Joan: I like your statement of expertise. I fits well with something that I occasionally use. Sometimes, I describe OT as being a bridge builder between what patients want to do and what they are currently able to do. I sort of use this idea when deciding if a treatment is OT or something else.
For example, when I provide lymphedema tx. I am NOT providing OT. Instead, I am doing something to the patient to help control symptoms of a disease. Conversely, when I provide OT, I am doing something FOR the patient to help them better do what they want. For me, it's all about goals. Goals define the direction, progress and final outcome of treatment. If the goal is improving a stated occupation, then in my mind it's OT. If the goal is anything else, then it's OT doing something - lymphedema in my case. Thanks, Ron ~~~ Ron Carson MHS, OT www.OTnow.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Joan Riches <jric...@telusplanet.net> Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 To: OTlist@OTnow.com <OTlist@OTnow.com> Subj: [OTlist] One Example of How Other Dispciplines Address Function... JR> Hi Ron JR> Some time ago there was a discussion about the expertise of OT with very JR> good input. At that time I offered the following definition. There was JR> no reaction to it. I challenge everyone to find an OT practice of which JR> they approve that does not fit this statement about our expertise. JR> My formulation of the expertise of the profession of Occupational JR> Therapy (not necessarily the expertise of individual therapists) is; JR> 1. to become CONSCIOUSLY aware of mismatches between client abilities JR> and task demands (cognitive, psychological, social and physical), which JR> interfere with the performance of needed, wanted, expected or potential JR> occupations; JR> 2. to analyze the mismatches; and JR> 3. to design and offer interventions to mediate the mismatches. JR> In various contexts and circumstances there is much more to say, of JR> course, but what does not fit? JR> I acknowledge the thinking from this list, the Canadian practice JR> document (Enabling Occupation II)especially the Taxonomic Code of JR> Occupational Performance (TCOP), and the work I have been doing with JR> Sarah Austin to articulate the theory of the cognitive disabilities JR> model developed by Claudia Kay Allen in seeing that our expertise is a JR> particular application of the concept of occupation. JR> Blessings, Joan JR> 403 652 7928 JR> -----Original Message----- JR> From: otlist-boun...@otnow.com [mailto:otlist-boun...@otnow.com] On JR> Behalf Of Ron Carson JR> Sent: August 11, 2009 7:20 AM JR> To: OTlist JR> Subject: [OTlist] One Example of How Other Dispciplines Address JR> Function... JR> This is a partial quote from a PT on a different listserve: >> One thing to note is that this guy is an avid marathoner. He runs >> several a year, including Boston. His surgeon actually said he was >> more worried about his scapula than his lungs regarding returning >> to running. JR> I have previously argued that all healthcare disciplines address JR> "function". And this is just one example. Often OT claims to be JR> experts in "function", but that is just not the case. Anymore, every JR> discipline is an expert in function. Everyone from surgeons to OT's JR> claim to restore people back to daily living. JR> So, what is OT's expertise that separates us from everyone else???? JR> Thanks, JR> Ron JR> ~~~ JR> Ron Carson MHS, OT JR> www.OTnow.com JR> -- JR> Options? JR> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com JR> Archive? JR> www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com JR> No virus found in this incoming message. JR> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com JR> Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.49/2294 - Release Date: JR> 08/11/09 06:10:00 JR> No virus found in this outgoing message. JR> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com JR> Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.49/2294 - Release Date: JR> 08/11/09 06:10:00 JR> -- JR> Options? JR> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com JR> Archive? JR> www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com
