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Contexte. Pour s’attaquer aux injustices systémiques vécues par les personnes en situation de vulnérabilité, l’agentivité des ergothérapeutes, soit leur pouvoir d’agir, est nécessaire. Or, elles se sentent peu compétentes à l’exercer et aimeraient développer leurs compétences. L’objectif général de cette recherche était donc de documenter la perception des ergothérapeutes de leurs compétences avant et à la suite d’une formation à l’agentivité. Méthodes. Nous avons utilisé un devis mixte séquentiel explicatif, comportant un volet quantitatif constitué d’un questionnaire auto-administré pré-post formation et un volet qualitatif descriptif avec entretiens de groupe. Résultats. Un total de 103 ergothérapeutes ont suivi la formation entre le 19 janvier et le 19 octobre 2019. Leur sentiment de compétence s’est amélioré, surtout pour celles n’ayant pas de formation antérieure à l’agentivité. Les compétences perçues comme s’étant les plus développées correspondent aux compétences jugées prioritaires à développer, à savoir la communication efficace, la collaboration intentionnelle, ainsi que l’observation et l’analyse. Par contre, les ergothérapeutes soulignent ne pas maîtriser l’exercice de ces compétences en contexte réel. Conclusion. Bien que la formation continue soit une avenue pour améliorer les compétences nécessaires à l’exercice de l’agentivité, des questions demeurent quant aux modalités optimales pour assurer leur plein développement de façon pérenne.

Background Since they are key witnesses to the systemic difficulties and social inequities experienced by vulnerable patients, health and social service (HSS) professionals and clinical managers must act as change agents. Using their expertise to achieve greater social justice, change agents employ a wide range of actions that span a continuum from the clinical (microsystem) to the societal (macrosystem) sphere and involve actors inside and outside the HSS system. Typically, however, clinical professionals and managers act in a circumscribed manner, that is, within the clinical sphere and with patients and colleagues. Among the hypotheses explaining this reduced scope of action is the fear of reprisal. Little is known about the prevalence of this fear and its complex dynamics. Objective The overall aim is to gain a better understanding of the complex dynamic process leading to clinical professionals’ and managers’ fear of reprisal in their change agent actions and senior administrators’ and managers’ determination of wrongdoing. The objectives are (1) to estimate the prevalence of fear of reprisal among clinical professionals and managers; (2) to identify the factors involved in (a) the emergence of this fear among clinical professionals and managers, and (b) the determination of wrongdoing by senior administrators and managers; (3) to describe the process of emergence of (a) the fear of reprisal among clinical professionals and managers, and (b) the determination of wrongdoing by senior administrators and managers; and (4) to document the legal and ethical issues associated with the factors identified (objective 2) and the processes described (objective 3). Methods Based on the Exit, Voice, Loyalty, Neglect model, a 3-part sequential mixed methods design will include (1) a web-based survey (objective 1), (2) a qualitative grounded theory design (objectives 2 and 3), and (3) legal and ethical analysis (objective 4). Survey: 77,794 clinical professionals or clinical managers working in the Québec public HSS system will be contacted via email. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics. Grounded theory design: for each of the 3 types of participants (clinical professionals, clinical managers, and senior administrators and managers), a theoretical sample of 15 to 30 people will be selected via various strategies. Data will be independently analyzed using constant comparison process. Legal and ethical analysis: situations described by participants will be analyzed using, respectively, applicable legislation and jurisprudence and 2 ethical models. Results This ongoing study began in June 2022 and is scheduled for completion by March 2027. Conclusions Instead of acting, fear of reprisal could induce clinical professionals to tolerate situations that run counter to their social justice values. To ensure they use their capacities for serving a population that is or could become vulnerable, it is important to know the prevalence of the fear of reprisal and gain a better understanding of its complex dynamics. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/48400

Canadian occupational therapy (OT) university programs must teach change agent competencies. These include promoting social justice and empowering clients, which United States occupational therapists also do. Change agent competency requirements are challenging to teach and involve multidisciplinary knowledge and non-traditional skills. As few occupational therapists feel competent to act as change agents, university programs must engage in a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) approach and identify areas of improvement. The aim of this study, informed by SoTL, was to document, as described by participants, the pedagogical activities related to teaching the change agent role in an OT program in Canada and explore possible curricular improvements. Two online 90-minute focus group meetings were held: one with ten teaching team members, the other with six current and past students. Participants were questioned regarding current formal and informal curricular activities, barriers that influenced competency development, and activities that could help improve it. Data were analyzed thematically. Actual informative teaching activities, such as ethics and multicultural courses, were deemed helpful but insufficient, with only one transformative course in the curriculum. Barriers such as a rigid, biomedical-based program structure also affected competency acquisition. Solutions to improve acquisition included mentorship and recognition of relevant extracurricular projects by the programs. SoTL offers a reflective lens to learn from collective experiences. This study showed the importance of involving students and faculty in program development and delivery improvements in order to better support educators and program administrators in their mission to meet the needs of vulnerable populations.

