Introduction to Occupational Therapy: Roles, Responsibilities, and Core Skills

This article provides an introduction to occupational therapy, including the unique role of an occupational therapist, their responsibilities, and core skills. It also explains the occupational therapy process and its components, such as client factors, performance skills, performance patterns, and context and environment. No specific subject, course code, course name, college or university is mentioned.

Running Head: INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
0
2018
Introduction to
Occupational Therapy
Student’s Name

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
1
Contents
PART 1............................................................................................................................................2
Introduction..................................................................................................................................2
A unique role of an Occupational Therapist................................................................................2
Responsibilities of an occupational therapist...............................................................................3
The core skills of an occupational therapist.................................................................................4
Occupational therapy process, and the differentiation between occupational therapist and the
other social and health care professionals....................................................................................5
PART 2............................................................................................................................................7
Components of occupational therapy process..............................................................................7
Occupational therapists use the occupational therapy process to guide their practice................8
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
2
PART 1
Introduction
Occupations involve many activities and tasks of daily routine life of an individual which include
self-care, enjoying life, contributing to the social and economic factors of society and other daily
life routine activities. It states about the influence on the health and well-being in relation to
occupational therapy, initially it focuses on the individual to identify the key aspects of his
health, and well-being, and then emphasizes occupational therapy and assess the impact on
health and well-being of occupational therapy (Turner, 2015). It aims to provide a better
treatment to client by understanding the client lifestyle which is a responsibility of an
occupational therapist. Occupation includes growth and development by engaging people in
mutual work which helps them to get promoted and also provide possibilities to maintain a
healthy environment to work together (Peters, 2013). It has been a famous saying by Meyer that,
“whatever the situation is whether it is happy or difficult the four things that our organism must
be able to do are work, play, rest, and sleep”. Occupational balance is an important concept of
occupational therapy. Occupational therapy helps people to overcome and recover from their
daily life stress and maintain their routine (Wagman, Håkansson, and Jonsson, 2014).
A unique role of an Occupational Therapist
An Occupational therapist helps children and adults of all ages for their daily life tasks and
occupation, affected with their mental, social, physical, or learning disabilities to develop
confidence and learn to live independently (Wilcock, 2015).

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
3
Responsibilities of an occupational therapist
Working with a varied range of folks with different requirements, it’s really important to
understand people’s lifestyle to make the best therapy plan for them (Peters, 2013).
1. For considering the needs of a patient or client such as physical, mental, social or
environmental, it is important to focus on the “whole person” approach.
2. Plan, assess, implement and evaluate treatment in the hospital.
3. For the meaningful results towards creating realistic goals.
4. Communicate with other experts, such as consultants, doctors, social workers, equipment
suppliers, and physiotherapists as well as patient’s relatives and support members.
5. Keep the information updated on paper and digital records
6. For making the plan and reviewing ongoing treatments it is important to write a report
and take a part in multidisciplinary cases and meeting.
7. In case of emergency needs, referring patients to others experts or specialist.
8. Clinical services evaluation and contribution to the planning, analysis, audit, and
development.
9. Supervising the work of assistants of an occupational therapist and providing training to
students.
The activities would be different for the case of mental illness or disability (Wilcock, 2015).
1. For restoring the confidence and lost skills, and developing a restoration program.
2. Advising for both the environment, i.e. home and workplace such as adjustments
3. Teach anxiety management techniques

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
4
4. Helping patients to go back to work
5. To help them with the daily life activities advising on specialist tools.
6. For controlling the individual’s own behavior and providing counseling.
The core skills of an occupational therapist
Early literature believes that the unique main practices of occupational therapists’ are the terms
of visible activities. These include the skill to motivate, assess, teach, communicate, and set
convincing goals and a report on the results (Wagman, Håkansson, and Jonsson, 2014).
For describing the dominant skill areas of occupational therapist it has become a commonly used
term. These skills also underline the aspect of individuality, thoughts and an emotional reaction
especially to nature (Hocking, 2008). Core skills are not necessarily the unique professional
skills but it consist the effect of expressively undervaluing the occupational therapist (Wilcock,
2015).
Practice Skill: Identifying the unique core skill of an occupational therapy has found a long and
difficult process and literature have shown these as frequently combined and confused with the
visible practice skills (Hocking, 2008).
General Skills: General skills are the basic skills that every occupational therapist should carry
such as patient and care education communication skills, cooperation and teamwork, ability to
set and meet objectives, computing and research skills, manage future planning, conflict
resolution, and the skills of advocacy leadership. In addition, these skills also include Reflective

