Occupational Therapy: A Guide for Prospective Students, Consumers, and Advocates

by Franklin Stein, Kathlyn Reed

Overview

A helpful resource that explains occupational therapy for students, clients, families, school counselors, and health professionals, Occupational Therapy: A Guide for Prospective Students, Consumers, and Advocates provides an understanding of what occupational therapists do to help people function in everyday activities.

Written by esteemed authors Drs. Franklin Stein and Kathlyn L. Reed, Occupational Therapy: A Guide for Prospective Students, Consumers, and Advocates explains one of the fastest growing professions in the world. Featuring information on the specific interventions used in daily work, the educational requirements for becoming an occupational therapist, and the clinical settings where occupational therapists work, this book is the perfect introduction to the profession.

Chapters are designed to educate prospective students about occupational therapy as well as the personal qualities needed to be an effective clinician. Detailed information is included with up-to-date facts great for sharing with those interested in this career. A glossary of terms at the conclusion assists students, consumers, and advocates who want to better understand the profession.

Topics include:

• What is occupational therapy?
• Comparing occupational therapy to similar health professions
• What is the history of occupational therapy?
• Personal characteristics of occupational therapists
• Professional codes of ethics
• Occupational therapy clients

The perfect companion book for any aspiring student or interested health professional, Occupational Therapy: A Guide for Prospective Students, Consumers, and Advocates is a great resource for all things occupational therapy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781040136102
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/01/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Franklin Stein, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, is professor emeritus of occupational therapy at the University of South Dakota, founding editor of Annals of International Occupational Therapy, and life member of the American Psychological Association. He earned his Bachelor of Science in psychology from Brooklyn College, and his certificate and master’s degree in occupational therapy and his PhD in counseling psychology from New York University.

Early in his career, he worked as a social worker for the New York City Department of Welfare, an occupational therapist in the New York State Psychiatric Institute, and the director of occupational therapy at the Brooklyn Day Hospital. He has been a consultant to the Hayden Residential School for Disadvantaged Youth in Boston, United Cerebral Palsy in Massachusetts, the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center in Boston, as well as a part-time occupational therapist at Bird S. Coler Rehabilitation Hospital in New York City. He also worked as a counseling psychologist at Queens College in New York City. Previously, he was the director of the School of Medical Rehabilitation at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada; director of the Occupational Therapy Program at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; and associate professor, graduate division, at Sargent College, Boston University.

He is the first author with Kristine Haertl of Pocket Guide to Interventions in Occupational Therapy, Second Edition (2019); second author with Martin Rice and George Tomlin of Clinical Research in Occupational Therapy, Sixth Edition (2019); first author with Ingrid Soderback, Susan Cutler, and Barbara Larson of Occupational Therapy and Ergonomics: Applying Ergonomic Principles to Everyday Occupation in the Home and at Work (2006); first author with Susan Cutler of Psychosocial Occupational Therapy: A Holistic Approach, Second Edition (2002); first author with Becky Roose of Pocket Guide to Treatment in Occupational Therapy (2000); author of Stress Management Questionnaire (2003); and more than 50 publications in journals and books related to rehabilitation and psychosocial research. He has also presented more than 100 seminars, workshops, institutes, short courses, and research papers at national and international conferences in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, England, Finland, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, and Trinidad.

Franklin has been married to Jennie for more than 50 years and has three children: David, a physician; Jessie, an artist; and Barbara, an occupational therapist.

Kathlyn L. Reed, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, MLIS, is associate professor emerita, School of Occupational Therapy, Texas Woman’s University, Houston Center, Texas. She completed her basic education in occupational therapy at the University of Kansas, earned her master’s degree in occupational therapy from Western Michigan University, obtained a doctorate in special education from the University of Washington, and was awarded a second master’s in information and library studies from the University of Oklahoma.

She has been active in occupational therapy for more than 50 years as a practitioner, educator, and consultant. She was a staff therapist in psychiatry at the University of Kansas Medical Center, instructor in occupational therapy at the University of Washington in Seattle, founding director of the occupational therapy program at the University of Oklahoma, and a reference and education librarian at the Houston Academy of Medicine–Texas Medical Center Library.

