scholarly journals Occupational Therapy and Multidisciplinary Working on Acute Psychiatric Wards: The Tompkins Acute Ward Study

2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 545-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Simpson ◽  
Len Bowers ◽  
Jane Alexander ◽  
Caroline Ridley ◽  
Jonathan Warren

There is limited research into occupational therapy and interprofessional working on acute psychiatric wards. This study aimed to explore relations between occupational therapists and other members of the multidisciplinary team through structured interviews with 47 staff on 14 acute psychiatric wards. The study found that occupational therapists provided assessments, group activities and individual therapeutic work, with the assessment and development of activities of daily living being central. Linking patients with community resources in preparation for discharge was also important. Severity of illness among patients and speed of discharge were barriers to effective input. Nurses and psychiatrists appreciated occupational therapy input but rarely the breadth of the role. Multidisciplinary relations were generally positive, although some ward teams were disinclined to include occupational therapists in communications and decision making. The occupational therapists appreciated their professional knowledge and opinion being respected and considered. The study concluded that occupational therapists play an important if often misunderstood role on acute psychiatric wards, but that their involvement could be significantly increased through the employment of more experienced occupational therapists and the provision of interprofessional education. Further research is required to explore the facilities, resources and support required to maximise occupational therapy input and identify areas for increased interprofessional working.

2021 ◽  
pp. 030802262110300
Author(s):  
Su Ren Wong ◽  
Bi Xia Ngooi ◽  
Fang Yin Kwa ◽  
Xiang Ting Koh ◽  
Rachel J J Chua ◽  
...  

Introduction There is a worldwide trend towards value-based health care, which strives to control healthcare costs while maximising value for clients. The main concept of value has been defined as health outcomes achieved per US dollar spent. This research explored how clients of occupational therapy services, managers and occupational therapists perceived value in occupational therapy services. Method A qualitative design was used to explore the perspectives of clients ( n = 11), occupational therapists ( n = 7) and occupational therapy managers ( n = 7). Appreciative inquiry guided the two phases of semi-structured interviews ( n = 5) and focus groups ( n = 6). Inductive and deductive coding were used to establish themes. Findings Three themes encompassed the participants’ perceived value of occupational therapy services: (1) outcomes which are meaningful to daily life, (2) a constructive client–therapist relationship and (3) affordable, coordinated and understandable therapy. Conclusion Participants attributed value to occupational therapy services when they encountered personalised goal setting, focused on meaningful outcomes, managed personal costs and experienced positive therapeutic relationships. Enhancing services could focus on (1) developing skills in collaborative goal setting, (2) determining suitable outcome measures which are meaningful at personal- and service-level reporting, (3) encouraging self-management strategies, and (4) emphasising therapeutic relationships and supporting therapeutic communication skill development.


2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 177-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Hoyland ◽  
Christine Mayers

The profession's present interest in the topic of spirituality initiated the decision to undertake this study, which aimed to investigate the extent to which occupational therapists consider clients' spiritual needs as part of their domain. The objectives of the study were to ascertain whether this was part of the occupational therapist's role and to identify the ways in which occupational therapists addressed the spiritual needs of their clients. Six senior II occupational therapists participated in semi-structured interviews. The participants felt that all individuals have spiritual needs, although not all would recognise or acknowledge them as such. All the participants considered spiritual care to be part of their role, but there was some uncertainty regarding the relationship of spiritual care to occupational therapy in general. Spiritual needs were addressed by a listening and holistic approach.


2003 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kym Sloggett ◽  
Nancy Kim ◽  
Debra Cameron

Background. Occupational therapists are entering private practice in ever increasing numbers. In order to gain the skills to practice in this area, students should have the opportunity to experience private practice fieldwork placements. However, the number offered in private practice settings continues to be limited. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to identify the benefits, the barriers, and the strategies associated with providing fieldwork opportunities in private practice. Methods. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with six occupational therapists in private practice. Results. Results indicated that participating in fieldwork education affords benefits to the profession of occupational therapy, to the clinician, and to the facility. Potential barriers included student characteristics, cost, time, travel and legalities. Involvement from the university and the private setting were considered necessary for providing and implementing strategies. Clinical Implications. The findings have implications for increasing private practice placements for future students in occupational therapy and other health care professions offering clinical placements as a component of their formal education.


