Ageism within occupational therapy?

Despite the arrival of the National Service Framework for Older people in 2001, age discrimination continues to exist in both popular society and health and social care settings. Within this context, the number of older people who are likely to come into contact with occupational therapy services is set to rise due to an increase in the population of older people. The aim of this opinion piece is to provide an overview of ageism towards older people in relation to occupational therapy and to suggest basic steps that can be taken by those working in practice to guard against ageist practice

Peer observation : a tool for continuing professional development

Peer observation has been advocated as a means of monitoring and improving the quality of teaching within Higher Education, whilst peer support and review have been used to provide feedback and monitoring within the clinical context. The process of peer observation of practice within educational, managerial and clinical settings could facilitate improvements in all aspects of practice, have relevance as a tool for continuing professional development (CPD) and help improve the quality of care for service users. This article presents the background and relevance of peer observation to health care professionals, suggests a process that can be implemented and considers relevant contextual issues. Finally it suggests that peer observation has potential benefits for all areas and levels of health care practice

Problem-based learning within occupational therapy education

The Directorate of Occupational Therapy at Salford University adopted a modified Problem Based Learning (PBL) approach within the newly validated programme in March 2004 to ensure that students have training that deems them fit for practice in today’s health service and meets the demands of current academic, professional and societal contexts (Directorate of Occupational Therapy 2004). The use of such an approach was advocated by the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education in (1997) and the Department of Health 2000 in the Meeting the Challenge document. These reports called for a self-directed and flexible learning approach as opposed to more traditional teacher-led sessions. As some directorates of Occupational Therapy consider the introduction of a PBL approach within their curriculum, others are turning away. The authors of this opinion paper have two years experience in delivering a PBL curriculum and have developed an awareness of both the advantages and pitfalls of this style of educational delivery

Professionalism, personal taste and social inclusion : does it matter what clients wear?

An earlier opinion piece considered the professional issues surrounding the occupational therapists dress code within the work place (Davys et al 2006). This second paper considers the role of the occupational therapist when a clients choice of clothing may conflict with social expectations and negatively impact upon social inclusion. Three hypothetical cases that reflect clinical realities are presented, which serve as prompts for reflection upon informed choice, professional responsibilities and the therapeutic relationship. This paper concludes that there needs to be debate about the conflict between each of these areas and the concept of social inclusion

Peer observation in professional development : occupational therapists perceptions

Aims: peer observation of practice is used to promote reflection and facilitate personal and professional development. However, there appears to be no published research on the use of peer observation by occupational therapists working in higher education. This action research project explored the perceptions of occupational therapy staff within a higher education setting towards the use of a peer observation of practice scheme. Methods: all colleagues within a directorate of occupational therapy were invited to complete a questionnaire. Additionally, five staff were invited to take part in semi-structured interviews and core themes were identified following thematic analysis, typified by grounded theory. Findings: staff used a range of methods to support professional development, including peer observation. Key themes identified were the concept that peer observation has both positive and negative connotations, that feedback must be carefully managed, that the relationship between observed and observer is important and that staff want clear ground rules for peer observation schemes. Conclusions: findings indicated the need for further research into peer observation and how such a scheme could be formally implemented

Futures planning, parental expectations and sibling concern for people who have a learning disability

The aim of this questionnaire was to explore the existence of future plans, parental expectation and sibling concern regarding people who have a learning disability. A questionnaire was sent via email to siblings of people who have a learning disability. 21 completed questionnaires were returned and responses were anaylsed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. A full discussion regarding sibling support was reported to have taken place by 12 (57%) of respondents, 7 (33%) stated this discussion had not taken place and 2 (9%) were unsure. 12 (57%) of participants reported no clear future plan however where a plan did exist, 7 (33%) of respondents claimed it was fully agreeable to both them and their parents. 11 (52%) of respondents reported no difference between their wishes regarding their future role and parental wishes. Key themes generated were; satisfaction with services, parental influence, sibling concern about the future, futures planning, the impact of the disabled person upon sibling lives and siblings needs. Further qualitative exploration into the personal wishes, reality and parental expectations for future support of siblings of adults who have a learning disability is required. Keywords: adult siblings, futures planning, learning disability, parental expectatio

Professionalism, prejudice and personal taste: does it matter what we wear?

An earlier opinion piece considered the professional issues surrounding the occupational therapist’s dress code within the work place (Davys et al, 2006). This second paper considers the role of the occupational therapist when a client choice of clothing may conflict with social expectations and negatively impact upon social inclusion. Three practice based scenarios are presented, which serve as the prompts for reflection upon informed choice, professional responsibilities and the therapeutic relationship. This paper concludes that there needs to be debate about the conflict between each of these areas and the concept of social inclusion

Perspectives and Experiences of Off-field Problematic Behaviour Among Elite New Zealand Athletes

In recent years, the off-field problematic behaviour of elite athletes has received considerable media interest and attention. However, such behaviour has been investigated largely in college/university athlete populations and has focused predominantly on specific sports and on-field behaviours. This qualitative study examined perspectives and experiences of off-field problematic behaviour among elite New Zealand athletes. Semi-structured interviews with 10 athletes (five female and five male) from seven sporting codes were completed. Interview transcripts were analysed and interpreted using thematic analysis. Five key themes emerged from the data, which provided insight into the development of off-field problematic behaviour in the current context and the wider consequences such behaviour has for athletes and others. The findings suggest that a range of off-field problematic behaviour is present within the elite New Zealand sporting environment. Alcohol misuse was the most prevalent type of behaviour discussed. A number of other problematic behaviours were also reported, such as risk-taking, violence, inappropriate sexual behaviour, disordered eating, and psychological manipulation. Participants’ definitions of ‘problematic behaviour’ were broad and included a number of less severe behaviours that were considered to be problematic within the elite sporting context. The main factors that appeared to increase the likelihood of off-field problematic behaviour were the influence of the media, pressures associated with professionalism, and the impact of management-athlete relationships. Having an elite public profile and the influence of drinking culture were identified as added pressures for participants, specific to the New Zealand sporting context. Furthermore, being on tour or competing overseas appeared to exacerbate potential vulnerabilities and provided unique opportunities for athletes to engage in off-field problematic behaviour. Numerous stressor factors appeared to have dual functions and, at times, also had protective value. Having stable support networks and positive athlete-coach relationships were protective factors central to the current study. Barriers to seeking help in relation to off-field problematic behaviour were also identified as an interesting finding in this study. Mistrust of professionals and breaches of confidentiality greatly impacted athletes’ willingness to seek help. Participants also made a number of recommendations to address off-field problematic behaviour that are highly relevant to professionals working within elite sporting environments. Overall, this study confirmed that off-field problematic behaviour of elite athletes was present in New Zealand; however, there were perceived differences as to whether such behaviour was increasing or decreasing in the current climate. Further research is needed to validate these findings and to better understand the experiences of elite athletes within the New Zealand sporting context