2018 PRE-CONFERENCE INSTITUTES
The Pre-Conference Institute Sessions will be held the Friday prior to VOTA's Annual Conference, October 26, 2018.
*Pre-Conference Institutes require a separate registration from the Annual Conference registration.
You can register for any of these sessions:
Thumbs up for Thumbs - Sandy Wagoner, OTD, MOTR/L, CHT; Autumn Puryear, OTS; Taylor Conyers, OTS; Tiffany Holliday, OTS; Ellen Sparks, OTS(click here to register for this session)
Occupational therapists (OTs) are tasked to provide clients with interventions aimed at successful engagement in occupations. The question arises, are we as therapists practicing what we preach when it pertains to taking care of our own physical body required for work engagement? Our joints, like others, can become unstable over time due to the normal aging process or through injury, disease, or overuse. One joint problem we can likely expect is carpometacarpal (CMC) joint osteoarthritis (OA).
Approximately 31 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA). Arthritis at the base of the thumb (CMC joint) is the second most common arthritis in the hand. This basilar thumb joint sustains pressure with normal hand function. With time, the joint can become unstable from ligament stretching and weaken with normal aging. Due to the vast flexibility of the CMC joint, many people ultimately engage in occupations while suffering pain. OTs are not immune to this diagnosis and may perhaps be highly susceptible secondary to work tasks such as massage, client transfers, and even computer data entry. As society ages, the prevalence of OA is expected to increase while many workers hope to remain in the workforce longer.
To better prepare for life-long, successful occupational engagement, practitioners require CMC joint knowledge and interventions that are effective and evidence-based. This pre-conference institute aims to provide a relevant review of thumb anatomy and biomechanics via cadaver-based video, present the disease process of the CMC, and review surgical and therapeutic interventions. Joint mobilization, stability, strengthening, and joint protection techniques will be discussed. Finally, participants will be able to heighten their orthotic skills and will engage in the fabrication of a rigid, short CMC orthosis.
(click here to register for this session)
Stroke Rehab: Utilizing a Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Improve Outcomes - Kelly F. Ptachick, MS, OTR/L, CSRS
(click here to register for this session)
The incidence of stroke continues to rise annually and each year more individuals survive stroke, thus making it the leading cause of disability. Furthermore, changes in reimbursement have led to decreased length of stays and a decreased number of visits in the acute, inpatient rehab, skilled nursing, home health and outpatient settings. These factors make it increasingly important for therapists to maximize the effectiveness of their interventions, across the continuum of care, in order to improve patient outcomes in a shorter period of time. OTs must work as a team with PTs, SLPS and other medical professionals to ensure that patients receive the highest quality of care based on current evidence-based practice. This course is designed to review common deficits resulting from stroke (hemiparesis, visual-perceptual, apraxia, cognitive, balance, spasticity) and instruct therapists on how to effectively evaluate and treat these deficits with an emphasis on a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment. Participants will also review the importance of utilizing evidence-based practice to guide patient interventions and will be provided with tips on how to easily access the current research. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on lab activities and discuss case studies utilizing a roundtable format.
(click here to register for this session)
Using Communities of Practice to Build and Lead Inter-professional Evidence Based Practice - Patricia Laverdure, OTD, OTR/L, BCP (click here to register for this session)
Despite increasingly robust scientific evidence to guide occupational therapy practice, access to research databases; time and skills required to access, synthesize and translate evidence to practice; and therapist perception of the availability, applicability, and utility of evidence have challenged the implementation of evidence based practice (EBP), and the use of evidence in clinical decision making across practice settings. As occupational therapists increasingly adopt client centered and occupation based interventions, applying evidence from clinical trials and from diverse settings becomes ever more difficult.
In this presentation, participants will examine strategies that enable participants to distinguish between assumptions and biases, clinical experience, and evidence in practice; access, synthesize, translate, and implement knowledge; and use evidence to critically evaluate and change practice in educational settings. They will identify collaborative approaches that support practitioners’ access to relevant evidence, clarify informational needs, facilitate knowledge development, and close knowledge to practice gaps. Participants will reflect upon and discuss strategies that blend their clinical knowledge and knowledge of the practice context with scientific evidence to inform the collaborative inter-professional team, support decision making, and guide impact analysis and outcome measurement. As in most settings, occupational therapy practitioners face growing accountability requirements to articulate their unique value in supporting clients, work collaboratively as part of an inter-professional team, and contribute actively to the health and well-being outcomes of their clients. Translating evidence and ushering in change at the individual as well as the system level is essential. During this training, participants will identify collaborative approaches to build and lead inter-professional teams, close knowledge to practice gaps, and improve client outcomes. Participants will have the option to continue their learning as part of a faculty guided virtual collaborative learning community following the training.
(click here to register for this session)
Cancellation and Refund Policy: There will be NO refunds issued less than 30 days prior to conference. Refunds may be issued if requested more than 30 days prior to conference, [less a $30 cancellation fee]
8100 Three Chopt Road, OMG Suite 226| Richmond | VA | 23229