An Occupational Therapy Essay Example

An Occupational Therapy Paper An occupational therapist is a trained and licensed health care professional who can make a complete evaluation of the impact of disease on the activities of the patient at home and in work situations. Hobbies and recreational activities are considered when an assessment is made. The most generally accepted definition of occupational therapy is that it is an activity, physical or mental, that aids in a patient’s recovery from disease or injury. The Occupational therapist takes a history from the patient by conducting a thorough interview. Questions are asked about hygiene, eating, dressing, getting in and out of bed, driving, cleaning, working and the patients sex life. A physical examination is conducted extensively concentrating on range of motion. Observations of deformities are noted because they may hinder the performance of the patient. The therapist assesses the need for splints or supports which might benefit the patient and helps design specific assistive devices. We will write a custom essay sample on An Occupational Therapy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on An Occupational Therapy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on An Occupational Therapy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer â€Å"It is the job of the occupational therapist to innovate plans to overcome the imposed limitations while helping the patient reduce strain and prevent further damage by teaching techniques that conserve energy† (Sasser 75). There are numerous ways to make daily living easier. The most crucial part of therapy is assessing the patient’s environment. All the people, cultural conditions and physical objects that are around them, create their environment. The behavior and development of people is a direct result of the interaction between them and their surroundings. A patient’s behavior is greatly effected when they are mismatched with their environment. â€Å"A persons environment match is present when the persons level of competence matches the demands of the environment† (Cole 75). Full participation by the patient is required to make it practicable. The importance of occupational therapy is to help the patient use what they have to the fullest. Therapists know that in this particular field there will not be a dramatic improvement, but there will be a better quality of life lived by the patient. In today’s world, it is extremely important to keep accurate records on all aspects of care giving. According to Sladyk, â€Å"Documentation is one of the most important duties an occupational therapist can have aside from treating the patient† (191). As occupational therapy students, it is imperative that we develop these skills and become proficient in the art of technical writing. As technical writers, we will use evaluation reports, daily progress notes, summary reports and discharge plans. Accuracy and attention to detail in the content of these reports is essential in treating and determining the progress of our patients. Documentation is the means by which we communicate our treatment to other health professionals and third party payers. In most cases, it is necessary to communicate effectively to others, orally and in writing the status of the patient. In addition, documentation is an important aspect of our field because it conveys the status and condition of the patient and our plan and evaluation of said condition to other caregivers. Medical records will be read by the doctors, nurses and in some cases by those submitting payment to the insurance companies. It is important that as occupational therapy students we develop documentation skills early and continue to refine these skills throughout our careers. In order to implement the guidelines for excellent technical communication, we need to remember the three major reasons to be honest as a communicator. First, we must keep in mind that technical communication is not about using words and pictures to mislead or lie to people. It is about helping people understand how to make wise choices. â€Å"If you lie or mislead, people can be hurt† (Markell 12). Secondly, a patient can worsen in condition if we fail to honestly report our findings. Thirdly, our organization could get into serious legal trouble if we are dishonest. This can lead to lawsuits and malpractice. A treatment plan is likely to be the first formal piece of documentation an occupational therapy student is likely to write. â€Å"Both the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) and the Occupational Therapist-Registered (OTR) participate in the treatment evaluation and the resulting treatment plan† (Early 94). The OTR is ultimately responsible for the treatment plan. The COTA implements the plan and delivers treatment. After the evaluations have been completed, a comprehensive treatment plan must be documented. This documentation is done by the COTA and later reviewed and checked for accuracy by the OTR. Each facility has established it’s own method for documenting a treatment plan. Some facilities have developed critical pathways that dictate the treatment plan, reducing the paperwork. Generally, a treatment plan includes problems, assets, goals/objectives, treatments, and outcomes/discharge criteria. Accuracy is paramount in all medical records. Inaccurate writing causes many problems as unclear writing. Therefore, it is key to be