
“Diversity will only be achieved if the primary focus is on:
what is happening within the pipeline…Emphasizing talent
development opens up many new approaches for science
training outside of traditional degree programs.”
(McGee, Saran, & Krulwich, 2012)

Literature is scarce on the long-term benefits of workplace
diversity in OT:
o (Kirsh, Trentham, & Cole, 2006)
o (Trentham, Cockburn, Cameron, & Iwama, 2007)





Imbed cultural competency training into OT curriculums
(Nochajski, & Matteliano, 2008)
Fieldwork education with underserved populations and
international fieldwork opportunities (Kirsh et al., 2006)
Promote self-reflection into OT students’ own cultural
identities (Kirsh et al., 2006)
Explore qualitative literature which depicts the experiences
of minority groups who receive OT (Kirsh et al., 2006)
Include discussions in academia of discrepancies in
Westernized versus non Westernized cultural values
(Iwama, 2003; Kinebanian & Stomph, 1992)

Podsiadlowski et al., 2013:
o Organizational paradigms to diversity
• Discrimination and fairness
• Access and legitimacy
• Learning and effectiveness

Suarez-Balcazar et al., 2011:
o Self-reflection
o Integrating culture in the occupational therapy process
o Developing organizational support for change

Dass and Parker, 1999:
o Resistance to organizational support for change

Dynamic between client and provider can be compromised by
sociocultural mismatches

Competence connotes a theory that can be mastered
Cultural humility indicates:

o Lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique
o Addressing power imbalances in the provider/client dynamic
o Developing partnerships with communities

Focus on student education to examine individual patterns of
unintentional and intentional racism, classism, homophobia
(Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998)

…transculturally competent therapists are skilled at working with
the client to:
o identify how meanings are created and/or expressed through
occupation
o acknowledge systemic barriers to inclusion and are able to
advocate for their amelioration
o open to learning about the lived experience of their clients
o knowledgeable about their {clients} values and health beliefs
o insightful about their own values and assumptions regarding
what are good and right and true
o can monitor their own tendency towards ethnocentricity
(Trentham, Cockburn, Cameron, & Iwama, 2007)

Cultural fluidity (Shippy, 2009):
o Able to adapt to different cultures--expert and learner

Cultural humility (Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998):
o Every interaction is multicultural; must be aware of personal bias

Transcultural competence (Kirsh et al., 2006):
o Ability to function effectively within a given role with a diversity of
individuals whose cultural perspectives differ from one’s own
• Cultural sensitivity is viewed as one aspect of transcultural
competence.

Cultural proficiency (AAFP, n.d.):
o Knowledge, skills, and attitudes which enable people to work well
with, effectively respond, and support people in cross-cultural
settings

“Another promising strategy might be to make use of
“influential” therapists….In our opinion, knowledge brokers
could be very important, especially in the last stages of
implementation—change and maintenance.”
(Ketelaar, Russell, & Gorter, 2008)

“For research findings to effectively influence health
services’ delivery of care needs an intermediary…an
emerging role therefore exists for knowledge brokers,
supported by knowledge brokering resources and agencies,
to fill the gap.”
(Lomas, 2007)



Therapists value interactive and hands-on continuing
education but rely most heavily on their peers when
accessing, evaluating, and implementing new knowledge.
Trials involving educationally influential therapists are
indicated.
Continuing education research is needed to identify
organizational conditions conducive to therapists’ learning
and knowledge translation.
(Rappolt & Tassone, 2002)


1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What does diversity mean to you?
How do you define diversity?
What are 2-3 things that you have observed, done or could
do to promote diversity in the workforce?
What do you feel is the importance of diversity in the
workforce?
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Focus Group Results
Participants by region (n=75):
32 (43%)
1 (1%)
17 (23%)
Not reported 3 (4%)
21 (28%)
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
41%
23%
17%
13%
5%
Student 33%
OTR/L 49%
COTA
3%
Research 7%
Educator 8%
Yes 33%
No 67%

“I am reminded that we as a profession need to keep our eyes
fresh to continually adjust our modes of operation. Only then can
we provide the best patient care and more fully promote a richer
QOL.”

“Diversity tends to be boxed into groups, but it is a really broad
concept on more than race, gender, religion and sexuality.”

It is extremely important. No pt is the same meaning having
diversity in the workforce helps us as OTs provide more pt
centered practice and increases the comfort and relatability pts
feel with us.

Its important for patients of different cultures to see we have
employee diversity as well

“Equality does not equal diversity -> makes working together
interesting.”

I realize there are many types of diversity, as we discussed. Some
areas, such as rural may only have 1 OT for hundreds of miles. In
these cases there is not a lot of opportunity for a diverse
professional pool. I feel the therapist needs to be diverse in their
understanding of cultures that they do not belong to. There is
such an opportunity to learn from our clients too. Maybe this is
considered cultural sensitivity, but we also need to be diverse in
our own self to be effective.
Politicallycorrect
Phenomenon
vs. Problem
Changing
terminology