Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada Second Edition, 2002

Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists Association canadienne des ergothérapeutes CTTC Building 3400 - 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, ON K1S 5R1 Canada

All rights reserved Ottawa 2002 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. Published by CAOT Publications ACE Ottawa, Ontario Copies may be purchased from: Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists CTTC Building, Suite 3400 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5R1 Tel: (613) 523-2268 or (800) 434-2268 Fax: (613) 523-2552 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.caot.ca © Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, 2002

ISBN:

1-895437-56-3

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Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada SECTION I – The Project to Revise and Revalidate the Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada Background Information on the Project In 1996, the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) published the Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada (Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists [CAOT], 1996). The intent of the Profile was to describe the practice of occupational therapy in Canada, to provide standards for the accreditation of programs in Canada and guidance for the development of curricula and certification examinations. The Profile has proven to be a useful tool in all respects. Nevertheless, with changes in the health system, in the clientele and in the type of services being required, the practice of occupational therapy has also evolved. In 2000, the Task Force on the Education of Occupational Therapists developed a Stakeholder Survey (CAOT, 2000a) to obtain a preliminary view of the competencies that are now required for changes in practice. The responses to the survey indicated that several new competencies are now expected in the context of new emerging practice environments. In response to these results, CAOT determined that the Profile needed to be revised and adapted to reflect this changing reality. In the Winter of 2001, CAOT initiated a project to revise the Profile.

Description of the Project The project to revise the Profile took place according to the following phases: Phase 1: Appointment of Task Force and Approval of Methodology CAOT appointed the members of the Task Force to oversee the project and commissioned Assessment Strategies Inc. to provide

management and facilitation for the project. The Task Force consisted of representatives of the practice environment and the academic milieu from across Canada. The members of the Task Force provided their advice regarding the methodology for the project and nominated the members of the Working Group who were responsible for the development of the Draft Profile. The members of the Task Force provided their input throughout the various phases of the project. Phase 2: Updating the Profile of Occupational Therapy The Working Group met at a two-day working session to revise and update the Profile. The goals of the session were defined as follows: identify the new competencies that are now required as a result of changes in practice or in the environment, and identify the competencies that will be required within the next 10 years. Another goal was to increase the overall readability of the Profile by making it more concise and user-friendly. Phase 3: Stakeholder Input The Task Force members led local discussion groups with CAOT members. Seven discussion sessions were led in various locations in Canada and a total of 48 participants took part in the discussions. The Profile was further refined using the feedback collected from the discussion groups. Phase 4: Membership Survey A wide-scale national survey of the CAOT membership was conducted to ensure the validity of the competencies identified in the development work. Approximately 30% of the active membership practising in Canada was surveyed. The survey elicited a high level of interest within the CAOT membership. A high response rate was obtained and the Profile was received very positively. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists • 2002 • 1

Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada

Phase 5: Presentation of the Profile to CAOT Board In light of the very positive results obtained from the survey, the Task Force presented the Profile to the CAOT Board of Directors and recommended that the Profile be adopted by CAOT.

SECTION II – Focus of the Profile Purposes of the Profile The purpose of the Profile is to provide a description of the performance expectations related to the roles and functions of occupational therapists in Canada. Its uses are to help in the development of academic standards, in the preparation of a blueprint for a national certification examination and also to serve as a self-assessment tool for lifelong learning.

A Visionary Document An additional goal is for the Profile to provide a vision of occupational therapy practice as it will become in the next few years. As a result, some of the competencies reflect the current context of practice and others may anticipate future development of the profession. It is hoped that the Profile will serve to guide future practice of occupational therapy in Canada. The Profile is nevertheless consistent with CAOT current guidelines and position statements on practice and health issues (CAOT, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000b, 2000c, 2001).

The Essential Competencies In 2000, the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO) developed and published a document describing the Essential Competencies of Practice for Occupational Therapists in Canada (2000). The Essential Competencies are those that are considered essential for safe, ethical and effective practice of occupational therapy and they serve as an indicator of competent practice at the entry level. The aim of ACOTRO was to provide a document that would help regulatory bodies in their task of defining the competencies for the purpose of credentialling, establishing equivalencies, reentry into the profession, requirements for continued competence, etc. The Essential Compet-encies are generic in order to bridge the differences in education and in practice between provinces or between countries.The CAOT Profile, on the other hand, not only encompasses the Essential Competencies but also presents a complete range of competencies including those that represent excellence in practice.

