Occupational therapy intervention with patients with breast cancer: a survey

Occupational therapists (OTs) working with patients with breast cancer provide a variety of therapeutic interventions. A survey was undertaken to record the different assessments and treatments employed by OTs in a specialist cancer centre with the type and length of interventions recorded on a log sheet by each therapist over a period of a month. A significant amount of time was spent facilitating educational programmes, teaching relaxation techniques and exploring strategies for managing breathlessness and fatigue. However, documentation and report writing consumed the largest proportion of the therapists' time. Less time was spent on assessment of activities of daily living and home assessments, often perceived to be the traditional domain of OTs.