accurate as well as neat and understandable. The slightest inaccuracy will confuse the reader. A major inaccuracy, naturally, can be dangerous and expensive. Markell states, â€Å"Accuracy is a question of ethics so our communication must be as objective as possible and free of bias† (13). Documentation that is understandable is legible, easy to read, and void of jargon. The occupational therapy practitioner should remember that others will be reading his or her documentation, and they might not understand the jargon familiar in OT. Documentation that is concise and free of spelling and grammatical errors is understandable. As occupational therapists we must follow our code of ethics which places the patient in the highest standard of quality care. This care involves everything from the evaluation to the treatment. A discharge plan includes instructions for the patient and their family. This plan requires accurate technical communication skills. Precision in our instructions can lead to easier implementation of a follow-up plan. â€Å"The follow-up plan is important in maintaining the patient at his or her current level of improvement while not under the supervision of the therapist† (Sladyk 79). This is critical in the patients overall recovery. Technical writing skills such as creating progress reports and developing status reports are needed in building a strong occupational therapy treatment plan. It is also useful in evaluating patients and documenting their abilities in the beginning of treatment and progress at the end of treatment. These reports are read by all those involved in the treatment and recovery of the patient. A progress report communicates to a supervisor and/or organization the current status of patient. The status report keeps them informed of changes, setbacks or progress. The tone should always be objective, neither defensive nor casual. It should be professional and clearly detailed. A time pattern is used in all of the documentation we will be writing. Dates are crucial in showing the time frame that a therapist has implemented. Aside from documenting the progress of a patient, dates are also used as evidence of treatment in order to allocate further funds from insurance companies to continue rehabilitation. The first step in writing a therapy treatment plan, Aquaviva states, â€Å"is to establish a list of problems that the patient is facing and show behavioral evidence that these are problems affecting their daily life† (52). To do this, the therapist should review uniform terminology and make a written list of problems. Activities of daily living (ADL’s), must be evaluated and listed. Problems are stated and the behavioral indicators for each problem are noted. With many patients, the occupational therapist is likely to identify more problems that can realistically be addressed during treatment. Therefore, the therapist must set a priority list of problems to be addressed. Identifying patient assets can help prioritize treatment problems. The use of lists, another technical writing aspect, is helpful. Using lists can be useful in structuring a treatment plan for a patient. The therapist may want to begin a patient on a certain task. Using a list can clearly allow the therapist to prioritize the treatment plan. Less important items can be left for last or eliminated. Sometimes, a few tasks can be grouped together, allowing room for other tasks to be added to the treatment plan. The greatest strength of an occupational therapy plan is the use of functional activities. â€Å"Through functional activities, the therapist provides treatment that is relevant to the patient, which will promote independence† (Okeema 77). Functional activity promotes repetition and maintains interest. Listing these activities for the patient promotes utilization of a task and encourages the patient to remain focused and active in their rehabilitation. Therefore, an effective use of lists can facilitate the treatment process. Critical thinking skills as well as technical writing skills are essential to becoming a competent occupational therapy practitioner. These skills include information gathering, organizing, analyzing, generating, integrating and evaluating. It is essential that as occupational therapy students we become self-determining, independent thinkers. Technical writing skills will be used throughout our career. Mastering technical writing will come with practice and will prove to be one of the most instrumental elements we have learned in our curriculum. Works Cited Aquaviva, J. D. Effective Documentation for Occupational Therapy. Bethesda, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association, 1992. Early, M. B. Mental Health Concepts and Techniques for the Occupational Therapist Assistant. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Raven Press, 1993. Markell, Mike. Technical Communication: Situations and Strategies. 5th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 1998. Okeema, Kathleen. Cognition and Perception in Occupational Therapy. Gaithsburg, MD: Aspen Publishing, 1993. Reed, K. L. Quick Reference to Occupational Therapy. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publications, 1991. Sasser, Martha. The Practice of Occupational Therapy. 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby- Year Book, Inc, 1998. Sladyk, Karen. OT Student Primer: A Guide to College Success. Thorofare, NJ: SLACK Incorporated, 1997.

