RESEARCH INTEREST

With personal and professional experience in the realm of Occupational Therapy in the Orthopedic setting, I hope to focus my research on the Biopsychosocial aspects of orthopedic trauma. I plan to assess the current role of Occupational Therapy and the benefit to one's orthopedic outcomes post trauma. I will push the bounds of current orthopedic occupational therapy in the hopes of improving occupational participation and performance through early activity and modification for improved engagement in patient's required and desired roles and responsibilities.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

PI: Samantha N. Shea Lemoins

The exploration of occupational outcomes outside of basic self-care, social participation, and roles has yet to be studied in the adult orthopedic population through an OT Practitioner (OTP) lens. Thus, the overall goal of this study is to improve outcomes for adult patients experiencing orthopedic trauma through increased utilization of the OTP in an outpatient setting. The specific aims of this study are:

(1) To explore chronic ( >3 months-post) activity participation changes and their relationship to mental health changes and quality of life in persons who experience a traumatic orthopedic injury.

H1. Chronic adult orthopedic patients will have ongoing activity participation limitations outside of basic self-care activities of daily living.

H2. Chronic adult orthopedic patients will also have mental health and quality of life changes that will correlate to changes in activity participation after lower extremity trauma.

(2) To develop and standardize intervention protocol to support individuals recovering from a traumatic orthopedic injury. A framework developed by O’Cathain and colleagues (2019) will allow for incorporating feedback to systematically refine the intervention and research protocols with input from practitioners and participants (O’Cathain et al., 2019).

(3) To determine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel intervention to support activity participation for persons recovering from traumatic lower-extremity injuries. The Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) will be used to assess the feasibility of the planned intervention, the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), and the Intervention of Appropriateness Measure (IAM) to determine the acceptability of the planned intervention.

This study hypothesizes that adult lower-extremity orthopedic trauma patients have ongoing occupational needs three months after discharge.
This exploratory cross-sectional study aims to determine the ongoing needs of those experiencing lower-extremity orthopedic trauma, including instrumental activities of daily living, social roles, participation, and perceived quality of life. The cross-sectional study will be followed by intervention development and a pilot study to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the planned intervention to address ongoing needs.

COMPLETED PROJECTS

An Examination of the Utilization of the Occupational Therapy Practitioner for Increased Activity Engagement & Decreased Secondary Diagnoses Post Lower-Extremity Orthopedic Procedure - COMPLETED, 2022
The Current Role and Increased Need for Post-Acute OT in the Orthopedic Population: A Case Study - COMPLETED, 2022
MeToo, Sexual Harassment in Occupational Therapy Research & Academia, Author and Investigator - COMPLETED, 2023
Pawprints, Author and Investigator - COMPLETED, 2023

PUBLICATIONS

Proffitt, R., Kraus, B., Jozkowski, A. C., Shea Lemoins, S., Kersey, J., Brick, R., Schwartz, J. K., & Hoyt, C. R. (2023). MeTooOT: Sexual harassment experiences of occupational therapy academics and systemic change recommendations. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health. https://doi.org/10.1177/15394492231153120
Proffitt, R., Boone, A. E., Janes, W. E., Hall, J. B., Shea Lemoins, S., & Dunn, W. (In press). Supporting faculty scholarship through a peer writing group: A model and guide for success. International Journal for Academic Development.

PRESENTATIONS

2023 American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference - Kansas City, Missouri
- Short Course: None of us is as smart as all of us: Promoting scholarship through a peer writing group
- Rachel Proffitt, Winnie Dunn, Tiffany Bolton, Sam Shea Lemoins, Bill Janes, Anna Boone

SERVICE

Clinical Ethics Committee Member, University of Missouri- Columbia (2023 - Present)
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) content reviewer- Therapy Practice Guidelines for Adults with Stroke (March 2023)
- The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2023, Vol. 77(5), 7705397010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2023.077501
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) content reviewer- AOTA Mentee project, AOTA social media content regarding Practice Guidelines (March 2023)

My Passion for Orthopedics

After suffering a life-changing orthopedic injury in 2017, it became clear as an OT Practitioner that there was a need for improved post-acute rehabilitation for the lower-extremity orthopedic patient. The literature supported this need. This drives my passion to improve functional outcomes, including occupational participation and improved mental health post-orthopedic event.

HEALTH & REHABILITATION SCIENCE

Emphasis on Occupational Therapy and Orthopedic Practice