Defining Tasks or Competencies The Profile provides an overall description of the general competencies that are required of occupational therapists in their various functions. However, the purpose of the Profile is not to provide a detailed analysis or description of tasks such as what one might find in a job analysis. Rather, the purpose of the Profile is to provide a qualitative description of the various attitudes, behaviours, practices and approaches that are reflective of the diverse and emerging roles of occupational therapists.

A Model for Excellence The Profile also purports to present a model of excellence in practice and therefore includes a wide spectrum of competencies, some of which may be expected and required in beginning occupational therapists while others may be associated with more advanced levels of performance and experience. The inclusion of such competencies is designed to enhance the performance of all occupational therapists and to encourage graduates to achieve excellence in their future careers. 2 • 2002 • Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists

Focus on Practice The new Profile is intended to capture the new roles in which occupational therapists are now active and to reflect the competencies required for these roles. However, occupational therapy is a client-centred profession and as a result, the main focus of the Profile remains on direct service to clients. Nevertheless, many of the competencies are generic in nature and can be interpreted within diverse contexts. As well, the term client can be understood

Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada

to include entities other than individuals, such as groups, agencies, organizations, etc.

• The Key Role describes the overall purpose or principal objective of the profession of occupational therapy.

The Occupational Performance Process Model

• Units of Competence are discrete components within the Key Role and reflect major functions of occupational therapy.

In developing the Profile, several documents were used for inspiration or to provide a framework. Among those are the original Profile (CAOT, 1996), responses to the Stakeholder Survey on the new competencies obtained by the Task Force on Education (CAOT, 2000a) as well as the Occupational Performance Process Model described in Enabling Occupation: An Occupational Therapy Perspective (CAOT, 1997).The Working Group felt that the use of the seven-step model facilitated the organization of the competencies and allowed for consistency with other CAOT documents. However, there is no intent to prescribe the use of the Occupational Performance Process Model by individual occupational therapists. As well, the particular sequence in which the competencies are described does not preclude the possibility of other equally valid sequences or process models. The Profile is not designed to describe a process but rather the competencies required to practice occupational therapy regardless of the model or process being used.

Definition of Client In general in the Profile, the term client is used to signify an individual receiving occupational therapy services. However, many occupational therapists do not have individual persons as clients. Therefore, whenever applicable, the term client can be understood to include entities such as groups, agencies or organizations.

SECTION III – The Framework of the Profile The Profile is organized according to a framework that includes five levels of description: the Key Role Statement, the Units of Competence, the Elements, the Performance Criteria and Cues.

• Elements further delineate each unit of competency in terms of outcomes that an occupational therapist is required to achieve.These Elements are meaningful to occupational therapists and are observable in workplace performance. • Performance Criteria specify, in detail, the required level of performance for occupational therapists and the characteristics of the expected outcomes. The description allows persons to gauge their abilities to perform the work to the level expected by the profession. • Cues are developed as examples in order to assist occupational therapists to apply the performance criteria to everyday practice. Cues are examples only and do not represent all possibilities. The Key Role of occupational therapists and the five Units of Competence are presented below.

Key Role of Occupational Therapists Occupational Therapists enable individuals, groups and communities to develop the means and opportunities to identify, engage in and achieve desired potential in the occupations of life. The occupational therapist may provide direct services not only to clients but may also perform functions as manager, researcher, program developer or educator as part of their professional roles. Their clients may include agencies and organizations as well as individuals or groups.

Units of Competence Unit One: Professional Accountability Occupational therapists practice in an ethical and autonomous manner. They use a client-centred approach in a variety of settings in both public and private sectors. Occupational therapists are committed to lifelong professional education and contribute to the education of future professionals and the development of the profession through research. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists • 2002 • 3

Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada

Unit Two: Occupational Performance Practice Process Occupational therapists utilize a systematic approach based on evidence and on professional reasoning for the delivery of occupational therapy services. Services are planned and designed in collaboration with clients to meet identified occupational goals in specific environments. Services may be developed for individual clients or groups based upon identification of their priorities, goals and objectives. Communication with the client is the cornerstone of the planning, development and provision of occupational therapy services.