Child obesity in the US and Saudi Arabia

Child obesity in the US and Saudi Arabia Previous studies on child obesity have revealed serious prevalence of overweight as well as obesity among children in both countries. National Health and Nutrition Examination 2007-2008 data indicates that 16.9% of children in the US aged 2-19 years suffer from obesity. The data also shows that there was an increase of 6.5%-19.6% among children aged 6-11 years and an increase of 5.0%-18.1% of children aged 12-19 years during the same period (Carroll, Curtin, Flegal, Lamb, Ogden 2010, 243).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Child obesity in the US and Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The data revealed significant sex and racial disparities of obesity in children with a greater percentage of non-Hispanic blacks more likely to suffer from obesity. On the other hand, a research done by International Obesity Task Force in the period of 1990-2007 showed that children in Saudi Arabia have had an average obesity prevalence of 6.7% among boys and 6.0% among girls aged 1-18 years (Aziz, Jalali-Farahani, Mirmiran, Sherafat-Kazemzadeh 2010, 247). Survey results of the National Center for Health Statistics done in 2000, showed that child obesity in Saudi Arabia averages at about 15.8% for the same age. It is estimated that about 14% of children in Saudi Arabia who are below age 6 are obese (Madani 2000, 1). The child obesity data among all the age groups in the US show that there has been a year-on-year increases in the rates of prevalence (Barnes 2011). The data presented shows a higher prevalence in the US than in Saudi Arabia. There were particular high increases in 1999-2000 and 2003-2004 in the US showing significant and sudden changes in lifestyle. Both countries experience higher levels of prevalence on boys than girls. The trends in both countries are highly associated with socioeconomic status. However, as opposed to the US where children of lower socio-economic and urban clas ses seem to be more likely to be affected, children of high socioeconomic status in Saudi Arabia are the most vulnerable to child obesity. Data that was collected from medical and healthcare institutions also showed that child obesity prevalence is higher among US children than the Saudi Arabian children. It revealed that about 15-17% of children aged 6-11 years and 12-19 years in the US suffered from obesity while about 10.7% of children aged 5-18 years in Saudi Arabia suffered from the same. The survey data revealed that about 18% of children in the US are obese with higher prevalence among boys. On the other hand, the same survey data revealed that Saudi Arabian children had a prevalence rate of about 11.8%. The boys were more likely to be affected by obesity as compared to girls. This implies that there is a high child obesity prevalence rate especially among the children in the US. Besides, the data showed that obesity rate does not decrease with increase in age.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Causes of obesity among children Statistics show that obesity in children in the US is more prevalent among low-income children especially those aged 2-4 years with about 5%-20% of this group being affected. Previous studies also indicate that most of child obesity is the result of caloric imbalance as children tend to eat foods containing more than 1000 calories. Besides, these children live in environments which do not encourage physical activity. This means that calories are not burnt off. Childhood inactivity is highly associated with obesity. Preschool study carried out in 2009 showed that 89% of preschoolers in the US lead a sedentary lifestyle ((Dietz Stern 1999, 23). Childhood obesity results from an interaction between genetic and other factors. 80% of children born from both obese parents are also more likely to be obese as compar ed to 10% of children born from non-obese parents (Kopelman 2005, 82). Psychological problems such as low self-esteem can influence eating habits of those affected. Early introduction of solid food to infants is the major cause of obesity among children below the age of five years. According to Ferry (2011) children are also introduced to high-fat snacks as well as sugary junk food which results to high calories consumption. In addition, most children especially those in urban towns are not trained to develop healthy exercise habits. They spend much time watching television or playing video games. According to (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011), just a third of school going children in the US get daily physical education. Low socioeconomic status could lead to poor nutrition as most families tend to eat high calorie foods to cater for their high activity level. Genetic factors could also cause obesity although the chances are very minimal unless the child eats more f ood. The survey carried out showed that poor nutrition causes about 34% of the child obesity. 