Author(s):  
Thayane de Cácia Brito Prudente ◽  
Rayssa Béder César Paiva ◽  
Daniela Tavares Gontijo

Introdução: A população em situação de rua caracteriza-se predominantemente pela falta de moradia regular, condição de pobreza extrema e vínculos rompidos ou fragilizados. No entanto, a vida na rua e o acesso aos serviços socioassistenciais tendem a não se configurar da mesma forma para homens e mulheres. Considerando a perspectiva do desempenho ocupacional, os terapeutas ocupacionais se preocupam com os fatores que influenciam o envolvimento dos sujeitos em ocupações. Objetivo: compreender o desempenho ocupacional de mulheres em situação de rua. Métodos: Estudo de abordagem qualitativa, com base na História Oral de Vida. A coleta de dados foi realizada em dois serviços socioassistenciais do Recife que atendem pessoas em situação de rua.  Os dados foram coletados através de entrevistas semiestruturadas e submetidos à Análise de Conteúdo Temática. Resultados/discussão: Foram entrevistadas 8 mulheres com idades entre 20 a 39 anos. A análise resultou em três categorias temáticas: Desempenho Ocupacional na infância, Ida para rua e Desempenho Ocupacional na rua. As categorias forma dividias em: Atividades de Vida Diária (AVDs), Atividades Instrumentais de Vida Diária (AIVDs), Trabalho, Lazer e Participação Social. Observou-se que as mulheres em situação de rua vivenciam um processo de privação ocupacional pela situação de desfiliação em que vivem, com repercussão negativa na qualidade de vida. Conclusão: Neste estudo pode-se observar a dificuldade das mulheres em realizar todas as ocupações, justificando a intervenção da Terapia Ocupacional para favorecer o empoderamento pessoal, a ressignificação do cotidiano e exercício da cidadania.  AbstractIntroduction: The population in street situation is predominantly characterized by a lack of regular housing, an extreme poverty and  weakened or broken bonds. However, street living and access to social assistance services tend not to be configured in the same way for men and women. Considering the perspective of occupational performance, occupational therapists are concerned with factors that influence the subjects' engagement in occupations. Objective: To understand the occupational performance of women who are homeless. Method: A qualitative study based on the Oral Story of Life. The data collection was performed in two social assistance services in the city of Recife that receive people who live on streets. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and submitted to the Thematic Content Analysis. Results/Discussion: Eight women aged 20 to 39 years were interviewed. The analysis resulted in three thematic categories: Occupational Performance in childhood, Going to the streets and Occupational Performance in the streets. The categories were divided into Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), Work, Leisure and Social Participation. It was observed that homeless women experience a process of occupational deprivation with negative repercussions on the quality of life due to the situation of disaffiliation in which they live. Conclusion: In this study it is possible to observe the women's difficulty to perform all the occupations, justifying the intervention of the Occupational Therapy to favor the personal empowerment, the resignification of the daily life and the exercise of the citizenship.Keywords: Homeless persons, Autobiography, Gender identity, Women, social Vulnerability, Occupational therapy.


1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 106-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Melton

This research study set out to establish the views of five clients with mild learning disabilities. Qualitative methodology was employed, with particular focus given to occupational therapy and the activity of cooking. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in the clients' own environment. Following analysis, the data revealed that clients have powerful individual views regarding the meaning of cooking. The individual's role and routine in this activity was seen to vary greatly. The occupational therapists were perceived as being sensitive to individual circumstances and assistive in developing clients' skills and confidence in the tasks. The empowering style used by the occupational therapists was highlighted as an important element in the clients' development of control over the activity. The therapists were perceived as having a number of different roles according to the stage of intervention, including supporter, teacher and facilitator. A respectful attitude towards the client was determined as being a vital element of the therapy. The study concludes that occupational therapy is valuable for teaching skills to and empowering clients with mild learning disabilities. The recommendations suggest that individualised treatment programmes are required for successful intervention. Furthermore, subsequent research into the meaning of other occupations to clients with learning disabilities would provide greater understanding of the needs of this client group in relation to occupational therapy.


1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Abrahamson

Research findings are consistent in showing a strong, specific and coherent association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and long-term psychiatric problems. Occupational therapists working in mental health services must therefore have contact with survivors of abuse, yet the literature reveals a paucity of research on their role. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine occupational therapists to explore their knowledge and practice concerning this issue. All respondents considered that awareness of CSA was pertinent to their profession and should be taught during education and training. None of them had received teaching in this area. Most respondents thought that it was not their role to deal with CSA in depth. However, the context in which they worked provided an opportunity for initial disclosure which might not happen elsewhere and needed to be handled skilfully. Occupational therapy techniques, including creative methods, link in well with other approaches, especially counselling, in treating the long-term effects of CSA. Continuing educational requirements and the role of occupational therapy with this client group need to be addressed by the profession.


