In celebration of ‘OT Week’ we caught up with two of our occupational therapists (OTs) to talk about the work that they do and how it impacts the lives of patients and families.

Asking an OT to define their profession can be a difficult question to answer. It’s an extremely diverse job and can relate to a number of specialty areas. For Erin Lowrie and Chanel Abriani, Occupational Therapists at the RCH, their jobs vary greatly, but the common ground is assisting patients to reach their goals in everyday function. This could mean a range of things, from learning to walk with crutches in the home environment, practicing handwriting, or self-care activities such as showering.

“The word ‘occupation’, in this case, refers to activities of daily living,” Chanel said. “These activities are centred around three main areas: self care, productivity and leisure. We work with patients to achieve their individual goals for everyday life.”

Erin said another key part of an OT’s role is to support patients through to discharge home.

“We also focus on the transition of going home and how that looks for the patient and their family. We might need to arrange equipment to maximise their safety and independence, or show parents how to provide elements of everyday care,” Erin said.

So, what does a typical day look like for these OTs?

Erin Lowrie – Occupational Therapist, Orthopaedics and Limb Deficiency

Erin’s role focuses on patients who have undergone orthopaedic surgery, for traumatic or elective procedure, and patients that have limb deficiency and require the use of a prosthesis.

“Every day I have an early morning meeting with doctors, nurses and physiotherapists. I’m given a list of patients to visit. Some patients will be awaiting surgery and some may be going home that day – I arrange to visit them to make sure they’re all set to be discharged.

I then head out on to the ward and assess the patient’s and family’s needs. Some of these visits are initial assessments where we talk about what their daily routine was like prior to being in hospital, and discuss any concerns about returning to the home and school environments. I also carry out functional assessments where we work out what the patient needs; do they have a plaster cast on one of their limbs? What do they need to improve function? If they require crutches, will this be safe for their home and school environment? We work out safe ways to address their needs and challenges at home.

They may also require me to prescribe equipment or liaise with the school about their needs. There are also one-off sessions, or ‘screens’, to check that the patient is comfortable to leave hospital and the family is confident with life at home.”

Chanel Abriani – Occupational Therapist, Rehabilitation

Chanel works within the Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, predominantly with patients who have an acquired brain injury. Chanel works with patients on a longer-term basis, assisting them with physical and cognitive function.

“Generally in the morning I will hold two self-care sessions, which focus on things like showering and dressing. This differs depending on the patient’s needs. For example, I might demonstrate these tasks, or use a chart or flash cards to go through the steps with them. Then I will have a leisure session. This could be baking, where we practice skills in the Activity of Daily Living (ADL) kitchen. It could also be playing Wii – leisure sessions are about assisting the patient in practicing play and leisure activities.

I might have a patient session where we do some Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) work. This involves a machine that sends out electrical currents that target muscles and strengthen them, to help restore function.

Throughout the day, I see outpatients that have left hospital, but need some assistance with everyday life at home and at school. I also have ‘family meetings’ with a multidisciplinary team of rehab staff; doctors, speech pathologists, physiotherapists, the RCH Education Institute staff, neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, nurses and the patient’s family.”

With such busy and rewarding roles, what do Chanel and Erin love about their jobs?

“I love that it’s diverse – I do completely different things according to the child’s needs.” Chanel said.

Erin says, “I enjoy that I address the small things that families are often unsure about, like how to dress their child once they get home. Families really appreciate the focus on what happens beyond hospital. Children and families want to return home and we help them achieve that.”

Find out more about OT Week here.