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
5
practice, and research, team working, life-long learning abilities, interpersonal skills, time
management to become innovative and adaptive in nature (Schweickert, et. al, 2009).
Identifying and assessing occupational needs: The concept of need seems natural; in some of
the cases, patients are aware of their needs which are recognized, expressed and can be met and
those which are left unexpressed and unrecognized and they are often not fulfilled (Schell, et. al,
2013).
Facilitating occupational performance: Occupational therapist and therapy assistants provide
facilities or services to an individual or group with shortfalls in the area of work routine. It
supports participation and productivity that are needed for the health and well-being of an
individual (Peters, 2013).
Evaluating, reflecting and acting on occupational outcomes: This includes the work and
productive tasks, daily routine and a clear definition of regularly used terms related to the
assessment to obtain evaluations for the measurement of outcomes (Radomski and Latham,
2008).
Occupational therapy process, and the differentiation between occupational therapist and
the other social and health care professionals
Occupational therapy process has been developed by Creek in the year 2003, and referred to as
the ‘client-centered delivery of occupational therapy (OT) services. In other words, it can be
stated as the series of actions or activities which are undertaken by any therapist to provide
services to the patient or client. As it is the therapy process, thus both the persons, clients and

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
6
therapist must work in coordination, and collaboration; thus it is the interaction with client
(Creek and Cook, 2017).
In the OT (Occupational therapy) process, there are three components which include the
evaluation process, the intervention process, and the outcome process. Summing up the above
discussion it can be stated that there are 7 steps in the process of the OT process (Bhanbhro et al.,
2016).
These steps include referral, screening, evaluation, intervention plan, intervention
implementation, transition and discharge of the patient/client.
Referral – In the first step or initial of the OT process, it is the responsibility of OTR, i.e. a
registered occupational therapist to educate referral sources on the services and the way to
initiate them properly (Taylor, 2017).
Screening – It is considered as the second step of the OT process, where the therapist undertakes
the activity to screen i.e. identify, select appropriate methods and communicate the final
outcomes and provide necessary recommendations. Thus, OTA contributes to a major extent to
the screening and results (Taylor, 2017).
Evaluation – The aspects mentioned above were the preliminary steps to initiate the process of
OT, but the major steps starts with the evaluation. Evaluation includes two crucial elements, of
occupational profile and the analysis of the profile. The occupational profile assist the OTA to
acquire knowledge of the past, history experiences, eating habits, patterns of daily living, needs
interests and values. In addition, it helps to know the actual reasons behind seeking the services
of the patients, and the areas which restricts or barriers to performing the daily occupations

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
7
leading to identification of the priorities. Then, the occupational performance of the client is
analyzed which identifies the performance patterns, context or environment, skills in
performance, client factors and the some specific aspects are actually identified with targeting
the necessary outcomes (Knecht-Sabres et al., 2015).
Intervention- After the process of evaluation has been undertaken and properly executed, then it
is required to take effective interventions. It will include determination of the plan which will
guide the actions to be undertaken. These actions are taken in collaboration with the client’s
viewpoints, based on theories, frameworks, and the evidences in the field and the final outcomes
to be targeted are also identified. Then, these interventions are directed towards the client’s
targeted outcomes and the impact in the performance of the client is observed or monitored
(Kielhofner, 2009).
Intervention review is done as the final step after the proper implementation of the
interventions/actions including the follow up of the progress achieved from these actions.
Targeting the outcomes- It is considered to be the final part of the OT process, which includes
the determinants of the success towards attaining the desired end results of the OT process; thus
it is also termed as the program evaluation as it helps in establishing the future actions for such
clients. Hence, three important components of OT process have been described well in the above
context (Creek, 2010).
Difference between Occupational therapist and other health and social cares
Occupational Therapy: It helps people with their physical and mental disabilities. It involves
training for the daily life tasks for the seriously injured or disabled patients. Occupational

