Occupational Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit

In recent years, the number of inpatient cardiovascular surgeries has significantly increased in hospitals around America. Occupational therapists in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (Burlingame, California) lack a standard protocol for addressing physical, cognitive, and psychosocial factors in patients post cardiac surgery. Furthermore, individuals’ experience and clinical reasoning frequently guides interventions rather than current evidence. The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Centennial Vision encourages occupational therapists to pursue science-driven practices and provide evidence-based interventions. In response to this Vision, an evidence-based clinical pathway was developed for the occupational therapists at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. The clinical pathway facilitates patients’ return to their highest level of function during post cardiac surgery rehabilitation. The proposed clinical pathway includes physical recovery, early detection of cognitive impairment, and psychosocial health for patients post cardiac surgery. The final clinical pathway was compiled into a clinical manual, entitled Clinical Pathway for Post Cardiac Surgery – Progression of Occupational Therapy in Intensive Care Unit, and adapted into a pocket guide

Occupational Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit

In recent years, the number of inpatient cardiovascular surgeries has significantly increased in hospitals around America. Occupational therapists in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (Burlingame, California) currently lack a standard protocol for addressing physical, cognitive, and psychosocial factors in patients post cardiac surgery. Furthermore, interventions are frequently guided by professional experience and clinical reasoning instead of current evidence. The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Centennial Vision encourages occupational therapists to pursue science-driven practices and provide evidence-based interventions. In response to this vision, an extensive review of current literature was conducted and applied to develop an evidence-based clinical pathway for the occupational therapists at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. The proposed clinical pathway includes intervention guidelines for physical recovery, early detection of cognitive impairment, and psychosocial health for patients post cardiac surgery recovering in the ICU. The clinical pathway would establish a standard of care and facilitate patients’ return to their highest level of function during post-cardiac surgery rehabilitation.https://scholar.dominican.edu/ug-student-posters/1032/thumbnail.jp

Occupational Therapy in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

In recent years, the number of inpatient cardiovascular surgeries has significantly increased in hospitals around America. Occupational therapists in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (Burlingame, California) lack a standard protocol for addressing physical, cognitive, and psychosocial factors in post cardiac surgery patients. Furthermore, interventions are frequently guided by professional experience and clinical reasoning instead of the most current evidence. The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Centennial Vision stated that “...occupational therapy is a powerful, widely recognized, science-driven, and evidence-based profession with a globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society’s occupational needs,” (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2006, p. 1). In response to this Vision, an evidence-based clinical pathway will be developed for the occupational therapists at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. The clinical pathway will facilitate patients’ return to their highest level of function during post cardiac surgery rehabilitation. The proposed multifactorial approach will include physical recovery, early detection of cognitive impairment, and psychosocial health in post cardiac surgery patients. The proposed evidence-based clinical pathway will be presented to Ms. Jamie Thompson, the lead occupational therapist of the ICU at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, who will assess the appropriateness and feasibility of the clinical pathway. The feedback obtained will then be incorporated into the final clinical pathway, which will be presented to the occupational therapists at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in October, 2016