1993 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 140-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace M Sweeney ◽  
Keith A Nichols ◽  
Maggie Cormack

This article, the second in a series of two on job stress in occupational therapy, reports the results of 30 semi-structured interviews with a random sample of occupational therapists from the Bath District Health Authority and selected local authority social services departments. All 30 subjects had participated in a larger study which set out to identify the factors contributing to job stress in this professional group,1 and the follow-up interviews aimed to examine coping strategies which were used by the subjects in their work situation. This is an applied article, where the attempt is to distil the main findings of the combined studies (the postal survey and the interviews) to recover information that can be made available to occupational therapy managers and to clinical occupational therapists.


Author(s):  
Mariana Felício De Godoy ◽  
Alline Souza Beraldo ◽  
Sulamita Gonzaga Silva Amorim ◽  
Maria Luisa Gazabim Simões Ballarin

A avaliação constitui etapa essencial no processo terapêutico ocupacional, entretanto, a produção de conhecimento sobre esta temática no cenário nacional é ainda escassa. Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar a percepção de terapeutas ocupacionais sobre os processos de avaliação que realizam nos serviços que atuam na atenção à saúde mental de um município do interior de São Paulo, Brasil. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório, descritivo e de natureza qualitativa. Para tanto, foram analisados relatos pertinentes ao material coletado em campo, resultante da realização de 14 entrevistas semiestruturadas com os terapeutas ocupacionais, assim como a aplicação de questionário contendo perguntas abertas e fechadas. Os resultados obtidos evidenciaram que os terapeutas ocupacionais eram prioritariamente do sexo feminino, com média idade de 35 anos. Atuavam em diferentes serviços da Rede de Atenção Psicossocial do município - Centros de Atenção Psicossocial tipo, III, álcool e outras drogas, Serviço de Geração de Renda e Enfermaria de Psiquiatria em Hospital Geral. Constatou-se que os profissionais utilizavam diversas estratégias avaliativas, embora não utilizassem instrumentos padronizados e validados específicos da Terapia Ocupacional. Os entrevistados referiram avaliar os usuários em diferentes momentos (triagem, acolhimento e ao longo do processo de acompanhamento) e ressaltaram a importância da avaliação em outros contextos, no caso, o domicílio. As principais demandas dos usuários identificadas nos processos avaliativos relacionavam-se às dificuldades de realização nas atividades cotidianas. A análise dos resultados obtidos evidenciou a necessidade de que outros estudos possam ser desenvolvidos contribuindo assim para o oferecimento de um cuidado cada vez mais qualificado.Abstract The evaluation is an essential step in the occupational therapeutic process, however, the production of knowledge about this subject in the national scenario is still scarce. This study aims to analyze the perception of occupational therapist about the intervention process they perform in the mental health care services of a municipality in the interior of São Paulo, Brazil. This is an exploratory and descriptive study of a qualitative nature. In orderto do so, we analyzed pertinent reports on the material collected in the field, resulting from the accomplishment of 14 semi-structured interviews with the occupational therapists, as well as the application of a questionnaire containing open and closed questions. The results showed that occupational therapists were primarily female, with a mean age of 35 years. They worked in different services of the Psychosocial Attention Network of the city - Psychosocial Attention Centers type III, alcohol and other drugs, Income Generation Service and Psychiatric Nursing in General Hospital. It was found that professionals use several evaluative strategies, although they do not use standardized and validated instruments specific to occupational therapy. They refer to evaluating the users at different times (screening, reception and during the follow-up process) and emphasize the importance of evaluation in other contexts, in this case, the home. The main demands of the users identified in the evaluation processes related to the difficulties of accomplishment in daily activities. The analysis of the obtained results evidenced the need for other studies to be developed, thus contributing to the provision of increasingly qualified care.Key words: Evaluation; Mental health; Occupational therapy. Resumen El procedimiento de evaluación es un paso esencial en el proceso de terapia ocupacional, sin embargo, la producción de conocimiento sobre este tema en la escena nacional es todavía escasa. Así, este trabajo tiene por objetivo analizar la percipción de terapeutas ocupacionales sobre los procesos de evaluación que realizan en los servicios que actuán en la atención a la salud mental de un município del interior de São Paulo, Brasil. Se trata de un estudio exploratorio y descriptivo de naturaleza cualitativa. Por lo tanto, los informes se analizaron relevante para el material recogido en el campo, como resultado de la finalización de 14 entrevistas semiestructuradas con terapeutas ocupacionales, así como la aplicación de un cuestionario con preguntas abiertas y cerradas. Los resultados mostraron que los terapeutas ocupacionales eran principalmente mujeres, edad media 35 años. Se trabajó en diferentes departamentos de la Red de Atención Psicosocial del municipio - psicosocial tipo de centros de atención, III, alcohol y otras drogas, Servicio de Generación de Ingresos y Psiquiatría Ward en el Hospital General. Se encontró que los profesionales utilizan diversas estrategias de evaluación, pero no utilizan instrumentos estandarizados y validados terapia ocupacional específica. Refere evaluar usuarios en diferentes momentos (triaje, larecepción y todo el proceso de supervisión) y hacer hincapi é en la importancia de la evaluación en otros contextos, en este caso la casa. Las principales demandas de los usuarios identificados en los procesos de evaluación fueron relacionados con las dificultades de realización en las actividades diarias. El análisis de los resultados mostró la necesidad de realizar más estudios puede ser desarrollado que contribuye a ofrecer una atención cada vez más especializada.Palabras clave: Evaluación; Salud mental; Terapia ocupacional.