Reed has authored or co-authored seven textbooks, including as the second author with Lori Andersen of The History of Occupational Therapy: The First Century (2017); author of Quick Reference to Occupational Therapy, Third Edition (2014); second author with Julie Pauls of Quick Reference to Physical Therapy, Second Edition (2004); first author with Sharon Sanderson of Concept of Occupational Therapy, Fourth Edition (1999); second author with Sally Pore of Quick Reference to Speech-Language Pathology (1999); first author with Sandra Cunningham of Internet Guide for Rehabilitation Professionals (1997); and author of Models of Practice in Occupational Therapy (1984). She was a named a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) in 1975, received the AOTA Award of Merit in 1983, and presented the Eleanor Clarke Slagle lectureship at the AOTA annual conference in 1986. She has served in the AOTA Delegate and Representative Assemblies representing the state associations of Washington, Oklahoma, and Texas, and was chair of the AOTA Ethics Commission.

In addition, Reed is a member of the Texas Occupational Therapy Association, the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, and the Society for the Study of Occupation. She has presented at international, national, state, and local conferences, and has conducted workshops. Her interests include tracking assessments developed by occupational therapists, analyzing models of practice in occupational therapy, and studying the philosophy and history of the profession.

Table of Contents

Dedication Photo Credit Acknowledgments About the Authors Preface Foreword by Charles Christiansen, EdD, OTR, FAOTA Introduction Chapter 1 What Is Occupational Therapy? Chapter 2 Learning About Occupational Therapy Chapter 3 Typical Curriculums for Master's andAssociate Degrees in Occupational Therapy Chapter 4 Comparing Occupational Therapy toSimilar Health Professions Chapter 5 Becoming an Occupational Therapist Chapter 6 What Is the History of Occupational Therapy Chapter 7 Where Do Occupational Therapists Work? Chapter 8 Personal Characteristics ofOccupational Therapists Chapter 9 Evaluation, Intervention, and Discharge Chapter 10 Professional Codes of Ethics Chapter 11 Occupational Therapy Clients Appendix A What Is It Like to Be an Occupational Therapy Student? Appendix B State and Jurisdiction Regulationof Occupational Therapy Appendix C Definition of Occupational Therapy Appendix D List of Diagnoses and ConditionsSeen in Occupational Therapy Appendix E What Occupational TherapyAssistants and Aides Do Glossary Bibliography Index

