The aim of this qualitative study was to describe what characterizes the therapeutic strategies used by occupational therapists during self-care training.Twelve occupational therapists working with clients who had had a stroke (n=6) or spinal cord injury (n=6) were interviewed and asked to tell a therapeutic story focusing on the self-care training process of one client. Data were transcribed and analyzed using the Empirical, Phenomenological, Psychological (EPP) method, a qualitative method. Findings showed that the occupational therapists' strategies focused primarily on how to create a relationship built on trust with their clients, how to find the right way to motivate clients, how to support the setting of goals, and how to provide enabling occupational experience and adjust training to the needs of the client, rather than focusing on teaching clients how to use technical and compensatory strategies.One conclusion from this study is that occupational therapists could, through understanding the individual's unique situation, vary their strategies and adapt themselves to meeting clients' experiences and needs during self-care training.

This article outlines the process of evidence-based practice as a means for informing the clinical decisions made by OTs. A framework for EBP is presented. The framework presents EBP as a process that follows a cycle stemming form clinical decisions that need to be made in all stages of the OT treatment process. The framework presented in this paper is offered as a means of helping clinicians move from paper to practice.

The objective of this study was to identify ethical dilemmas experienced by OTs and PTs working in the UK National Health Service. Little is known about clinical dilemmas OTs and PTS encounter. Without case material which reflects these realities it is difficult for professional organizations to produce ethical codes, for educators to prepare students for practice, and for clinicians to benefit from the experience of others. A four-page questionnaire was designed based on the results of the pilot study and distributed to OTs and PTs in the UK NHS. Emerging themes in OT found included: difficult or dangerous behavior in patients, unprofessional or incompetent staff, lack of respect for vulnerable patients, difficult/risky decisions about patient discharge.

These authors created a schematic representation of professionalism through review of the literature and qualitative analysis of information obtained from discussion groups focused on professionalism. Professionalism was found to be a diverse and multi-faceted concept, as illustrated by the final schematic diagram, with professional parameters, professional behaviors, and professional responsibilities as the three main emerging themes in professionalism.

This article is intended to be used by OTs who wish to establish supervision systems. It is a practice-based paper, based on 10 years of experience of the author Elaine Hunter in evolving a supervision structure for occupational therapists. The benefits and potential difficulties are described with an emphasis on the need to understand he aims of supervision. The essential components of quality supervision are presented and a brief overview of a supervision package is provided as one way to implement supervision for OTs. It highlights the four main considerations and essential components in supervision. The article also depicts the difference between supervision in OT and the broad medical field. * This is a link to the abstract. I was able to access and print off the full article at my fieldwork site last week, but cannot from the computer I am currently on (I cannot sign into my Shawnee account through the library web page).