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Background: A strengths-based lens is essential for the pursuit of health equity among Indigenous populations. However, health professionals are often taught and supported in practice via deficit-based approaches that perpetuate inequity for Indigenous peoples. Deficit narratives in healthcare and health education are reproduced through practices and policies that ignore Indigenous strengths, disregard human rights, and reproduce structural inequalities. When strengths are recognised it is possible to build capacities and address challenges, while not losing sight of the structural factors impacting Indigenous peoples' health. Objective: In this paper, we examine Indigenous strengths-based approaches to policy and practice in healthcare and health professions education when delivered alongside teachings shared by Elders from the Cree, Blackfoot and Métis Nations of Alberta, Canada. Method: Literature and Elders' teachings were used to shift strengths-based approaches from Western descriptions of what might be done, to concrete actions aligned with Indigenous ways. Results: Four pointers for future action adopting a strengths-based approach are identified--enacting gifts: focusing on positive attributes; upholding relationality: centring good relationships; honouring legacy: restoring self-determination; and reconciling truth: attending to structural determinants of health. Conclusion: Identified directions and actionable strategies offer a promising means to advance Indigenous health equity through strengths-based actions that change existing narratives and advance health equity.

With the increased reliance on technology, computer programming has emerged as an essential skill that is interesting to many audiences beyond merely computer scientists. As a result, many students from various disciplines take first-year computer science courses. This led to classrooms with a lot of diversity in student motivation, backgrounds, learning needs, and educational levels. Teaching the same material to such a diverse group is challenging. The aim of this paper is two-fold. Firstly, we present a flipped-based approach that benefits from the mixed-ability nature of first-year programming courses rather than considering it as a burden. Secondly, we present a study that evaluates the extent to which the proposed approach enhances student learning in such a mixed-ability environment. The study was conducted in a first-year course at the University of British Columbia -- Okanagan, and it was based on three components:1) a survey of 25 Likert items(n = 46), 2) class average grade and pass rate over 6 years (n = 42 + 38 + 56 + 79 + 90 + 74), and 3) student ratings of the course over 5 years (n = 42 + 38 + 56 + 79 + 90). Findings of the survey indicate an overall positive students' impression with no significant difference in the opinions of various student populations. Analyzing the course grades, pass rates, and student ratings confirmed the survey findings and showed an overall improvement in grades, pass-rates, and student satisfaction.

This paper introduces the concept of leadership communities of practice (COP) as a strategy to enhance succession planning and leadership development within the Canadian healthcare context. Drawing upon Prosci's ADKAR methodology as a foundational change management framework, this paper explores the adaptation of COP, originally developed by Lave and Wenger in 1991, to foster collaborative learning. While COP have a long history in business and education sectors, their formal integration into healthcare, specifically leadership development is relatively recent. This paper highlights the necessity of a robust change management approach to effectively introduce COP as a mechanism to enhance leadership development in healthcare settings, highlighting their potential to facilitate knowledge exchange and support social learning among healthcare leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Independent mobility is an important component of healthy ageing. Public transit may be an affordable way to achieve independent mobility, and yet little is known about older adults' transition to public transit. This paper addresses this research gap by providing an exploration of older adults' experiences transitioning to public transit use, and by comparing these experiences to those of older people who have always travelled using transit. Twenty-four older adults (65+) living in Hamilton, Canada, who use public transit completed semi-structured interviews during which they discussed their experiences when they first began to use transit. These experiences are framed herein with the concept self-efficacy, i.e. how one's belief in their ability to complete a task shapes their ability to complete said task. Results indicate that most older adults acquire skills to transition to public transit, such as trip planning, boarding, knowing where to sit and exiting the bus. These skills are developed through practice. As one gains experience, one becomes more confident in their ability to meet their daily travel needs using transit. Therefore, the transition to public transit as an older adult can be more challenging for those with little experience using public transit. This paper highlights the danger of assuming all older adults will effortlessly take up transit and stresses the importance of older adults gaining experience using public transit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students with disabilities are far less likely than their peers to participate in work-integrated learning (WIL). This gap may contribute to the high levels of unemployment for people with disabilities. Unemployment rates compound when accounting for intersectional identities, with disabled people of color experiencing even higher rates of unemployment. Skill development through opportunities such as WIL is critical to ensure equity -deserving groups can transition successfully from post-secondary institutions into the workforce. Without a transparent, collaborative accommodations process in an environment that is actively reducing stigma and ableism, it is likely students with disabilities will continue to be underrepresented in WIL and the workforce after graduation. This paper presents an overview of disability, barriers to participation, and relevant Canadian legislation. The authors then propose an outline for developing a collaborative accommodations process for WIL opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Many academic leaders have little formal leadership training, which can result in challenges to effective leadership, succession planning and burnout. This paper aims to explore the leadership skills needed to be an effective senior academic leader in a