38% of children reported less consumption of vegetables and fruits. Low socioeconomic status highly contributed to poor nutrition among obese children. It also showed that children who watch television or play video games for more than four hours a day are 22% more likely to suffer from obesity. When asked about how often they did exercise, most children responded negatively. However, about 36% said they suffered from obesity because their parents were also obese. How child obesity affect children’s social life Previous studies have discovered that obesity is highly associated with low self-esteem. Decreased self-esteem causes sadness in about 19% of children suffering from obesity. Low self-esteem also causes 21% of them to feel nervous (Strauss 2000, 15). Low self-esteem makes children less confident and therefore they are not able to interact with their peers. They are therefore c ondemned to loneliness. Feelings of depression could make a child to overeat (Goodman Whitaker 2002, 498).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Child obesity in the US and Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Childhood obesity causes several social problems to the affected children. Obesity could lead to psychosocial problems such as low self-esteem as well as reduced social networking (Gardner 2009). Such children may also suffer from depression due to discrimination and harassment from their peers and family members (Ferry 2011). This could possible cause loneliness in children who are obese. They are therefore likely to develop poor social skills. About 8.2% of obese adolescents said they were feeling depressed. 31% said that they were teased by their peers while 19% said that they were accepted by their peers. Majority of the children said that they suffered from loneliness. It is assumed that they are not able to do most physical activities. This has led to low self-esteem among obese children. Between 24% and 38% said that they suffered from low self-esteem. Prevention of obesity in children Exclusive breast-feeding of newborn infants is highly recommended for nutritional benefits (Dietz Stern 1999, 12). It is likely to help protect the child against obesity that could occur in later life. Major priority should be given to teaching children and parents about nutrition and healthy diet. Children should also be provided with healthy food choices. They should be provided with snacks that contain low sodium, fat as well as sugar content (Shield Mullen 2002, 123). Children should also be taught on the need to maintain a health activity level. Sedentary lifestyle should be discouraged and television viewing time should be limited. Physical education in schools should also be enhanced. Reference List Aziz, F., Jalali-Farahani, S., Mirmiran, p., Sherafat-Kazemzadeh, R., 2010, Ch ildhood obesity in the Middle East: A review. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 16(9). Nasr City, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean: World Health Organization. Barnes, J., 2011, Childhood obesity: Statistics and trends. Web. Carroll, M., D., Curtin, L., R., Flegal, K., M., Lamb, M., M., Ogden, C., L., 2010, Prevalence of high body mass index in U.S: children and adolescents, 2007- 2008. JAMA 303(3):242-9. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011, Overweight and obesity. Web. Dietz, W., H., Stern, L., 1999,   The official complete home reference guide to your childs nutrition.   Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.  pp.12, 23. Ferry, R., J., 2011, Obesity in children. Web. Gardner, T., 2009, The 5 problems caused by childhood obesity. Web. Goodman, E., Whitaker, R., C., 2002,. A prospective study of the role of depression in the development and persistence of adolescent obesity. Pediatrics 110 (3): 497–504. San Diego: US American Psychological Association. Kopelman, P., G., 2005, Clinical obesity in adults and children: In Adults and Children. Blackwell Publishing. P. 82. Madani, K., A., 2000, Obesity in Saudi Arabia. Bahrain Medical Buletin, 22(3): 1-9. Bahrain: Bahrain Medical Association. Shield, J., Mullen, M. C. (2002).   The American Dietetic Association guide to healthy eating for kids: How your children can eat smart from five to tw elve.   New York: Wiley. p. 123. Strauss, R., S., 2000, Childhood obesity and self-esteem. Pediatrics 105 (1). San Diego: US American Psychological Association. P. 15.