2021 ◽  
pp. 16-19
Author(s):  
Amitabh Kishor Dwivedi

INTRODUCTION: Spirituality has risen as of considerable recent interest in occupational therapy. Spirituality and occupational therapy is associated with the holistic, person centred approach to care in order to restore a sense of well-being and recognise individual coping strategies. Despite current global economic challenges and healthcare recongurations, there appears to be a professional drive not to return to a reductionist model of care delivery. The purpose of the study is to understand views of Occupational therapist on integrating spirituality in Occupational Therapy practice in India. OBJECTIVE: This qualitative pilot study endeavoured to understand views of Occupational Therapist on integrating spirituality as a domain of practice in Occupational Therapy in India. STUDYDESIGN:The study design of this study is a cross-sectional, qualitative narrative study design. METHOD: The qualitative descriptive study included twenty participants (n=20) who are expert in the eld of Occupational Therapy (Age mean ± SD 44 ± 9.88, in Years) with major inclusion criteria of minimal ten years' experience, were recruited for this study by using non-probability convenient and snow ball sampling method. The study was conducted with Occupational Therapist working in private and public sectors in India. The in-depth semi-structured interviews with senior Occupational Therapists were conducted to explore themes which covered views of Occupational Therapist on Spirituality as a domain of practice in Occupational Therapy in India RESULT: The themes which are generated as result of this study highlight the views of Occupational Therapists on integration of spirituality as domain of practice in occupational therapy in India. CONCLUSION:This study explored the current practices of spirituality as domain in occupational therapy in India.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deshini Naidoo ◽  
Jacqueline Van Wyk ◽  
Robin Joubert

Background: Primary healthcare (PHC) is central to increased access and transformation in South African healthcare. There is limited literature about services required by occupational therapists in PHC. Despite policy being in place, the implementation of services at grassroots level does not always occur adequately.Objectives: This study aimed at gaining an understanding of the challenges of being disabled and the services required by occupational therapists (OTs) in rural communities in order to better inform the occupational therapy (OT) training curriculum. Method: An exploratory, descriptive qualitative design was implemented using purposive sampling to recruit 23 community healthcare workers from the uGu district. Snowball sampling was used to recruit 37 members of the uGu community, which included people with disability (PWD) and caregivers of PWDs. Audio-recorded focus groups and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, which were thematically analysed. Ethical approval was obtained from the Biomedical and Research Ethics Committee of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (BE248/14).Results: Two main themes emerged namely: firstly, the challenges faced by the disabled community and secondly appropriate opportunities for intervention in PHC. A snapshot of the social and physical inaccessibility challenges experienced by the community was created. Challenges included physical and sexual abuse, discrimination and marginalisation. Community-based rehabilitation and ideas for health promotion and prevention were identified as possible strategies for OT intervention.Conclusion: The understanding of the intervention required by OT in PHC was enhanced through obtaining the views of various stakeholders’ on the role. This study highlighted the gaps in community-based services that OTs should offer in this context.


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