Is it possible to care for a patient when you know they really do not need occupational therapy services? Unfortunately, this is a common ethical dilemma occupational therapists face on the job. There are times where you will find yourself torn between advocating for a patient but you know they are not appropriate for therapy. Typically, […]
Brain damage, no matter what the cause is, can have devastating consequences on an individual’s daily function and quality of life. Movement restrictions, emotional changes, behavioral problems, and communication deficits differ in severity but if present, drastically reshape a person’s life as well as those of their close family and friends. In this post, you’ll […]
Unless you have a background in addressing mental illness, it’s common for occupational therapists to find the mental health field to be an intimidating realm of treatment, especially for US-based OTs. Those with a lack of familiarity with mental health as a whole tend to immediately concentrate only on the abnormally aggressive behaviors, while ignoring […]
Oftentimes, there comes a moment in an occupational therapist’s career to switch things up. You have done your time in the clinical setting (or maybe you want to break up your consecutive clinical time), and you are starting to explore the world of academia. More specifically, you are developing a heightened interest in teaching prospective […]
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 […]