Nicci Kuhl, O.T.D., OTR/L, CBIS

Capstone Coordinator and Assistant Professor, Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program

Areas of Expertise

Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Neurorehabilitation, Wheelchair Seating and Positioning

About

Dr. Kuhl graduated from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and criminal justice, a master’s in occupational therapy, and a post-professional doctorate in occupational therapy. Dr. Kuhl has practiced in adult inpatient rehabilitation at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center and MercyOne Clive Rehabilitation Center since 2011 and received an academic appointment at Drake University in 2019. Dr. Kuhl practiced at a wheelchair seating and positioning clinic at the MercyOne Iowa Health and Fitness Center. Dr. Kuhl is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist and continues to practice in adult inpatient rehabilitation and brain injury. Dr. Kuhl enjoys facilitating student growth to develop their own interests in clinical practice skills, research skills, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education, and theory development.

Service and Community Involvement

Dr. Kuhl serves as the Iowa Ambassador to the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and the Communications Social Media Officer for the Brain Injury Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group (BI-ISIG) for the American Congress of Rehabilitative Medicine (ACRM). Dr. Kuhl served as the Chair of the Education and Research Committee for the Iowa Occupational Therapy Association from 2019-2021.

Education:
Doctor of Occupational Therapy, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD
Master of Occupational Therapy, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology and Criminal Justice, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD

Research

Dr. Kuhl’s research has focused on student professional identity formation, teaching and learning strategies, and clinical practice, including professional burnout, the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, and the perceptions of the functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycle, which have received external grant funding support. Dr. Kuhl’s current and future research focuses on capstone education and clinical practice.

Publications and Presentations

Publications

Peer Reviewed Manuscripts

Williams, R. M., Kuhl, N. K., & Kjos, A. L. (2021). Enhancing professional identity in a multidisciplinary healthcare systems and policy course. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2021(168), 47–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.20467

Peer Reviewed Abstracts

Kuhl, N., Higginbotham, A., Willer, J., McMurray, A., & Engelby, E. (2022). Perceptions of occupational therapy students regarding functional electrical stimulation technology. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 103(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2022.08.845

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S., & Hupfeld, M.G. (2022). Developing a complex simulation experience to prepare students for emergent clinical situations. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 103(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2022.08.846

Rognes, J., Barton, C., Shields, T., Marquez, D., Hester, K., & Kuhl, N. (2022). Occupational therapists’ perceptions on orthopedic injuries and cognitive deficits. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 103(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2022.08.745

Kuhl, N., Willer, J. L., Engelby, E., Higginbotham, A., McMurray, A., & Johnston, S. P. (2022). OT students’ perceptions of functional electrical stimulation cycle technology. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(Supplement_1). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2022.76s1-po103

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S. P., & Plutschack, D. (2021). Impact of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on OT practitioners. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(Supplement_2). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2021.75s2-po104

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S., & Plutschack, D. (2021). The Impact of COVID-19 on Inpatient Medical Professionals in the United States. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 102(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2021.01.054

Plutschack, D. & Kuhl, N. (2019). Student Perceptions of Replacing Textbooks with a Mobile Application in the Classroom. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 100(12). doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2019.10.124

Kuhl, N., Prowell, K. & Russell, M. (2017). Rehabilitation of Stroke Recovery Complicated by Alien Limb Syndrome. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 98(10), e100. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2017.08.321

Edited Book Chapters

Kuhl, N. (2022). Are Workplace Accommodations Offered to Women Empathetic? (R. R. Sametz, L. L. Taylor, & S. P. Johnston, Eds.), Work-Life Imbalance: Evaluating Work Culture as Women in Leadership. Cognella Academic Publishing. DOI 9781793522191

Kuhl, N. (2022) How to Avoid Burnout as a Woman in Leadership. (R. R. Sametz, L. L. Taylor, & S. P. Johnston, Eds.), Work-Life Imbalance: Evaluating Work Culture as Women in Leadership. Cognella Academic Publishing. DOI 9781793522191

Presentations

Academic and Peer-Reviewed International and National

Hove, K., Feldhacker, D., Kuhl, N., & Plutschack, D. (June, 2023). Preparing Students for Practice: Designing an Assessment of Professional Development. Poster Presentation. 2023 Creighton Innovation Summit for Health Professions Education. Virtual.

