Acute Care Occupational Therapy: Clinical Reasoning, Safety, and Confidence

This two-contact-hour self-study course develops clinical reasoning for occupational therapy with adults in acute care. It connects chart review, physiological readiness, laboratory interpretation, diagnosis-specific considerations, and equipment preparation with meaningful self-care and discharge planning. READI organizes decisions about proceeding, modifying, consulting, deferring, and stopping while activity is reassessed. Recurring cases examine functional cognition, caregiver support, and communication. Common informal rules are examined against the clinical evidence so that decisions reflect the patient, the current situation, and the occupational demand.

Learning Objectives

• Apply the READI Framework: Use READI to determine whether to proceed, modify, consult, defer, or stop an acute-care occupational therapy activity.
• Interpret Acute-Care Clinical Information: Review relevant chart findings, vital signs, oxygen support, symptoms, and laboratory trends in relation to patient-specific orders and occupational demands.
• Distinguish Common Acute-Care Misconceptions: Differentiate misconceptions from evidence-supported, individualized clinical reasoning described in current guidance.
• Select Graded Occupation-Centered Interventions: Choose appropriate interventions and preparation strategies for medically complex patients, including diagnosis-specific precautions, medical devices, and safe patient handling.
• Analyze Occupational Performance for Discharge Planning: Evaluate observed occupational performance, functional cognition, environmental demands, and caregiver support to inform interdisciplinary discharge recommendations.
• Formulate Clear Clinical Communication: Communicate findings, actions, unresolved questions, and the need for consultation or escalation clearly and professionally.