OTD Capstone Projects

Abstract

This doctoral capstone project was completed in partnership with Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt within the Pediatric Seating and Mobility clinic. There has been an increased number of referrals to the clinic for equipment aimed at preventing elopement behaviors, primarily for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The goal of this capstone project was to improve the current plan of care regarding elopement evaluations to decrease strain on therapists and families. The objectives for this project were based on information from various stakeholders, including therapist and caregiver feedback, equipment vendors, and insurance providers. Outcomes included the creation of an elopement evaluation template, letters of medical necessity, treatment summaries, and a wide variety of resources for families. In addition, second year occupational therapy students were educated on strategies for elopement prevention. Deliverables were uploaded to the electronic database, EPIC, and are available as smart phrases for therapists to use while documenting.

Publication Date

Spring 4-21-2025

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Candace Thrash OTD, MSOT, OTR/L, BCP

Department

Occupational Therapy, School of

College

Health Sciences & Nursing, Gordon E. Inman College of

Document Type

Poster

Degree

Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Degree Level

Doctoral

Degree Grantor

Belmont University

Keywords

elopement; elopement prevention; autism spectrum disorder; assistive technology; equipment; educational resources

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