Developing occupational therapy best practice guidelines for acute medical services.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Allied Health Professions
• Clinical Practice Guidelines

Background:

• Occupational therapy in acute medicine emerged in the late 1990s.
• OT presence in emergency and acute medical units is now standard practice.
• The supporting evidence base and practice guidelines have not kept pace with this integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce occupational therapy (OT) processes in acute medicine.
• To describe newly developed local guidelines for OT practice in acute care.
• To promote standardization of good practice and equitable treatment across NHS Lothian and NHS Borders.

Main Methods:

• Development of local practice guidelines for OT in acute medicine.
• Inclusion of a table detailing specialist skills required for acute medicine OTs.
• Appendices outlining components of various assessments for guiding therapist practice.

Main Results:

• A structured guideline document was produced to support OT practice.
• The guidelines aim to standardize care and ensure equity of treatment.
• A flowchart assists therapists in utilizing specific assessment guidelines.

Conclusions:

• The developed guidelines provide a framework for OT practice in acute medicine.
• These guidelines address the need for standardized and evidence-informed practice.
• The resource supports therapists in delivering equitable and effective care to acute medical patients.