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Table of Contents

What's New on My Site

The 4 Most Common Questions Asked About OT What is OT? What is the difference between OT & PT? Why do OTs use activities? Is the field of OT getting too broad? Anatomy & Neuroanatomy Assessments, Mental & Physical Big Tips for NSU OT Students Citing Cultural Medicine Cultural Mental Health

Diagnosis & Treatment Dictionaries/Medical Terminology/Abbreviations/ SOAP Notes Equipment & Services Catalogs Ethics & Occupational Therapy Evidence-Based Practice, Life-Long Learning, Continuing Education, Keeping Current with our field Finances & Job Issues

Frames of Reference/ Critical Reasoning INTERNET Listservs Search Engines & Webrings Viruses, Hoaxes, & Internet Scams Grants Legal Forms Medical Websites

Miscellaneous OT Board Exam Preparation OT Greeting Cards OT in Spanish OT Links Resumes SPSS Computer Prgm. & I.R.B. (Research) Tanya & Friends-- OT in: [many languages]

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The 4 Most Common Questions Asked About OT

• What is OT?

Occupational therapists seek to improve their patients' quality of life by helping them achieve their highest level of independence. Occupational therapists use meaningful (to the patient) activities as both treatment and as a goal. Through their specialized training and education, OTs help patients regain their life roles and abilities for activities of daily living (ADLs), work, play, and leisure. This is achieved through adaptation, modification, or habilitation of the person, environment, or occupation (activity).

• What is the difference between OT & PT?

OTs and PTs make a great team. Both fields address their patients' health. Physical therapy mainly focuses on how well the body functions, while occupational therapy mainly focuses on how well (independently) the person functions within his environment while doing tasks, activities, and occupations.

• Why do OTs use activities?

When a patient is recovering from an injury, what does he want to do? He wants to go back to doing the activities and occupations that made his life enjoyable. Not only do OTs know the bones, nerves, and muscles like other health-care disciplines, but we are also highly trained in activity analysis. We can analyze an activity or occupation and devise ways so the patient can engage in it again. This is done by addressing the person, environment, or occupation (activity). Techniques used can include compensatory techniques, adaptive equipment, ergonomics, activity modification, and endurance/strength training. When OTs address health maintenance, healing, and health promotion, we do this under the umbrella of meaningful (to the patient) activities. It makes more sense for the patient to learn or re-learn a skill within the context of the activity that utilizes it. We also believe our patients are more apt to be compliant with a treatment regimen that incorporates participation in a favored activity.

• Is the field of OT getting too broad?

Why are OTs doing stress reduction seminars, administering psychosocial checklists, leading Baby & Me classes, feeding premature ICU neonates, etc? As with all health professions, there is some overlap. For example, nurses, physicians, neurologists, and physician assistants can all take a patient's blood pressure. As OTs with a holistic theory base and clinical background, we are qualified to administer many health care services. Our focus on function and independence provides an additional perspective for assessment and treatment. As OTs, we can also be proud of what I consider two of the profession's most unique and far-reaching contributions: Sensory Integration theory, assessment, and treatment, and Claudia Allen's Cognitive Assessment Levels.

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Special Thanks to Dr. Barbara L. Kornblau for giving me the idea to build this website.

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Last updated February 23, 2003.

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This site © Copyright June 25, 1999, Tanya Feddern, tfeddern at med.miami.edu (substitute @ for at)

Tanya Feddern, MLIS, AHIP, MOT, OTR/L
Reference & Education Services Librarian
University of Miami School of Medicine
Louis Calder Memorial Library
1601 NW 10th Ave.
Miami, FL 33136
USA

Home page at:
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