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S.P., & Hupfeld, M.G. (April, 2023). Use of Complex Simulation to Prepare Students for Emergent Clinical Situations. Poster Presentation. American Occupational Therapy Association 2023 Inspire Conference. Kansas City, MO.

Kuhl, N., Yoakum, A., & Willer, J.L. (November, 2022). Perceptions of Occupational Therapy Students Regarding Functional Electrical Stimulation Technology. Poster Presentation. American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine 2022 Annual Conference. Chicago, IL.

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S.P., Hupfeld, M.G. (November, 2022). Developing a Complex Simulation Experience to Prepare Students for Emergent Clinical Situations. Poster Presentation. American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine 2022 Annual Conference. Chicago, IL.

Rognes, J., Kuhl, N., Barton, C., Marquez, D., Shields, T., Hester, K. (November, 2022). Occupational Therapists’ Perceptions on Orthopedic Injuries and Cognitive Deficits. Poster Presentation. American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine 2022 Annual Conference. Chicago, IL.

Kuhl, N., Willer, J., Engelby, E., Higginbotham, A., McMurray, A., & Johnston, S. (April, 2022). Exploring Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceptions of FES Cycle Technology. Poster Presentation. American Occupational Therapy Association 2022 Inspire Conference. San Antonio, TX.

Hove, K. & Kuhl, N. (January, 2022). Eliciting Cognitive Engagement: Lessons Learned from Teaching in a Pandemic. Lilly Teaching Conference. San Diego, CA.

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S.P., & Plutschack, D. (April, 2021, virtual). The Impact of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID 19) Pandemic on Occupational Therapy Practitioners.Recorded poster presentation. American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference: Inspire.

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S. P., & Plutschack, D. (October, 2020, virtual). The Impact of COVID-19 on Inpatient Medical Professionals in the United States. Recorded poster presentation. American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine’s 97^th Annual Fall Conference.

Plutschack, D. & Kuhl, N. (November, 2019). Student Perceptions of Replacing Textbooks with a Mobile Application in the Classroom. Poster Presentation. American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine’s 96^th Annual Fall Conference. Chicago, IL.

Kuhl, N., Prowell, K. & Russell, M. (October, 2017). Rehabilitation of Stroke Recovery Complicated by Alien Limb Syndrome. American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine’s 94^th Annual Fall Conference. Atlanta, GA.

Academic and Peer-Reviewed State and Regional

Kuhl. N. & National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. (October, 2023). The National Certification Exam: Information You Need to Know. Podium Presentation. Iowa Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference. Des Moines, IA.

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S. P., & Hupfeld, M. G. (October, 2023). The Use of Simulation: Preparing Students for Emergent Clinical Situations. Poster Presentation. Iowa Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference. Des Moines, IA.

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S. P., & Plutschack, D. (April, 2021, virtual). The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Midwestern Occupational Therapy Practitioners. Recorded poster presentation. Nebraska Occupational Therapy Association 2021 Annual Conference.

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S. P., & Plutschack, D. (September, 2020, virtual). Addressing Professional Burnout during the Post-acute Phase of the COVID-19. Recorded podium presentation. Iowa Occupational Therapy Association 2020 Fall Conference.

Kuhl, N., Johnston, S. P., & Plutschack, D. (September, 2020, virtual). The Impact of COVID-19 on Occupational Therapy Practitioners in the Midwest. Recorded poster presentation. Iowa Occupational Therapy Association 2020 Fall Conference.

Kuhl, N. Winchester, T., & Dotson, A. (September, 2020, virtual). Wheelchair Seating and Positioning for the Occasional Prescriber. Recorded podium presentation. Iowa Occupational Therapy Association 2020 Fall Conference.

Plutschack, D., Kuhl, N., & Socarras, R. (September, 2020, virtual). Fostering Occupational Therapy in a Digital Age. Recorded podium presentation. Iowa Occupational Therapy Association 2020 Fall Conference.

Plutschack, D. & Kuhl, N. (September, 2019). Occupational therapy education for future generations: Integrating mobile applications within the classroom. Poster presentation. Iowa Occupational Therapy Association 2019 Conference. Waterloo, IA.

Kuhl, N. (May, 2018). Predictive Indicators of Independence at Discharge from Acute Rehabilitation: A Retrospective Study. Capstone Defense at the University of South Dakota. Vermillion, SD.

Kuhl, N. (May, 2010). Exploring Fieldwork Educators’ Expectations of Students and Professional Behaviors. University of South Dakota’s Research Day. Vermillion, SD.