Dr. Blackwell teaches specialty topics in the Intervention I, Intervention III, and Movement courses. Topics include motor function, sensory function, physical agent modalities, orthotics, hand therapy, outpatient therapy, work, and lifestyle medicine. In addition, she is a mentor for student research and capstone projects.
She has clinical experience in a variety of practice settings including acute inpatient, outpatient, work hardening, mental health, and home health. Her primary practice areas focus on hand therapy, occupational health, and outpatient rehabilitation of neurological clients.
Her research interests include hand therapy, lifestyle medicine, workplace wellness, pain management, vision, and stroke rehabilitation. Her doctoral capstone topic was Enhancing participation in community gardening: A community-built occupational therapy program.
Dr. Blackwell has current licensure in Iowa and has been a certified hand therapist since 2006.