We provide support to staff , not only from a physical or health aspect , but also to support individuals holistically , where mental health and wellbeing are salient in providing personcentred care .”
We provide support to staff , not only from a physical or health aspect , but also to support individuals holistically , where mental health and wellbeing are salient in providing personcentred care .”
For Emily , since starting in her role , her knowledge relating to employment law and the Equality Act has vastly increased . ‘ I have more in-depth understanding , which highlights occupational health as a core service of any NHS organisation and how salient it is to help staff in many different situations , including injuries at work , preemployment and returning to work ,’ she explains .
‘ I have also seen and helped staff with multiple conditions , including neurodiverse conditions , musculoskeletal injuries and long-term conditions , such as Long Covid and arthritis , and have increased my professional and scientific reasoning for some of these conditions .’
When it comes to how occupational therapists use their clinical reasoning and theory on a daily basis , Maya says , from a student perspective : ‘ Clinical reasoning and theory are applied from the initial assessment with patients and staff members . I followed the occupational therapy process of assessing or evaluating the individual ’ s reason for referral .
‘ Information is gathered on their medical histories and health condition , activities of daily living , interests , co-morbidities and mental health . This allows an occupational therapist to identify difficulties the individual may be experiencing in performing their tasks and an analysis of how this affects their occupational performance at work .’ She adds : ‘ In addition to the assessment , I can use models such as the Biopsychosocial and Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement . This helps us to formulate a plan of recommendations , in collaboration with the patient and staff member , using a client-centred approach to support their needs and achieve their goals .
‘ This can be in the form of recommendations to management for equipment , adjustments at work , rehabilitation support , worksite visits to carry out advanced assessments , or onward referrals .’
She concludes : ‘ Ultimately , using clinical reasoning and theory to recommend interventions or plans to support the patient / staff member at work , aids in improving their productivity and give reassurance that they are well supported at work .
‘ This helps to influence the decisions we make and advocate on behalf of patients as occupational therapists , so that there is a positive outcome for the staff member as well as the organisation .’
Emily adds : ‘ I have underpinned the Person- Environment-Occupational Performance ( PEOP ) Model into my day-to-day clinical reasoning . I feel this model is very suited to our work in occupational health , where we try to focus on occupational performance in the work setting .
‘ Looking at each component of the model influences my clinical reasoning and decision making , as this allows me to look at different aspects of staff narratives , such as their health challenges , job role and the tasks required at work , which might be affecting their occupational performance .’
Emily says the skills from her previous roles within rehabilitation and acute settings have been ‘ very transferable ’ to this role .
‘ I have been able to use my knowledge about ergonomics to make recommendations , give advice and provide equipment to suit staff needs ,’ she says ‘ I have also used my rehabilitation skills to assess a person ’ s physical capabilities and movements and how to adapt them in someone ’ s place of work .
‘ My recommendations to managers sometimes include a phased or graded return to doing a task , which is seen as graded approach to regain or improve occupational performance .’
While an average working week is varied , with ‘ no two days the same ’, Maya explains that a typical day might entail preparing for staff appointments , by gathering information such as referral reason , and assessing the preappointment outcome measures questionnaire and medical history before the assessment .
‘ This helps to structure and guide assessments with the patient , to identify difficulties they are experiencing due to their health condition and how these impact on them carrying out their role efficiently at work ,’ she says .
‘ Treatment plans and interventions are recommended and can include equipment , adjustments to work duties and tasks , selfmanagement strategies , and onward referrals for other occupational health services .
‘ This is done in collaboration with the patient , after which a report is prepared and sent to the
26 OTnews September 2023