The Nature of Occupational Therapy Practice in Acute Physical Care Settings

Abstract

Acute care practice in New Zealand is delivered in environments where there are many challenges to occupational therapy practice. In order to identify ways in which therapists make sense of this area of practice we developed and distributed a questionnaire containing closed and open questions. The findings suggest that occupational therapists have positive views of their work and are able to clearly articulate their practice. Relating views of practice to theoretical models lacks clarity with therapists using broad professional frameworks and/or the notion of holism to provide a conceptual lens.