Unit Four: Quality Management of Occupational Therapy Services Occupational therapists are accountable for effective resource utilization and quality management. This responsibility encompasses a commitment to an ongoing process of improvement of the quality of services and practice evaluation. The evaluation process encompasses the review of standards, procedures and policies, the analysis of needs and the collection of information on client satisfaction. It also includes the interpretation, utilization and communication of the evaluation results to the target audience.

Unit Three: Organization of Practice, Leadership and Interpersonal Relationships Occupational therapists demonstrate leadership in everyday practice by enabling people with varying abilities to perform the occupations that are meaningful for them. Grounded in theory and knowledgeable about best practices, occupational therapists are client-centred and aware of sociocultural, economic and political contexts. Demonstrating interpersonal respect, communicating effectively and valuing innovation, occupational therapists play key roles by promoting leading edge and interdisciplinary approaches to practice.

Unit Five: Management And Promotion of Occupational Therapy Services Occupational therapists utilize sound practices to manage information and communication systems as well as human, financial, physical and environmental resources. Their responsibilities may span all occupational therapy roles and encompass the planning, development and administration of these resources. Occupational therapists participate in the development of occupational therapy markets and are committed to promoting the profession in a way that is consistent with its philosophy.

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SECTION IV – The Profile Unit 1 – Professional Accountability 1.1 Practice in an ethical manner. 1.1.1 Utilize the provincial/territorial and national professional code of ethics for occupational therapy. 1.1.2 Demonstrate ethical decision-making. Cues: Act in the client’s best interests, use practices based on evidence. 1.1.3 Ensure the confidentiality of any personal identifying information obtained in the occupational therapy process. 1.1.4 Understand and respect client’s values and beliefs and understand the impact of the therapist’s values, beliefs and culture on decision-making.

1.2 Manage the records and documentation related to practice. 1.2.1

Prepare and maintain records which provide evidence and rationale to support client-centred assessment findings, intervention plan and collaborative decision-making. Cues: service contracts, billing records, client chart, assessment outcomes, site visit reports, client consent, family meetings, team meetings, consultations.

1.2.2

Comply with policy and procedures on record management according to provincial professional and employer regulations and requirements. Cues: dissemination of records in written, verbal or electronic formats.

1.2.3

Participate in development of record management policy and procedures.

1.2.4

Participate in review or audit of records and record management.

1.3 Demonstrate commitment to lifelong professional development. 1.3.1

Develop and implement a continuing education plan based on assessed professional needs. Cues: keeping pace with ongoing changes in the context of practice, reading current professional literature, networking and community involvement, educational programs, on-line or distance education, self-assessment, etc.

1.3.2

Demonstrate ability to search for and obtain information. Cues: research articles, periodicals, Internet, databases, experts, colleagues.

1.3.3

Demonstrate ability to critically appraise source and content of the information.

1.3.4

Apply new knowledge and relevant information to practice.

1.4 Contribute to the development of knowledge in occupational therapy. 1.4.1

Identify questions or issues requiring exploration through research.

1.4.2

Develop and carry out research activities or participate in research activities with research experts. Cues: Select study methodologies, identify funding for research, prepare research protocol, etc.

1.4.3

Follow research protocol with understanding of rationale of study methodology and ethical guidelines.

1.4.4

Participate in the dissemination of results of investigation and research findings. Cues: presentations, written documentation, publications, sharing information with team, clients, funders.

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1.5 Adhere to and support legislative statutes. 1.5.1

Adhere to and support occupational therapy regulatory structures.

1.5.2

Adhere to relevant provincial/territorial standards and guidelines.

1.5.3

Practice in accordance with provincial and federal legislations in health and safety, labour, education, etc.

1.5.4

Contribute to the mandate of professional organizations. Cues: involvement in professional organizations, exercising right to vote, promoting access to safe and effective services.

1.5.5

Ensure that the service components assigned to unregulated individuals are appropriately assigned and monitored. Cues: support personnel, parents, teachers, other team members.

1.5.6

Maintain registration.

