Current Issues and Emerging Practice Areas



Current Issues and Emerging Practice Areas



Objectives


After reading this chapter, the reader will be able to do the following:


• Identify current issues facing the occupational therapy profession


• Outline the centennial vision


• Describe emerging practice areas


• Discuss the value of evidence-based practice


• Discuss the influence of policy on practice




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As I transitioned from being an occupational therapy assistant instructor to teaching GED, I realized how much occupational therapy is a part of who I am. We often hear about how transferable our skills are and how we can apply them to many situations. Knowledge of working with persons with learning disabilities, awareness of community resources, valuing the uniqueness of all people and not judging them, and, most of all, empathy have made my transition quite smooth. Working with a student who may need a safe place because his or her home life is in chaos or one who has had substance abuse problems and asks for a resource has provided me with intrinsic rewards that parallel working with a person with disabilities. Occupational therapy is much more than a profession; it is a way of life!


SUE BYERS-CONNON, MS, COTA/L, ROH


Former Instructor, Occupational Therapy Assistant Program


Instructor, GED Program


Mount Hood Community College


Gresham, Oregon


The role of the occupational therapy (OT) practitioner has developed significantly since its beginning work in positions such as reconstruction aide and working with injured veterans returning home. OT practitioners provide service to all ages (children to older adults) and diagnoses in such settings as hospitals, schools, rehabilitation clinics, private companies, and day treatment centers. With advances in science and technology, the OT practitioner today provides a wide range of technological and occupation-based service supported by research. The OT practitioner is skilled at problem-solving and clinical reasoning and adept at interpersonal interactions (e.g., therapeutic use of self). OT practitioners today are consumers of research, and this enables them to provide quality evidence-based service to clients. They work in a variety of environments and thus must understand the legal implications of their services. They advocate for the rights of clients and participate in the political process to help generate policy to assist those in need. In general, today’s OT practitioner is an informed, active professional whose interest in the client helps serve the public, the profession, and the individual. This chapter examines the latest trends in occupational therapy practice by providing an overview of the centennial vision and a description of emerging areas of practice.



Centennial Vision


A vision leads the future direction of a profession or organization. The vision is developed with the members and constituents over time, and it clarifies values, creates a future, and focuses the mission. Visioning helps organizations “stretch the horizon,” develop a clear picture for the future,11 and develop goals and objectives. Thus, a vision helps organizations move forward in a clear direction by encouraging all participants to work toward the same goals; 2017 will mark the centennial year of the occupational therapy profession. After much discussion and input from members, constituents, and consumers, AOTA adopted the centennial vision.1


AOTA’s current vision statement is, “We envision that occupational therapy is a powerful, widely recognized, science-driven, and evidence-based profession with a globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society’s occupational needs.”1 The vision for the occupational therapy profession emphasizes evidence-based practice and the value of the diversity of clients and practitioners. It highlights the work that OT practitioners do to meet society’s needs and articulates the need for science to support practice.



Occupation


The centennial vision reflects the commitment to return to the roots of the profession: occupation (Box 4-1). Practitioners are encouraged to engage in occupation-based practice, focusing on helping clients re-engage in occupations, as opposed to focusing on specific component skills. The emphasis on occupation-based practice is prevalent in the occupational therapy literature, including the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, standards for accreditation, conference programs, textbooks, and research publications. Educational programs have designed curricula around the uniqueness of occupation. Therefore, the trend to return to occupation remains a focus of research, education, and scholarly work.1,2,9,13 OT practitioners embrace the uniqueness of the profession by helping persons do what they wish to do. Furthermore, research supports the premise that engagement in the actual occupation is beneficial and leads to increased physical, psychological, and social benefits.2,6 Participation in occupations leads to increased motivation, generalization, and improved motor learning.2,6,9



Box 4-1   Definition of Occupation


“Activities … of everyday life, named, organized, and given value and meaning by individuals and a culture. Occupation is everything people do to occupy themselves, including looking after themselves … enjoying life … and contributing to the social and economic fabric of their communities.”


From Law M, Polatajko H, Baptiste W, et al: Core concepts of occupational therapy. In Townsend E (ed): Enabling Occupation: An Occupational Therapy Perspective, p. 34, Ottawa, 1997, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.



Emerging Areas of Practice


As health care and society’s needs change, opportunities and new areas of occupational therapy practice emerge. Events such as the aging of baby boomers (those persons born between 1946 and 1964), advancements in technology, and changes in health care policy provide OT practitioners with new opportunities. Former AOTA president Carolyn Baum identified six emerging areas of practice:



These areas of practice illustrate the diversity of the profession and the breadth of services that OT practitioners provide. In addition to these areas of practice, OT practitioners continue to provide service in settings such as hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, community agencies, rehabilitation clinics, private clinics, schools, day care centers, and psychiatric facilities. OT practitioners provide services to underprivileged populations, including the homeless, migrant workers, and victims of disaster. Occupational therapy practitioners continue to work with returning veterans; they are examining the current issues these veterans face to better address their unique needs.



Priorities for 2011


The AOTA Board of Directors chose to focus activities on increasing the influence and recognition of the profession, ensuring that the profession is science driven and evidence based, and fostering the development of leaders. They outlined a series of activities to address these goals, including the development of the Coordinated Online Opportunities for Leadership (COOL) database, which allows members to volunteer for organization work in their area of expertise or desire more easily. Members identify their interests, areas of expertise, and preferences so that AOTA staff and committee chairpersons can find volunteers. Other priorities include developing a major image- building campaign and engaging in broad-based advocacy to ensure funding for OT in traditional and emerging areas. The priorities include building the research capacity of the profession and encouraging faculty to pursue doctoral degrees.



Aging in Place


With advances in medicine and health care, Americans are living longer, and more older adults wish to remain in their homes and live independently (or with minimal support). This trend toward staying in the home is termed aging in place.10 The OT practitioner offers a wide range of services to older individuals to allow them to remain at home and continue to be active in their community; these services include home modification, consultation, energy conservation, education, and remediation. Safety in the home includes the ability to manage medications, access emergency numbers, carry through with emergency procedures, show adequate judgment and cognition for daily living (e.g., cooking safety), demonstrate physical safety in the home, and the ability to safely protect oneself from strangers. Not only does the practitioner evaluate the client’s skills, abilities, and safety in the home, but the OT practitioner also examines the support systems in place for the client (Box 4-2).



Box 4-2   Questions to Address for Staying in the Home


Is the client able to access emergency numbers?


How far away from emergency personnel does the client live?


How close are family members or support?


What is the disaster plan (e.g., hurricanes, flooding, snow)?


Can the client manage medications?


Is the client able to drive?


Who will be visiting the client on a regular basis?


Is the client able to access financial resources?


How will the client get around the community?


What are the social supports available to the client?


Is the home accessible to the client?


Can the client lock doors at night?

Related posts:

  1. From Student to Practitioner: Educational Preparation and Certification
  2. Models of Practice and Frames of Reference
  3. Service Management Functions
  4. Intervention Modalities

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Apr 8, 2017 | Posted by in MEDICAL ASSISSTANT | Comments Off on Current Issues and Emerging Practice Areas

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