JoEllen Showers

Assistant Professor

School of Allied Health

CALD 230A

318-342-1720

JoEllen Showers, MS
Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy

Education

BS

, Elementary and Special Education
1981 Louisiana State University

BS

, Occupational Therapy
1984 Louisiana State University Medical Center New Orleans

MS

, Exercise Science
2000 University of Louisiana at Monroe

EdD

2022, Curriculum and Instruction
University of Louisiana Monroe

Biographical Sketch

After graduating from Louisiana State University (LSU) with a bachelor's degree in elementary and special education, I continued my education at LSU Medical Center (now LSU Health Science Center) and earned a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy (OT). I was first employed as an occupational therapist in the Baton Rouge School System and then worked in various hospitals and inpatient and outpatient facilities. In 1992, I accepted a position at Northeast Louisiana University (NLU) as a faculty member in the Occupational Therapy Department and loved it. In 2007, I left the university and worked in a variety of settings including home health, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient clinics. In 2014, I returned to teaching part time at the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM), previously NLU, in the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Bridge Program. I continued teaching until December 2018, when I became a graduate assistant in the MOT Department and began my Education Doctoral Degree (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction in Spring 2019, at ULM. I earned my Ed.D. degree in Summer 2022. I love working as an OT, but my passion has been to return to teaching OT students. In August 2019, I was fortunate enough to be able to return to teach full time at ULM in the MOT Bridge Program. My research interests include adult rehabilitation, neurological rehabilitation, vision/visual perceptual rehabilitation. I am so blessed and thankful to “return home” to help develop the future OT professionals.

Licensure & Certification

Neurodevelopment Treatment for Adult Hemiplegia Trained, Neurodevelopment Treatment Association. (1991 - Present)

Occupational Therapist Registered, National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. (August 15 1984 - Present)

Louisiana Occupational Therapy License, Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. (1984 - Present)

LSVT BIG Certified, Lee Silverman Voice Treatment. (2019 - 2025)

Recent Publications

Roberts, G., Showers, J., Chaney, S., Irwin, D., Johnson, N., Meredith, P., Krone, T. (2002). Perspectives on Healthcare Education: An Interdisciplinary Clinical Professional Development Seminar (pp. 127-135). Park Ridge, Illinois: Journal of Continuing Education Topics & Issues.

Showers, J. H. (2022). EXAMINATION OF FIRST-TIME PASS RATES ON THE NATIONAL BOARD FOR CERTIFICATION IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EXAM: A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH TO DETERMINE IF A SCIENCE-BASED BACHELOR’S DEGREE IS ADVANTAGEOUS (pp. 101). Online Publishing Company: ProQuest Dissertation Publishing.

Research Grants

Showers, J. H. (Principal), Sasser, E. (Co-Principal), "Enhancing Occupational Therapy Services for Feeding Difficulties" (Funded), Sponsored By ULM, The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $10,735.50. (January 2024 - 2024).

Showers, J. H. (Supporting), Eichhorn, D. (Principal), Calk, P. (Supporting), Johnson, B. (Supporting), Mike, E. (Supporting), Murphy, C. (Supporting), "Occupational Therapy Services for Underserved Children and Adults" (Funded), Sponsored By Living Well Foundation, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $30,900. (January 1 2020 - December 31 2020).

Johnson, B. (Principal), Calk, P., Eichhorn, D., Mike, E., Murphy, C., Showers, J., "Occupational Therapy Services for Underserved Children and Adults" (Funded), Sponsored By Living Well Foundation, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $32, 938. (January 1 2020 - December 2020).

Awards & Honors

October 2020 Graduate Faculty Associate Membership.

Courses Taught

OCCT 1006PATHOLOGY, 1 course(s)

OCCT 2005EVALUATION, 1 course(s)

OCCT 5010NEUROLOGY OCCT THERAPY PRACT, 4 course(s)

OCCT 5020FOUNDATIONS OCCT THERAPY, 7 course(s)

OCCT 5030RESEARCH AND EBP, 1 course(s)

OCCT 5040KINESIOLOGY CONTEXT ACTIVITY, 4 course(s)

OCCT 5060OCCT THERAPY METHODS AND APP, 3 course(s)

OCCT 5070OT METHODS AND APP LAB, 3 course(s)

OCCT 5080APPLIED REASONING AND THEORY, 6 course(s)

OCCT 5090EBP AND BEST PRACTICES, 1 course(s)

OCCT 5120SPECIAL TOPICS CURRENT TRENDS, 1 course(s)

OCCT 5130APPLIED OT RESEARCH I-SEMINAR, 1 course(s)

OCCT 5150OCCUPATION BASED PRACT ADULT, 7 course(s)

OCCT 5170APPLIED OT RESEARCH II, 1 course(s)

OCCT 5180MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION, 6 course(s)

OCCT 5210OT PRACTICE - ADULT, 2 course(s)

JoEllen Showers, MS Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy