David practiced cooking for himself and learned about making healthier food choices. Noelle worked on her morning “get ready by myself” routine by eating, brushing her teeth, and doing her hair. Derrick used a slide board to transfer from his wheelchair to a bed.
This is just a snapshot of the Activities of Daily Living Lab at Erwin Square. OTD students enrolled in OTD 612, Comprehensive Assessment and Management of Practice (CAMP) spent their Tuesday mornings and afternoons spring semester delivering services to help improve volunteer clients’ lives.
Wrapping up the first 16-week CAMP course marked another “first-time” milestone for the OTD program.
Working in teams, second-year OTD students assessed the needs of more than 20 volunteers, created intervention plans to optimize their occupational engagement, established discharge plans, and completed documentation for their services. Every team has a CAMP mentor, a licensed occupational therapist.
Course Director Christine Alexander-Greene, ScD, MS, OTR/L, said it’s rewarding to watch students gain confidence.
“Over two six-week periods, CAMP students are exposed to ‘real-life’ experiences as they collaboratively identify strategies to help volunteers with chronic conditions navigate challenges to daily living activities such as tying shoelaces, doing hair, and preparing a simple meal,” Alexander-Greene said.
Alexander-Greene said she watched students become even more focused and innovative in preparing for their clients’ weekly visits, using the time wisely to make progress on their goals.
“It is most rewarding to receive feedback from volunteers that carryover of strategies introduced by students that enabled increased participation in occupation and subsequently, improved the health and well-being of the volunteer,” Alexander-Greene said.
OTD Student Sherwina Adams enjoyed the team aspect, noting that every person brings their own experiences, ideas, and skills to the table to best serve each client.
“The experience has made me feel more prepared for my fieldwork experiences. This setting has helped us work with people on understanding their daily occupations and how we can support carrying out those activities at home,” said Emily Coronado, OTD 2024 student. “It’s also been great to work with a team in the sense that if I need help with something, I can rely on other supportive team members.”
Laura Liszka, OTD, OTR-L, served as their OTD mentor. She is a pediatric OT at Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center.
“I have seen them grow and think faster in their clinical reasoning,” said Lisvka. “My role has been to guide them, not to give them all of the answers.”
As the licensed occupational therapist on each CAMP team, mentors guide students throughout the therapeutic process. Mentors also helped to improve the course by making recommendations to enhance the learning experience for future students.