List of the most popular hashtags for theme #ABCSOFOT

Do occupational therapists matter? Even within healthcare, our roles are not always understood. Sometimes we are not represented the way in which we deserve. Sometimes we don’t have a seat at the table. Sometimes our scope of practice is claimed by other professions. This #nationaloccupationaltherapymonth many OTs/COTAs participated in the #ABCsofOT created by Shannen from @shannenmarie_ot to advocate for our roles and place as a profession. It’s way beyond time that we have a ‘seat at the table’ in healthcare because occupational therapy matters and is a beautiful career with MANY options that are and aren’t traditional. Do you know what occupational therapy is about? Do you work with any OTs/ COTAs and know their roles? |: @shannenmarie_ot

R- is for rest. The occupational therapy profession is a wonderful profession but, it comes with its own challenges. Often OTs work with patient/clients who are living with significant physical and cognitive impairments. OTs also collaborate closely with families in order to educate them on how to improve the care and independence of their loved ones. This is always a challenging task as there is a strong emotional component that comes into play. OTs should always practice mindfulness and figure out how they can rest and re-energize in order to decrease exhaustion. @joy.energy.time has some great resources if you are looking for ways to avoid burnout as a healthcare professional. #abcsofot

April is OT Month! Day 22 is Letter “V” of @shannenmarie_ot ‘s phOTo challenge. V is for Vital Signs which are measurements of the body’s basic functions to survive including heart rate, oxygen saturation, temperature, and blood pressure. As part of the healthcare team in the hospital setting, OTs must recognize when a patient is not medically stable and requires immediate medical attention prior to participating in therapy sessions. For patients who are more medically involved OTs may have to monitor their vital signs more closely to prevent unwanted adverse effects throughout the session including at the beginning, middle, and end of session plus any time the therapist is concerned (This is where our clinical judgement comes into play). If a patient is experiencing changes in vital signs it may be critical to call the MD and await clearance to continue the session or in more serious cases call the RRT (Rapid Response Team). Have you ever had to call an RRT? Or if your patient suddenly gets orthostatic hypotension what are some ways to notice and alleviate that?

April is OT Month! Day 26 (the last day) is Letter “Z” of @shannenmarie_ot ‘s phOTo challenge. Z is for . Do you get enough sleep every night? Did you know that adults (18-64 yrs) are recommended to sleep for at least 7-9 hours each night by the National Sleep Foundation? (More info for other age groups here: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times) Both quality and quantity (hours of sleep) of sleep is important and contributes to our ability to concentrate, remember, participate and perform in daily activities throughout the day. When we do not get enough high-quality sleep we will likely notice it impacts our performance and our minds may be “foggier” and the day may seem longer. OTs are trained in the ability to understand when sleep may be limiting daily function, and can help you identify and create a healthy bedtime routine, recommend resources including apps to relax to fall asleep more readily, safer sleep positioning, and more. PC: Unsplash.com

Z- is for zippers. OTs teach individuals how to manipulate clothing fasteners in order to increase their independence and ability to perform self-care tasks. Something that looks as simple as zipping up a jacket requires many different skills that can be targeted through occupational therapy interventions #abcsofot

W is for Work, which is an important “occupation” or “meaningful activity” that most people engage in for a large portion of their lives. Work is meaningful for individuals for different reasons: For some people their work directly aligns with their passion and values while for others work is meaningful because of the financial benefits it brings them. Sometimes OTs will get referrals to assess an individual's ability to return to their job after an injury. The evaluation would include an assessment of the physical environment of the job, social environment of the workplace, and the specific roles and responsibilities of the job position. OTs will consider what individuals do for work on a daily basis to assess the skills required to perform the work, or ways to adapt work, or modifications of the actual work environment so the individual can return to working. However even when the patient is not directly referred to OT due to a work-related injury, OTs will take into consideration if the individual works, would like to return or start working, to develop a treatment plan that works best for the patient so they may be able to engage in the occupation of work after getting discharged from rehab services.

F is for Flow. #otmonth

CARDS CAN BE USED FOR MANY DIFFERENT TREATMENTS We use cards throughout our treatment session because they are easily available. Easy to transport. They have so many different uses. And help with client engagement. In this picture we are using it for our patient with Parkinson’s for posture, to look up. We hold up a card and he has to raise his head to call out the number. We also use them for dual tasking during ambulation. To have to bend and pick them off the floor. And more cognitive tasks such as matching numbers or suits. Do you use cards? What are some of your favorite treatments using cards Let us know below so we can all have new ideas #physicaltherapy #physicaltherapist #physicaltherapyassistant #OTR #OTs #oldnotweak #geriatricpt #geriatricphysicaltherapy #geriatricoccupationaltherapy #geriatricot #occupationaltherapy #occupationaltherapist #PT #OT #thenoteninjas #physicaltherapystudent ##physicaltherapistassistant #otstudent #occupationaltherapists #occupationaltherapyassistant #occupationaltherapystudent #getpt1st #physicaltherapytreatment #dptstudent #dpt #physiotherapy #physiotherapist #physio #spt #abcsofot

In honor of my recent placement- I stands for Inpatient Acute Rehab! #ABCsOfOT • Inpatient acute rehab is going to take place in the hospital very early on in the rehab process. • This picture is from when I observed a brain tumor resection, but I also shadowed on the neuro floor of the hospital where we saw patients right out of surgery as well as patients who had had strokes. • This is a pretty critical point in the process because you’re getting to see these patients for the first time after they’ve been initially diagnosed, and you’re helping them navigate the scary road to recovery. • I’m so excited for my rotation in this setting next year (but also terrified ) • • • #ot #ots #otd #mot #otstudent #otschool #occupationaltherapy #occupationaltherapist #occupationaltherapystudent #student #school #pt #slp #pa #dr #do #womeninmedicine #med #hospital #inpatient #acuterehab #otmonth @shannenmarie_ot