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
8
therapy includes basic tasks such as cooking, grooming, dressing, and eating. And it also
educates the patient with permanent serious injuries such as spinal cord or muscular dystrophy to
handle or use the equipments like a wheelchair (Duncan, 2013).
Social Worker: A social worker performs work for the improvement of people in need; and
he/she is expected to serve individuals, groups, couples, and families and can also take the form
of direct practice, research and intervention or teaching. It includes those individuals who lie
below poverty, or found with any physical or mental disabilities (Duncan, 2013).
There are some tasks which are common in both social and occupational worker:
1. Collaborating with another specialist who serves the same patient.
2. Observing the improvement of the client.
3. Organizing support groups for clients.
There are many social workers who are specialized in particular areas still they keep expertise in
other areas as well, for example
Occupational social worker benefits employees to deal with their problems that could affect
their job routine, while also helping the companies that employ them. These occupational social
workers can assist in improving the efficiency, morale and productivity of workers while
improving the company’s bottom line (Arbesman and Logsdon, 2011).
The forensic social worker is the one who works within the justice system, with law
implementation activities or in correctional services. Forensic social worker includes the job type
of assisting victims of crime, acting as an advocate in court, working in forensic mental health

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
9
hospitals or helping to deal with child custody issues involving mistreatment or exploitation
(Christiansen and Townsend, 2014).
Mental health social worker helps by counseling the mentally or emotionally challenged
patients individually or in group meetings, and by helping them deal with daily routines. They
work differently in a way for out-patient or in-patient services or set up a private practice. Some
work in the situations of substance abuse facilities (Creek and Lougher, 2011).
Children’s social worker helps teenagers as in some cases arranging, or seeking out adoptive
homes for molested or abandoned teenagers. For discussing the child problems, these include
teen pregnancy as they discuss with teachers, principals, guidance or counselors. They also help
the single parents who are struggling to make efforts to meet their needs (Peters, 2013).
PART 2
Components of occupational therapy process
The components include the factors that come under the domain of an occupational therapy
process. They are related to with it and provide a better understanding to an occupational being.
Client factor: It is a specific characteristic that includes the values, body functions, spirituality,
believes, and the body structure. Client factors influence the performance of an individual, and
the occurrence or prevention of the illness, disease, disability is affected or caused by the client
factors (Creek, 2010).

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
10
Performance skill: There are various approaches that have been used to describe the
performance skills. Performance skills include the actions of people’ daily life that is observable
by the goal- directed actions of the performance skill (Creek, 2010).
Performance pattern: It is a process of engaging in occupational activities that includes the
habits, roles, rituals, and routines to support occupational performance. Occupational therapist
recognize these activities for the clients betterment, not just functions, and even works to make
them comfortable within their lives (Creek and Lougher, 2011).
Context and environment: It is a term which reflects the importance of the occupation that can
assist in providing insights to the occupational beings into their overarching, embedded and
underlying influences on commitments (Creek, 2010).
Occupational therapists use the occupational therapy process to guide their practice
Incorporating theory to the practice of occupational therapy is a process to improve professional
individuality of an occupational therapist. It provides them an identity through which the society
or people recognize them as an occupational professional and it also helps them to endorse their
unique contribution to other health professionals. This practice helps in understanding through
interaction with people about their behavior, values, experience, beliefs they have had in their
professional or personal life. It also helps them to organize and categorize their findings and
observations for their clients, and assist them to identify daily practices in consideration to the
professional guidelines. This includes discussions for the client cases with their colleagues in
daily meetings for the supervision of an individual. Occupational therapist focuses on the whole
aspect of an individual and analyses their activities and exerts an influence on their health and
wellbeing in the long term. Occupational therapy is a systematic practice for an occupational

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
11
therapist which helps to build their confidence and develop effective skills to participate in the
occupational related activities. Occupational therapy has a certain method as it follows a specific
method, however the OTR works under different settings or situations with individuals,
therefore, it acts as a guide to be followed for the completion of the practices (Ikiugu and
Smallfield, 2015).
Conclusion
In the conclusion of the above text, the concept of occupational balance is a theory of an
individual’s personal experience of having the right profession and correct variation between
occupations in a person’s occupational pattern. There are three perspectives of occupational
stability or balance which is understood in relation to the areas of occupation, and with varied
features or characteristics, the time which has been utilized for the same. These three concepts
provide clarity to understand what is occupational therapy and the aspects. It enlists unique core
skills of an occupational therapist such as cognitive skills which relate their knowledge to
understand the occupation and their impact on health and well-being on an individual. The
concepts also include some visible skills which are shared with other professionals, whereas
some skills are identified as distinctive core abilities of a therapist. The challenge for all the
occupational therapists is to make the imperceptible process noticeable by using appropriate
knowledge or professional skills with a definite language and intelligence, outcome processes,
presentations, and discussions, so that sound substantiation is shown to support occupational
therapists’ visible practice. The OTR uses important practices of the therapy that an occupational
to make people understand about their social and economic environment impacting their health

