optimal medical care with limited resources. The second main theme was IPE Collegiality and Collaboration which supported sub-themes of understanding roles and building relationships, improved skills and self-efficacy, and a renewed sense and appreciation for patient-centered holistic, and simplified healthcare.
Conclusions/Relevance: Combining IPE working in healthcare teams during global health mission trips has demonstrated positive effects on student’s critical thinking, collegiality, interprofessional engagement and mentoring. In addition, we found that these trips provide a unique environment which fosters an increase in their knowledge and respect for their role as a member of the healthcare team as well as the roles of other health professionals.

Interprofessional Education and Service Learning: Improving Critical Thinking and Collegiality Through International Health Mission Trips

Objective: There is limited evidence to fully justify a constant speed whole body spinning intervention for children with cerebral palsy to improve trunk stability and gross motor function. The purpose of this case report is to investigate the impact of an isometric trunk training during use of the Allcore 360 seated core muscle trainer on functional abilities and independence in a child with cerebral palsy.
Participant and Method: An 11-year-old girl with cerebral palsy classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level V participated in an isometric trunk training with constant speed twice per week for 14-weeks. Assessments were performed at baseline, 7 weeks and 14 weeks of intervention using the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (Dimensions A & B), Modified Functional Reach test, sitting posture in the wheelchair and response to trunk perturbation.
Results: Following the constant speed spinning intervention, improvements were found in trunk control, lower extremity coordination and sitting posture as well as increases in GMFM-88 and Modified Functional Reach Test Scores. Positive outcomes from the spinning training were obtained beyond improvements in trunk stability, since improvements in functional motor performance were also achieved.
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the constant speed spinning intervention have been effective for improving trunk stability and physical performance in this child. However, further investigation should be needed to quantify and verify the positive result of the experiment in a larger population.

The effect of an isometric trunk training during spinning in a child with Cerebral Palsy: A case report

This case report presents the unique contributions of physical therapy using principles of motor learning in the rehabilitation of a canine patient post C5-C6 ventral slot procedure and subsequent rhizotomy of C6, with a secondary central cord infarct.
This case describes an eight-year old, MN, Rottweiler who presented to the physical therapy department as tetraparetic following a diagnosis of cervical intervertebral disc disease. Baseline assessment revealed a very low functioning dog, incapable of independent voluntary motor activity and requiring maximal assistance for all transfers and activities of daily living.
Principles of motor learning were incorporated into intense physical therapy treatments to promote neuroplasticity, including part-task practice, repetitions, specificity of tasks that are novel and challenging, and neuromuscular re-education models, such as proprioceptive, balance and perturbation training. This dog returned to independence and normal activities of daily living on a horse farm with minimal residual neurologic deficits.
This report is interesting because it describes a dog with severe cervical neurological comorbidities, whose prognosis was described as ‘poor’ for return to function by referring veterinarians. Additional studies need to be conducted to better understand how various motor learning approaches affect neuroplasticity and affect the overall functional outcome of canine cervical patients.

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