AOTA

Instructor:

Kate Heyman, OTD, OTR/L

University of Maryland Medical Center

This course is part of the Professional Certificate in Acute Care

Earn: .1 AOTA CEUs, 1 contact hour/ 1.25 NBCOT PDUs

Description:

Acute care is a fast-paced, medically complex setting where occupational therapy practitioners have a role in assessing and addressing functional changes that occur due to a number of different diagnoses. As valued members of the interdisciplinary team, it is important for practitioners to have not only a foundational knowledge of diagnosis and the hospital environment, but also knowledge about safety and how to treat high acuity patients. Practitioners are responsible not only for providing services while in the hospital, but for advocating for post discharge services and needs.

This course provides an overview of the acute care setting, including essential medical, environmental, and cultural considerations. Pertinent information and resources are provided that support acquisition of knowledge and skills in delivering occupational therapy services in this fast-paced, high stakes, and complex setting.

Learning Outcomes:

Following this course the learner will be able to:

• Articulate the role of occupational therapy as part of the health care team during a patient's hospitalization.  
• Identify key elements of performing a chart review in the acute care setting to determine occupational therapy appropriateness.  
• Discuss the relevance of vital signs and laboratory considerations when delivering occupational therapy services in the acute care setting.   
• Describe various environmental considerations and the impact on occupational therapy.

Learning Level:  Intermediate (prior knowledge of the hospital environment is helpful)

Audience: Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants

OT Practice area:  Client factors, interventions, assessments, occupations