Canadian medical faculty. Design/methodology/approach: An anonymous voluntary survey of needed leadership skills and supports was sent to 60 senior academic leaders at the University of Alberta. This was followed by interviewing a purposive sample, using open-ended questions based on a multimodal needs assessment of senior academic leaders. The authors used an iterative process to analyze the data; anonymized transcripts were coded and categorized separately by two researchers, and themes were created. Findings: The "ability to influence" was the highest rated needed leadership skill in the survey. The interviewed leaders (n = 12) were unanimous that they felt unprepared at the start of the leadership role. The survey and interviews identified five major themes for leadership skills: Mentoring, Finances, Human Resources, Building Relationships and Protected Time. Networking and leadership courses were identified as major sources of support. Research limitations/implications: Although a single site study, the results were similar to another large Canadian medical faculty (University of Toronto, Lieff et al., 2013). While the survey had a 42% response rate (25/60), the survey responses were echoed in the interviews. Although the purposive sample was small, the interviewed leaders were a representative sample of the larger leadership group. Originality/value: Academic leaders may benefit from a mentorship team/community of leaders and specific university governance knowledge which may help their ability to influence and advance their strategic initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review explores the professional literature in allied healthcare to determine which self-assessments of mentor skills are the most valid and reliable for use in occupational therapy doctoral capstone programs. The aims of this scoping review include mapping evidence related to mentor assessments in healthcare, exploring implications for occupational therapy doctoral mentor training programs, and identifying common characteristics of mentor self-assessments for occupational therapy programs to consider when developing capstone mentoring resources. Researchers applied and reported via PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A librarian and authors formulated keywords and database selections to search PubMed/MEDLINE/PMC, and Embase were searched from across healthcare professions for training outcomes, mentor self-assessment, mentor attributes, and use of researcher-developed assessments. The search was limited to English publications from the last 20 years. Data were extracted for quantitative information regarding study characteristics and qualitative information about mentoring skills. A total of 852 results were delivered across all databases. Nineteen papers met the final eligibility criteria and were included in the data extraction. Populations were included from several healthcare professions, including 11 nursing, four healthcare researchers, one pharmacy, one midwifery, one medicine, and one medical dietetics. Countries included the United States (n = 7), Finland (n = 5), United Kingdom (n = 4), Japan (n = 1), South Africa (n = 1) and Canada (n = 1). The authors identified four valid self-assessment tools, demonstrating III and IV levels of evidence, that may be implemented by occupational therapy programs as they develop resources for mentor programs. Occupational therapy programs can use the mentor attributes found in this scoping review to create their own mentor assessment measures or may choose to use a validated tool. The authors recommend additional research in mentor education and mentor skill acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research pertaining to the experiences and motives of Paralympic athletes who transfer between sports is scant. This study aimed to address this gap through semistructured interviews with Canadian Paralympic coaches (n = 35) and athletes (n = 12). Three higher-order themes of "alternative to retirement," "career extension," and "compatibility" were identified. The subthemes of "psychobehavioral" and "physical and physiological" (from the higher-order theme of alternative to retirement) captured reasons leading to transfer, which are similar to reasons athletes may consider retirement. The subthemes of career extension—"better opportunities" and "beneficial outcomes"—shed light on factors that contributed to the withdrawal of negative experiences and reinforcement of positive outcomes associated with transferring sports. Last, compatibility had three subthemes of "resources," "sport-specific," and "communication," which encapsulated factors athletes should consider prior to their transfer. In conclusion, the participants highlighted the importance of transparent and effective communication between athletes and sports to align and establish realistic expectations for everyone involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Healthcare providers carry the occupational risk of being exposed to pathogens. Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) requires proficiency whenever used. Yet, evidence shows significant errors and variation in competency when applying PPE. Objective: In this study, we developed a three-phase intervention to promote PPE proficiency. Methods: Education and assessment of participants' PPE knowledge and skills occurred at a large academic university in Western Canada. Participants first completed an online module; second, they experienced one-on-one coaching and deliberate practice with infection control professionals; and third, participants managed a COVID-19 clinical simulation scenario. The measured outcomes include a 15-item pre- and post-knowledge test and a pre- and post-skills assessment of donning and doffing behaviors. These behaviors were observed from video recordings and were assessed using two standardized checklists. Results: Knowledge and donning/doffing post-test scores (11.73, 0.95, and 0.96, respectively) were significantly higher after completing all three phases of the educational intervention, p <.001. Conclusions: An online module alone is insufficient for PPE knowledge and skill development. Rather, a module followed by practice and simulation allows learners to gain proficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to describe how occupational therapists evaluate older adults with cognitive impairments. A descriptive qualitative study design was used. Four focus groups were conducted with 16 occupational therapists working with cognitively impaired older adults in institutional and community care settings. An inductive thematic analysis of the content of the interviews was applied. Occupational therapists described a three-stage assessment process that was predominantly occupation-based, linear