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
12
conditions or outcomes. Moreover, therapist also makes use of the components to understand the
factors of occupational therapy process.

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
13
References
Arbesman, M. and Logsdon, D.W. (2011) Occupational therapy interventions for employment
and education for adults with serious mental illness: A systematic review. American Journal of
Occupational Therapy, 65(3), pp. 238-246.
Bhanbhro, S., Gee, M., Cook, S., Marston, L., Lean, M. and Killaspy, H. (2016) Recovery-based
staff training intervention within mental health rehabilitation units: a two-stage analysis using
realistic evaluation principles and framework approach. BMC psychiatry, 16(1), p. 292.
Christiansen, C. and Townsend E.A. (2014) Introduction to occupation: the art and science of
living 2nd ed. Pearson New International Edition. Essex: Pearson
Claudiana. (2018) Occupational Therapy - What does it offer today and what will it offer in the
future? [Online]. Available from: http://www.dachs.it/en/kap-1.php [Accessed: 08/11/2018].
Creek, J. and Cook, S. (2017) Learning from the margins: Enabling effective occupational
therapy. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 80(7), pp. 423-431.
Creek, J. and Lougher, L. (2011) Occupational therapy and mental health 4th ed. United States:
Elsevier.
Creek, J., (2010) The core concepts of occupational therapy: A dynamic framework for practice.
London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Duncan, E.A.S., (2013) Foundations for practice in occupational therapy. London: Elsevier.

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
14
Hocking, C. (2008) The Way We Were: Romantic Assumptions of Pioneering Occupational
Therapists in the United Kingdom. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. Available from:
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/030802260807100405 [Accessed: 6/11/2018]
Ikiugu, M.S. and Smallfield, S., (2015) Instructing Occupational Therapy Students in Use of
Theory to Guide Practice. Occupational Therapy In Health Care, 29(2) pp. 165-177.
Kielhofner, G. (2009) Conceptual foundations of occupational therapy practice. United States:
FA Davis.
Knecht-Sabres, L.J., Egan, B.E., Wallingford, M.S. and Kovic, M. (2015) Instructional strategies
used to improve students’ comfort and skill in addressing the occupational therapy
process. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 3(5), pp.18-25.
Peters, C. O. (2013) Powerful Occupational Therapists: A Community of Professionals, 1950-
1980. London: Routledge.
Radomski, M.V. and Latham, C.A.T. eds. (2008) Occupational therapy for physical dysfunction
6th ed. United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Schell, B.A., Gillen, G., Scaffa, M. and Cohn, E.S. (2013) Willard and Spackman's occupational
therapy. London: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Schweickert, W.D., Pohlman, M.C., Pohlman, A.S., Nigos, C., Pawlik, A.J., Esbrook, C.L.,
Spears, L., Miller, M., Franczyk, M., Deprizio, D. and Schmidt, G.A., (2009) Early physical and
occupational therapy in mechanically ventilated, critically ill patients [Online]. Available from:

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
15
https://ccforum.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/cc9262?site=http://
ccforum.biomedcentral.com [Accessed: 08/11/2018].
Taylor, R.R. (2017) Kielhofner's research in occupational therapy: Methods of inquiry for
enhancing practice. United States: FA Davis.
Turner, A. and Alsop, A. (2015) Unique core skills: Exploring occupational therapists’ hidden
assets. British journal of Occupational therapy. 78(12) pp. 739–749.
Wagman, P., Håkansson, C. and Jonsson, H. (2014) Occupational Balance: A Scoping Review of
Current Research and Identified Knowledge Gaps. Journal of Occupational Science. 22(2) pp.
160-169.
Wilcock A (2015) An occupational perspective on health 2nd Ed. United States: SLACK inc.