Occupational Therapy Essay -- essays research papers fc

An occupational therapist is a trained and licensed health treat professional who kitty make a complete evaluation of the impact of disease on the activities of the patient at home and in work situations. Hobbies and recreational activities are considered when an appraisal is made. The most generally accepted definition of occupational therapy is that it is an activity, physical or mental, that aids in a patients recovery from disease or injury.The occupational therapist takes a history from the patient by conducting a thorough interview. Questions are asked about hygiene, eating, dressing, getting in and out of bed, driving, cleaning, working and the patients ro use of goods and services life. A physical examination is conducted extensively concentrating on range of motion. Observations of deformities are noted because they may hinder the performance of the patient. The therapist assesses the need for splints or supports which dexterity benefit the patient and helps design spec ific assistive devices. It is the job of the occupational therapist to innovate plans to overcome the imposed limitations while helping the patient number strain and prevent further damage by teaching techniques that conserve energy (Sasser 75). There are numerous ways to make daily spiritedness easier. The most crucial part of therapy is assessing the patients environment. All the people, cultural conditions and physical objects that are around them, create their environment. The behavior and development of people is a direct result of the interaction between them and their surroundings. A patients behavior is greatly effected when they are mis stoneed with their environment. A persons environment match is present when the persons level of competence matches the demands of the environment (Cole 75). Full participation by the patient is required to make it practicable. The importance of occupational therapy is to help the patient use what they have to the fullest. Therapists know that in this particular field there go away not be a dramatic improvement, but there will be a better quality of life lived by the patient.In todays world, it is extremely important to keep accurate records on all aspects of care giving. According to Sladyk, Documentation is one of the most important duties an occupational therapist can have aside from treating the patient (1... ...ing, organizing, analyzing, generating, integrating and evaluating. It is essential that as occupational therapy students we become self-determining, independent thinkers. Technical writing skills will be used throughout our career. Mastering technical writing will come with practice and will prove to be one of the most instrumental elements we have learned in our curriculum. Works CitedAquaviva, J.D. Effective Documentation for Occupational Therapy. Bethesda, MD American Occupational Therapy Association, 1992.Early, M.B. Mental Health Concepts and Techniques for the Occupational Therapist Assistant. 2n d ed. New York, NY Raven Press, 1993.Markell, Mike. Technical Communication Situations and Strategies. 5th ed. Boston, MA Bedford/St. Martins Press, 1998.Okeema, Kathleen. Cognition and Perception in Occupational Therapy. Gaithsburg, MD Aspen Publishing, 1993.Reed, K.L. Quick Reference to Occupational Therapy. Gaithersburg, MD Aspen Publications, 1991.Sasser, Martha. The Practice of Occupational Therapy. 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO Mosby-Year Book, Inc, 1998.Sladyk, Karen. OT Student Primer A subscribe to College Success. Thorofare, NJ SLACK Incorporated, 1997.