and iterative: (a) gathering information from the older adult, their care network and family members to plan the assessment, (b) assessing cognitive impairment and occupational performance using non-standardized observations and standardized tests, and (c) applying clinical reasoning to predict further performance issues and safety. Despite using a predominantly occupation-based assessment process, occupational therapists reported a lack confidence to predict safety. Occupational therapists may require additional knowledge, skills and tools to support them in assessing older adults with cognitive impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of hearing disability on employment rates; examine how various factors are associated with employment; and identify workplace accommodations available to persons with hearing disabilities in Canada. Material and methods: A population-based analysis was done using the data collected through the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD), representing 6 million (n = 6 246 640) Canadians. A subset of the complete dataset was created focusing on individuals with a hearing disability (n = 1 334 520). Weighted descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: In 2017, the employment rates for working-age adults with a hearing disability were 55%. Excellent general health status (OR: 3.37; 95% CI: 2.29–4.96) and daily use of the internet (OR: 2.70; 95% CI: 1.78–4.10) had the highest positive effect on the employment rates. The top three needed but least available accommodations were communication aids (16%), technical aids (19%), and accessible parking/elevator (21%). Conclusion: Employment rates for persons with a hearing disability are lower than the general population in Canada. Employment outcomes are closely associated with one's general health and digital skills. Lack of certain workplace accommodations may disadvantage individuals with a hearing disability in their employment. People with severe hearing disabilities and those with additional disabilities may need additional and more rigorous services and supports to achieve competitive employment. It is important for the government to improve efforts toward inclusive education and develop strategies that promote digital literacy for job seekers with hearing disabilities. Officials concerned with implementing employment equity policies in Canada should focus on finding strategies that enable employees to have supportive conversations with their employers regarding disability disclosure and obtaining required accommodations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) electives provide medical students opportunities for knowledge acquisition, mentorship, and career exploration. Given the importance of electives on medical student education, this study examines OHNS clinical electives prior to their cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An anonymous 29-question electronic survey was created using the program "Qualtrics." Themes included elective structure and organization, elective clinical and non-clinical teaching, evaluation of students, and the influence of electives on the Canadian Residency Match (CaRMS). The survey was distributed through the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology e-newsletter and e-mailed to all OHNS undergraduate and postgraduate program directors across Canada. Results: Forty-two responses were received. The vast majority of respondents felt that visiting electives were important and should return post-COVID-19 (97.6%). Most said they provide more in-depth or hands-on teaching (52.4% and 59.6%, respectively). However, there was great variability in the feedback, types of teaching and curriculum provided to elective students. It was estimated that 77% of current residents at the postgraduate program that responders were affiliated with participated in an elective at their program. Conclusions: Prior to the cancellation of visiting electives in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, electives played an important role in OHNS undergraduate medical education and career planning for students wishing to pursue a career in OHNS. Electives also provide the opportunity for the evaluation of students by OHNS postgraduate programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of delivering Art skill-based Rehabilitation Training (ART), a novel upper limb motor training program, to patients with stroke as an adjunct to standard care in an inpatient setting. Design: Feasibility study. Setting: Inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit at a university hospital. Participants: Thirty-eight patients admitted to a stroke rehabilitation unit with upper limb motor impairment were enrolled in the ART program facilitated by trained non-healthcare professionals between December 2017 and June 2021. Intervention: The ART program included nine, one-hour sessions of supervised tracing and freehand drawing tasks completed with both hands. This program was intended to be delivered at a frequency of three times per week over a duration of 3 weeks or for the length of inpatient stay. Main outcome measures: Feasibility outcomes included ART program adherence, acceptability, and safety. Results: Thirty-two (84%) participants with subacute stroke completed the ART program and 30 (79%) were included in the study analysis. Participants completed 93–100% of the ART tasks in a median [IQR] of 8 [6–10] ART sessions over a median [IQR] duration of 15 [7–19] days. ART program facilitators effectively provided upper limb assistance to patients with more severe upper limb impairments. Adherence and acceptability were high and no study-related adverse events occurred. Conclusion: The ART program was feasible to deliver and highly acceptable to patients with stroke. Further research is warranted to explore the impact of ART on upper limb sensorimotor function and use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women with intellectual disability experience intimate partner violence at higher rates and tend to remain in abusive relationships longer than non‐disabled women. The purpose of this inquiry was to generate a preliminary set of principles and delineate domains of support as a general guide for social service workers supporting women with intellectual disability through the difficult, often stop‐start process of ending an abusive relationship and creating a desired future. Taking a pragmatic inquiry approach, guiding principles and domains of support were generated through a triangulated engagement with relational theory, relevant published research, and original data gathered through interviews with five experienced social service workers. The results comprise a relational framework for inclusive, trauma‐informed services aimed at