Students and Faculty Attend Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association Conference
In mid-October, University of Scranton occupational therapy (OT) students and faculty were invited to present their research endeavors at the annual Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association conference in King of Prussia. Students and faculty joined more than 500 occupational therapy students, faculty and clinicians from across the state.
Thirty-five OT students presented their faculty-mentored research projects during four poster presentation sessions. Students were accompanied by three OT faculty including Deborah Budash, Ph.D., OTR/L, Chandra Dombroski, MSLPT, DPT and Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, CLA, FAOTA.
While at the POTA conference, students and faculty interacted with colleagues and potential employers. Many attended informational presentations on varieties of topics ranging from hospice care to incontinence to fieldwork challenges to the opioid epidemic and more. Exhibitors also provided information and samples of upcoming therapeutic products and literature.
Karlie Ashcroft, a senior OT student, also served as POTA’s new student representative to the board of directors.
The following were presented at POTA by University of Scranton OT students and faculty:
Preferred Lighting Levels for Reading in College Students - Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, CLA, FAOTA; Kaitlyn Pittsman, OTS; Megan Schane, OTS
School-Based Occupational Therapy for Children with Anxiety - Kate Horohoe, OTS; Kara Grifonetti, OTS
Occupational Therapy for Caregivers of Early Onset Dementia - Caroline Hickey, OTS; Marcella Guilfoyle, OTS, [Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, CLA, FAOTA]
Cueing Interventions for Freezing Gait in Parkinson's Disease - Marie Acker, OTS; Melissa Busch, OTS; Chandra Dombroski, LPT, DPT
An Exploration of OT in Hospice - Deborah Budash, Ph.D., OTR/L
Resilience: A Factor in Spinal Cord Injury Recovery - Lucy Fulton, OTS; Emily Errickson, OTS [Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, CLA, FAOTA]
Interventions for Upper Extremity Spasticity Secondary TBI - Megan Farrell, OTS; Fallon Colman, OTS; [Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, CLA, FAOTA]
Reminiscence Therapy and Virtual Reality - Alessia Dolgetta, OTS; [Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, CLA, FAOTA]
Virtual Reality and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation Post-Stroke - Kaitlin Kenyon, OTS; Gabriela Lins, OTS; Catherine Moloney, OTS; Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, CLA, FAOTA
Sustainable Discharge for Adults with Serious Mental Illness - Mariah Hawley, OTS [Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA]
Treating Spasticity Using Occupational Therapy and Botox - Elizabeth Aberant, OTS; Kayley Carnes, OTS; Chandra Dombroski, MS/LPT, DPT
Animal Assisted Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder - Nicholas Anthony Chiara, OTS; Melissa Agostinho, OTS; Chandra Dombroski, BS/MS, LPT, DPT
Lifestyle Redesign®: An Option for Opioid Addiction? - Nicole Gervasi, OTS; Anna Giannantonio, OTS; [Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA ]
Physical Exercise Compared to Environmental Modifications for Dementia - Devon Tirney, OTS; Colleen O’Rourke, OTS; [Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA ]
Efficacy of Mirror Therapy for Stroke - Emily Koerner, OTS; Meghan Murtha, OTS; Amanda Hurd, OTS; Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, CLA, FAOTA
The OT as Educator: Helping Patients Understand Secondary Side Effects of Spinal Cord Injury - Deborah Budash, PhD, OTR/L
Vestibular Rehabilitation Program versus Traditional Physical Rehabilitation - Kimberly Plaspohl, OTS; Erin Sullivan, OTS; [Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, CLA, FAOTA]
Virtual Reality versus Mirror Therapy for Phantom Pain - Sara Codispoti, OTS; Sarah Aberasturi, OTS; Chandra Dombroski, LPT, DPT
Efficacy of Constraint-Induced Therapy on Upper Extremity Function in Clients Status Post-Stroke - Jenna Neyen, OTS; Sarah Leavy, OTS; Allison Marut, OTS; Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA
