The occupational therapy discipline is built on several foundational theories that are fascinating, but also drawn out and extremely challenging to digest. So, we have decided to assist OT students and practitioners by providing summarized highlights of the OT frames of reference all in one location. But first, let’s get past some confusing terminology. What […]
If you’re a new grad occupational therapists or OT student, you may have heard the phrase “energy conservation techniques,” but may not be fully familiar with the concept. They are a widely used strategy for occupational therapists in many settings, so we want to cover what they are and how you can apply them. So […]
Depending on the severity of the case, burns can be the root of all-encompassing disruption in a patient’s life. We’re talking about physical, emotional, and psychological trauma that can last a lifetime. Burns can also exacerbate other comorbidities that patients may have been living with prior to their newly acquired injuries. Burns are potentially life-threatening […]
When working in occupational therapy, have you noticed as you gain clinical experience that there is no “one size fits all” approach to intervention, particularly with patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)? Although these patients share a common diagnostic code, there is so much underlying variation in how MS affects their lives. With that being said, […]
When you get your first job as a licensed occupational therapy practitioner, you usually aren’t thinking about additional occupational therapy specialties right off the bat. Your primary focus is just trying to keep your head above water. You are thrown into unfamiliar territory, and as a result you will likely spend the first few years […]
As occupational therapists, we are instructed to constantly think outside of the box when coordinating and designing therapy interventions. We come to better understand our patients/clients if we strongly acknowledge our patient’s goals and lifestyle needs within their own environment. However, we are unable to fully comprehend individuals’ lifestyles and cultural influences by sitting in […]
Whether you are an OT working with a young child with cerebral palsy or an aging adult with multiple sclerosis, adaptive equipment has its place in occupational therapy intervention across the lifespan and for multiple health-related conditions. For OT students or new graduates, incorporating adaptive equipment education into therapy may seem overwhelming at first…simply because […]
According to U.S. News, Occupational Therapy ranks 28 in 100 top best jobs of 2020. Rankings are based on full assessment of salary and work-life balance that the jobs provide (U.S. News, 2020). All things considered, that’s a fantastic ranking compared to the thousands of possible jobs available in the U.S. (and with all of […]
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, roughly 53,000 people per year undergo surgery for a shoulder replacement in the United States (OrthoInfo, 2020). Although this number is quite small compared to the 900,000 people per year who go in for hip and knee replacements, this means occupational therapy practitioners working in joint […]
Occupation-based interventions: It may seem like common sense to use these as occupational therapists. After all, our title has the word “occupation” in it, for goodness sake! Unfortunately, assembly-line therapy has reduced the use of occupation-based treatments in favor of exercises that make point of service and high productivity the main objective versus providing quality, […]