Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2022, Education
Occupational therapy education standards have recently changed to require students to
demonstrate knowledge and use of the safe and effective application of physical agents. This
change, which occurred in 2020, is more rigorous in the area of deep thermal and
electrotherapeutic agents than in previous revisions. This mixed-methods convergent study
surveyed occupational therapists who are also Certified Hand Therapists to learn how they
developed competence in the use of electrotherapeutic and deep thermal physical agents and
what they believed to be effective educational methods in their learning. A survey gathered
quantitative data for the study. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were completed to gather
qualitative data. Data analysis included descriptive statistics for quantitative data and
demographic data, as well as inferential statistics through the use of single-factor analyses of
variance with post hoc testing. Results indicated practitioners use a variety of training methods
to develop competence in the use of complex physical agents. Continuing education and
fieldwork education resulted in higher levels of independence when compared with
manufacturer's sales representative training. Continuing education, fieldwork education, entry-level
education, post-professional education, and on-the-job training were associated with higher
levels of competence than no training at all, indicating the aforementioned methods were all
effective in developing competence. Triangulated results support learner demonstration,
supervised and repetitive practice, and feedback during learning as essential methods for
developing competence in complex physical agents. This study provides recommendations for
effective educational methods for teaching and learning complex physical agents applicable to
occupational therapy educators, novice practitioners, and occupational therapy students.
Committee: Christine Denecker (Committee Chair); Jon Brasfield (Committee Member); Alfred Bracciano (Committee Member)
Subjects: Adult Education; Curriculum Development; Education; Health Sciences; Higher Education; Occupational Therapy