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Elizabeth D. DeIuliis, OTD, OTR/L, CLA, FNAP, FAOTA (Duquesne University)
Description: This is an excellent resource to depict the occupational therapy profession as a whole. The book masterfully responds to current workforce demands that show occupational therapy is growing much faster than other fields, indicating a vital opportunity for aspiring health professionals to choose occupational therapy as a career. The content of the book is also a helpful resource for consumers and advocates to better understand the role of the occupational therapist. The book flows logically and is written at an appropriate level based on the intended audience. Readers across all levels will find the book a quick and easy read, roughly 115 pages in length. The authors have created short chapters that often include figures (e.g., tables and charts) to easily disseminate information.
Purpose: The title, front matter, and back cover description all clearly represent the purpose of the book, which is to explain occupational therapy as a profession, provide a general understanding of what occupational therapists do, describe what kind of persons occupational therapists work with, identify what kind of settings occupational therapists work in, and explain what type of training is needed to become an occupational therapist.
Audience: The book is written by two highly esteemed scholars in occupational therapy. While this might not be known to readers, Drs. Reed and Stein effortlessly portray how the power and distinct value of occupation have laid a foundation not just for a career or a profession, but a way of living and viewing the world. The passion that both authors have for the profession is palpable and they exemplify stellar role models of continued competence and the life-long-learner perspective of being an occupational therapist. The book aims to reach introductory occupational therapy students, as well as prospective college students who might be in middle or high school, other professionals such as school guidance/career counselors, or consumers in the community to better understand the roles and responsibilities of the occupational therapy practitioner. For example, a person who is newly hired as a direct care attendant at a residential group home or a summer camp for children with special needs would benefit from reading this book as part of their required orientation to learn more about occupational therapy, as it relates to the service delivery and care of the group home residents/campers. Not only is this book applicable in introductory courses in accredited OT/OTA programs, but it is also a must-have resource for K-12 schools to present stories of how individuals came to love occupational therapy and understand the profession as a whole.
Features: While short in length, the authors are successful in providing a broad introduction to occupational therapy. The table of contents illustrates that readers will learn about the nuts and bolts of what occupational therapy is, how the profession started, the education and training needed to become an occupational therapist (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA), how occupational therapy practitioners compare/contrast with other allied health team members, and generally what occupational therapists do, including a general overview of the evaluation and broad overview of the intervention process. Readers will learn that occupational therapists can work in a variety of settings, including traditional-medical model settings, role emerging settings, and even the military. Each chapter is just a few pages in length and some chapters include brief reflections from practitioners. Readers would benefit from additional case vignettes and personal reflections from practitioners or current OT students to represent a more personalized understanding of the profession. Early chapters introduce important professional associations in occupation therapy, including the American Occupational Therapy Association, and encourage readers to peruse "prospective/student" resources available through these professional organizations and learn other helpful strategies to learn about occupational therapy such as volunteering or shadowing. Some sample job descriptions (as well as essential functions) are provided, which are realistic resources to help prospective occupational therapy students learn more about what is required in various OT roles. Other early chapters introduce and compare/contrast the OT and OTA role, including what the education and training path looks like. A few sample curriculums are displayed, highlighting a post-baccalaureate MS program for the OT and a traditional associate-level program for the OTA degree. Readers might benefit from seeing other matriculation options such as a freshman-entry MOT, OTD program or the new four-year baccalaureate degree for the OTA. There is not a strong emphasis on the OTD degree option throughout the book. A small section highlights the cost of OT education, but the figures provided do not necessarily reflect the current cost of attendance. Now that OT accreditors require educational programs to publicly display cost of attendance on the program webpage, might benefit from learning how to understand the cost of programs and other required fees more accurately. Chapter 4 offers a nice interprofessional perspective of how OT compares with other disciplines. This is a welcome chapter that sets an early foundation in the value and importance of interprofessional collaboration and practice. The authors define disciplines inside and outside traditional allied health, which emulate interprofessional collaboration in various practice settings. Learning with, about, and from other disciplines such as art and dance therapists are some unique examples to help prospective students think outside the box about how OT skills can be used to complement other professions in diverse settings. Chapter 5 reviews credentialing requirements, specifically the NBCOT exam. However, some of the descriptions in the book do not reflect the current blueprint of the OTR and OTA exam published by NBCOT. The book includes some sample multiple-choice questions aiming to reflect the NBCOT exam, however, the style does not seem to align with the rigor that would be expected on a high-stakes certification exam. Readers should be cautioned that these sample questions are not derived from the NBCOT. Chapter 6 focuses on the history of the OT profession. While readers will benefit from the information, it should be placed closer to the introduction of the book. Readers are provided an abbreviated, longitudinal perspective of occupational therapy, as well as some key societal trends and changes in higher education. Some significant current topics are not clearly emphasized, including the OTD degree, trends in education such as online-hybrid learning, and a more up-to-date depiction of AOTA's vision and mission statement. However, the authors do a nice job of describing numerous traditional and role emerging practice settings. Chapter 7 would also be a helpful place to incorporate reflections from practitioners or students that have completed fieldwork in some of these settings. Fieldwork or experiential learning is not highlighted enough. While chapter 3 does show some curriculum examples that display fieldwork courses, the narrative does not explain that OT education is a blend of didactic and experiential learning. This addition might be helpful for prospective students who have kinesthetic learning preferences or prefer to learn by doing. Chapter 8 describes personality attributes and characteristics of those who enter the OT field. The authors identify several key talents or qualities they feel are important to have as an OT. While no evidence is used to support this information, it provides an interesting call to action to pursue research in this area and further investigate necessary qualities and characteristics needed by the profession. Chapter 9 provides a quick overview of the occupational therapy process that is used in clinical practice, including evaluation and intervention. The authors have integrated terminology from the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework. Readers who are not enrolled in an occupational therapy educational program would benefit from a glossary or table to help them better understand some of these words. The end of the book includes several appendixes. It would be helpful for readers to be prompted to view the appendixes as they relate to certain chapters. There is a glossary at the end of the book and, while a helpful resource, it might be more efficient for keywords and definitions to be provided in each chapter. Some chapters use industry acceptable literature as references, while other chapters do not include any references. While the book is mostly narrative and includes several tables and charts, there are 11 black-and-white stock photographs provided at the start of each chapter, which help to break up the written content, yet also do not add a significant value to the readers' understanding of occupational therapy.
Assessment: A comparable text is Introduction to Occupational Therapy, O'Brien (Elsevier), however, the most recent fifth edition published in 2017 might not represent current topical areas like this book. This book is also more cost-effective. The authors are to be applauded for creating a new book that meets a unique niche and could be used by accredited OT/OTA programs in introductory courses, middle school/high school guidance counselors, or employers from other practice settings in the community that employ occupational therapy practitioners.

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