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Introduction: New graduate occupational therapists' experiences of learning to make paediatric intervention decisions within hospital settings are unexplored. New graduates commonly find clinical decision-making challenging. Previous research has predominantly evaluated support programs designed to assist their transition to practice. Exploring new graduates' experiences working in hospital settings is important because they are common employers of new graduates and typically provide substantial support. Method: A case study approach enabled exploration of the experiences of four new graduate and perspectives of four experienced occupational therapists working in an Australian paediatric hospital. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, informal discussions, observations and review of documents. Inductive analysis was used to identify codes and themes within the data. Findings: New graduates reported substantial access to workplace supports and resources to inform their intervention decisions. However, the immediacy with which occupational therapists needed to respond to referrals impacted new graduates' ability to consistently access available supports. They were acutely aware of needing to manage clinical risk and actively sought informal support for making intervention decisions. Conclusion: Providing opportunities to seek informal support on an 'as-needs' basis was most important for assisting new graduates to obtain reassurance that they were making safe, high-quality intervention decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Combining qualitative inquiry with quantitative frequency data in a mixed methods research approach was valuable in understanding the strategies that people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) used to manage their fatigue. Understanding its management is important because fatigue is often described by people with MS as their most disabling symptom and can pervade all aspects of a person's life. This research aimed to identify how often people used particular fatigue management strategies and the factors that influenced their use in the context of daily life. The methodology was Qualitative Description with phenomenological overtones using convenience sampling, interviews with semi-structured and structured components, and frequencies combined with typology development. Thirty-one people with MS from Chicago, Ill and Brisbane, Queensland in Australia who experienced fatigue were interviewed and asked to sort 15 cards with common fatigue management strategies into 3 categories, indicating whether they used them regularly, sometimes or never. Frequency counts were used to identify the number of participants who placed a specific strategy in a particular category. Frequencies were used to develop a typology with which to code the qualitative data. The strategies placed most frequently in each category were: Plan / organize the day used regularly, Ask someone for help used sometimes, and Use mobility devices never used. Mixed methods research techniques enabled us to explore the participants' fatigue management in greater depth. Each data type (i.e., qualitative and quantitative data) complemented the other and led to a richer understanding than either could provide in isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Evaluation of students undertaking fieldwork education placements is a critical process in the health professions. As training programs and practice evolve, systems for assessing students need to be reviewed and updated constantly. In 1995, staff of the occupational therapy training program at the University of Queensland, Australia decided to develop a new tool for assessing student fieldwork performance. Using an action research methodology, a team developed the Student Placement Evaluation Form, a flexible and comprehensive criterion-referenced evaluation tool. The present paper examines action research as an appropriate methodology for considering real-life organisational problems in a systematic and participatory manner. The action research cycles undertaken, including preliminary information gathering, tool development, trial stages and current use of the tool, are detailed in the report. Current and future development of the tool is also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]