Resources for Occupational Therapists
Over the years of my journey to become an occupational therapist, I tried many different things to get an edge and make my life easier. Whether it was books, study guides, membership sites, or relaxation tools, I got my hands on every little thing I could to help me through.
These are the my top picks of all those resources that I still use to this day.
Occupational Therapy Toolkit by Cheryl A. Hall
Score: 9.8/10
This is my #1 go-to book for occupational therapy. Why? It is (in my humble opinion), the most helpful OT book you can get for your money.
I use this resource so much and emphatically recommend to any student or OT who hasn’t heard of it or who doesn’t yet own it.
I really love that all of the info you need, as well as patient handouts, is in one easy-to-find book, and that it isn’t extremely dense and hard to follow like my textbooks from school.
Read my full review of why I think this book is so great.
Occupational Therapy In Acute Care by Helene Smith-Gabai
Score: 8.5/10
If you’re really passionate about being an acute care OT and need a great resource, I highly recommend the textbook Occupational Therapy in Acute Care.
It’s a textbook that you may already have from school. It was written collaboratively by acute care OTs for acute care OTs.
The book covers everything relating to acute care: Common conditions, diseases, procedures, to evaluations, the ICU, all bodily systems, infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, dysphagia, transplantation, and burns.
It really is a must-have if you’re going to be doing fieldwork or starting a job in the acute care setting.
Find out more about Occupational Therapy in the Acute Care Setting.
Therapy Ed by Rita P. Fleming-Castaldy
Score: 8/10
When it comes to the NBCOT, don’t waste all of your hard-earned cash on multiple study guides.
If you can only purchase one review guide, this is the book to get.
My OT friends and I all still swear by Therapy Ed’s Review & Study Guide.
While the book is extremely concise and dense, it covers everything you need to know for the NBCOT. The intense practice exams included with the book are an absolute necessity as well (don’t worry if you score low!).
This book, combined with AOTA’s Online Exam Prep, will give you the best edge to prepare for the exam.
If you’re in process of studying for the NBCOT, check out How I Passed the NBCOT On My First Try.
Documenting Occupational Therapy Practice by Karen M. Sames
Score: 8.5/10
Documentation is by far one of the most difficult things to learn as an occupational therapist.
Documenting Occupational Therapy Practice saved my many hours of frustration with its easy to follow descriptions and examples.
It is the most comprehensive book that I’ve found. It covers general aspects, clinical documentation, electronic considerations, school systems, and administrative aspects.
It also has content covering those wonderful SOAP notes and goal writing.
The Third Edition has been fully updated to reflect current AOTA official documents and new electronic documentation tools.
Read more about documentation on the blog.
Quick Reference Guide to Occupational Therapy by Kathlyn L. Reed
Score: 9/10
Different books are going to be great for different settings. This Quick Reference guide is a must-have for any high performing OT.
Both new and veteran OTs will benefit from having this book on hand. It covers “the latest disorder-specific information and has extensive references including a review of the levels of evidence for each journal article.”
Contents: Developmental Disorders Sensory Disorders Nervous System Disorders Cardiopulmonary Disorders Hand and Wrist Conditions Injuries Musculoskeletal Disorders Systemic Disorders Immunologic and Infectious Diseases Skin Disorders Cognitive-Perceptual Disorders Mental Disorders Lifestyle Disorders