Abstract Background As social change agents (SCAs), occupational therapists (OTs) are expected to defend the rights of their clients, advocate for and with them, and try to influence organizational and political decision-makers. However, OTs do not generally feel equipped to take effective action. The overall goal of this research partnership is to support practising OTs in acquiring the knowledge and skills required to act as SCAs through a specific SCA training program and a toolkit that summarizes the key training points. Methods The study will include three iterative phases (conceptualization, implementation and evaluation) and use a participatory process. The design of the training program and toolkit will draw on the expertise of the researchers (theoretical knowledge), a professional provincial partner and study participants (experiential knowledge). To evaluate the training program and toolkit, a self-administered evaluation questionnaire, facilitator observation grid and semi-structured guide designed to facilitate focus group discussions will be used. The quantitative and qualitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, respectively. The results of the initial implementation and evaluation phases will inform improvement of the training program and toolkit before starting the cycle with the following groups. Discussion In addition to training about 100 OTs, this study will produce three main benefits: 1) development of two products, namely the SCA training program and toolkit, that are easy to reuse and potentially transferable to other professionals; 2) ownership of these products by the partner through its close involvement in all stages of the study; and 3) development of a sustainable partnership between a team of researchers and a recognized organization with networks across Canada and internationally. These three spin-offs will provide a solid basis for an increasing number of permanent implementation initiatives, in Québec and elsewhere in Canada, not just in occupational therapy but also in other professions.

Evidence-based practice integrates and supports the best interventions in clinical practice. However, a gap of about ten years may elapse between the production of evidence and integration of best practices in clinical settings. Some technologies, such as podcasting, have become increasingly popular and are emerging as an innovative teaching modality that can support knowledge acquisition and integration. This scoping study gathered and synthesized the information in the literature regarding the use of podcasts by occupational therapy clinicians and students as a means for teaching and learning evidence-based knowledge. A scoping study approach was used following the five stages defined by Arksey and O'Malley. In four databases and using 40 keywords, two team members selected and cross-checked articles. Two team members also extracted data and analyzed them in the form of descriptive statistics and salience (recurrence and importance). Of the 46 articles selected, seven broad categories of 20 important themes related to the use of podcasting were identified: facilitators and obstacles to podcast use, advantages and disadvantages of podcasts, effects of podcasts, potential utility of podcasts, and elements to consider for podcast creation. Podcasting is an innovative and appropriate modality for the retention of knowledge and the optimization of practical skills. It differs from traditional methods in its ease of access and portability. Many positive effects have been associated with its use. However, podcasts should not replace class attendance or other active learning opportunities.

Entry-level programs are expected to support occupational therapy students in developing knowledge and skills pertaining to the change agent role. To do so, a detailed, multidimensional conceptualization of this role is necessary. To date, in the occupational therapy profession, there is no such conceptualization, which might impact educators’ ability to conduct relevant pedagogical activities. Our study aimed to explore the dimensions of the change agent role for occupational therapy practitioners. We undertook a scoping study of the scientific and grey literature up to August 31, 2018 to “map” what is known about the change agent role. We searched nine databases, including Medline and CINAHL, varying combined keywords according to the database. We also manually searched reference lists and 12 relevant websites. We examined data using thematic charts and analysis. From the 33 documents analyzed, we identified two change agent configurations: social and clinical. The social configuration operates at the macro-level (society) and is aimed at optimizing health and social justice for communities or populations. Actions include lobbying, using media, and assuming a formal duty in an advocacy group. At the micro-level (clinical setting), the intent of the clinical configuration is to inform, sustain and promote individual decision-making and protect civil rights. This involves discussions with clients to understand their values and provide information about rights and options. To play the change agent role, occupational therapy practitioners must acquire a variety of knowledge and skills. To develop their students’ ability to take on this important role, educators must tailor their pedagogical activities accordingly.

L’agentivité des professionnels en services sociaux et de santé (SSS), ou leur rôle d’agent de changement (AC), demeure sous-investie, notamment en raison d’un faible sentiment de compétence. Il importe donc d’évaluer les effets de formations à ce rôle sur le sentiment de compétence et sur les compétences. Cette étude visait à développer et à valider un questionnaire auto-administré évaluant ces effets. L’équipe de recherche a utilisé la méthode Delphi en trois rondes avec des experts connaissant le rôle d’AC ou la pédagogie auprès des professionnels en SSS. Le groupe d’experts regroupait quatre femmes et deux hommes, majoritairement des professeurs universitaires. Après consultation, les experts ont obtenu un consensus sur toutes les questions, amenant des modifications comme l’ajout de questions, leur ordonnancement, leur bonification, leur syntaxe, leur formulation et leurs choix de réponse. Pour conclure, la méthode Delphi a soutenu la conception d’un outil pour appuyer les professionnels en SSS dans leur développement professionnel.

The first objective of this research is to study the transition and self-perception of a sample group of Israeli faculty currently integrating online teaching within campus-based teaching. The authors studied the faculty’s perceptions of their new role, rewards and challenges of this role, their students' and their colleagues' perceptions of online teaching and how their institutions facilitate or impede this process. The second objective of this research is to compare findings from Israeli faculty to North American faculty, based on a similar study by Beaudoin (2002). The third objective is to provide ideas and insights to distance education administrators who are responsible for the recruitment, training and support of faculty. The last objective of this research is to contribute to faculty related research by exploring their new and changing role as online educators.