fostering the relational autonomy of women with intellectual disability. Enacting relational principles of reflexivity, recognition, solidarity and safety, social service workers can support women with intellectual disability with safety planning, securing basic life needs, strengthening social relationships, acquiring new skills and nurturing self‐affective attitudes of self‐respect, self‐efficacy and self‐esteem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Social justice is a foundational social work value, but social work education continues to experience ongoing challenges with how to teach students to embody social justice values. The aim of this scoping review is to map empirical studies on teaching methods that translate social justice value into teachable curricula. Methods: Following Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework, we conducted a rigorous process in which we screened 5953 studies and included a final sample of 35 studies. Results: Our findings identified seven main teaching approaches: intergroup dialogue, online asynchronized discussion board, simulation and role play, group work and presentation, written reflection, community-engaged learning, and social action-oriented learning. In terms of competency development, most of the studies focused on awareness and knowledge versus skill-building. Most teaching methods emphasized students' affective experiences during the social justice learning activities. Discussion: Challenges, lessons learned, and future recommendations of each teaching method are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim was to investigate if an extracurricular research skills development program builds the knowledge, attitudes, and skills (KAS) to support evidence‐based practice (EBP). Methods: Twenty nursing students and six mentors in four teams completed small, student‐led research projects over 1 year. Using a mixed‐methods design, the knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) survey was administered at three‐time points, followed by qualitative interviews. A linear mixed‐effects regression model was used to analyze survey data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results: The change from the KAP survey from the first to the third time point showed a statistically significant difference following engagement in the program. Qualitative data indicated benefits and challenges to participation for both students and mentors. Mentorship provided students with improved relationships, collaboration, and leadership skills. Students believed the program enhanced their understanding of research and reported increased confidence in using EBP. Conclusion: Offering students innovative first‐hand experiences with research develops research KAS to support EBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) was legalized in Canada without a designated period for implementation. Providers did not have access to customary alternatives for training and mentorship during the first 1–3 years after legalization. Objective: To report on how doctors prepared for their first provision of MAID in the early period after legalization in Canada. Design: Qualitative research design within an interpretive phenomenological theoretical framework. We asked participants to describe their experiences preparing for first MAID provision. Analysis of transcripts elicited themes regarding training and information desired by early adopters for provision of newly legalized MAID. Participants: Twenty-one early adopting physician-providers in five Canadian provinces were interviewed. Results: Few formal training opportunities were available. Many early-adopting providers learned about the procedure from novel sources using innovative methods. They employed a variety of strategies to meet their needs, including self-training and organizing provider education groups. They acknowledged and reflected on uncertainty and knowledge gained from unexpected experiences and missteps. Key phrases from participants indicated a desire for early training and mentorship. Limitations: This study included only the perspective of physicians who were providers of MAID. It does not address the training needs for all health practitioners who receive requests for assisted death nor report the patient/family experience. Conclusion: The Canadian experience demonstrates the importance of establishing accessible guidance and training opportunities for providers at the outset of implementation of newly legalized assisted dying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the experiences of older adults attending digital literacy training sessions offered by the public library system in one city in Ontario. Semi-structured interviews with 12 older adults (age 60+) demonstrated the significance of societal and internalized ageism in shaping the experiences of participants, as well as the construction of the training as a "safe space" for experimentation. Implications for participants and future public library digital literacy training sessions are discussed, with particular attention to asset-based approaches, the need for skill development, and addressing the effects of ageism on participants. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15228835.2021.1962477. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a rapid transition to online teaching for universities during the current and ensuing years. Graduate social work students need advanced knowledge and skills in leadership and supervision to become future leaders in human service organizations. However, social workers are often promoted to management from direct service positions without adequate skills and training and schools of social work may not formally educate students for leadership and administrative positions. Scholarly literature and research about leadership training for social work students, specifically online training, is also scarce. This article examines how two Canadian schools of social work addressed this gap through the development of graduate master of social work courses on leadership and supervision as mandatory components of their curriculum, through on-campus and online formats. Varying course approaches, topics, instructional strategies, assignments, and themes collected and analyzed from online surveys of student feedback are described, emphasizing strengths (satisfaction, relevance, benefits, course design), challenges (content, timing), and lessons learned (importance, new learning, confidence, future roles). Recommendations for similar educational disruptions, future courses, and practice implications, including teaching resources and instructor adaptability to support the rapid transition to online and blended learning formats, are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]