1.6 Contribute to student education in occupational therapy. 1.6.1

Participate actively in student fieldwork education.

1.6.2

Share knowledge and experience with students using a variety of methods to accommodate student needs. Cues: shadowing, sessional lectures, consultation, advice on projects, mentoring, fieldwork supervision.

1.6.3

Model professional and ethical practice behaviours.

Unit 2 – Occupational Performance Practice Process 2.1 Establish a professional relationship with the client or client representative. 2.1.1

Determine capacity of client to make decisions and to consent to services and structure decision-making accordingly.

2.1.2

Obtain informed consent for service from the client or from client representative. Cue: follow provincial regulation for substitute consent.

2.1.3

Establish, develop and maintain effective communication with the client. Cues: client interview, regular discussions.

2.1.4

Build rapport and trust within the relationship. Cues: active listening, show empathy and non-judgmental attitude.

2.1.5

Foster positive thinking by enabling client to envision future possibilities.

2.1.6

Share decision-making and responsibility with the client and/or client representative.

2.1.7

Acknowledge and respect diverse perspectives when defining client and therapist expectations. Cues: consider culture, socioeconomic status.

2.1.8

Address and manage potential conflicts of interest.

2.1.9

Communicate the parameters of service.

2.1.10 With client consent, establish collaborative communication with other relevant parties. Cues: family, teacher, employer, etc.

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2.2 Name, validate and prioritize occupational performance issues. 2.2.1

Name and validate occupational performance issues and prioritize in collaboration with the client. Cues: Listen to client story, recognition of client as expert, consider spirituality.

2.2.2

Discuss client and therapist expectations for occupational therapy services. Cues: type of services being offered, conceptual and theoretical information, resources and expertise available, waiting list, referral options, right for the client to refuse services.

2.2.3

Recognize situations when process should be discontinued. Cues: Discuss with client, make recommendations, terminate service contract, etc.

2.3 Select theoretical approaches. 2.3.1

Select one or more theoretical approaches to guide the remaining process. Cues: purpose of assessment, identified issues, evidence from literature, mandate of service/ facility, methods of assessment.

2.3.2

Clarify selected theoretical information with client. Cues: Discuss relevance with client, provide examples of previous experiences, use plain language.

2.3.3

Adjust and modify theoretical approach as appropriate.

2.4 Identify occupational performance components and environmental conditions. 2.4.1

Select appropriate tools and methods throughout the assessment process. Cues: sensitivity, specificity and reliability of assessment tools, validity for the specified purpose, compatibility with the selected theoretical approaches.

2.4.2

Assess occupational performance in relevant areas, including self-care, productivity and leisure and within the context of roles, demands, expectations, goals and settings and spiritual values of the client.

2.4.3

Assess cognitive, affective and physical components related to the occupational performance issues identified.

2.4.4

Assess the elements of the environment and their impact on the occupational performance.

2.4.5

Determine the interactions between the person, the occupations and the environment in ways that are appropriate to the setting.

2.4.6

Integrate and analyse assessment findings. Cues: self-care, productivity and leisure within the context of client’s roles, sociocultural, spiritual and physical environment.

2.4.7. Communicate the findings from the assessment. Cues: assessment report, clinical discussion.

2.5 Identify strengths and resources. 2.5.1

In collaboration with client, identify strengths and resources of the client. Cues: personal resources of client, funding, finances, etc.

2.5.2

Identify strengths and resources of the therapist in relation to client’s needs.

2.5.3

Integrate assessment findings, strengths/resources and client goals into an occupational profile of the client.

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2.6 Develop an action plan based on targeted outcomes. 2.6.1

In collaboration with client, prioritize targeted outcomes. Cues: Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, outcomes measures, time frames, therapist and client responsibilities, mandate of funding and sponsoring agency for service provision.

2.6.2

Develop measurable and attainable objectives which define the way to achieve the targeted outcomes.

2.6.3

Determine resources required for service. Cues: human resources, supplies, equipment, environment, funding sources.

2.6.4

Conduct a risk/benefit and cost/benefit analysis of the various service delivery methods. Cues: individual/group care, home therapy, tele-occupational therapy, distance learning, etc.

2.6.5

In collaboration with client, develop action plans based on the occupational profile, selected theoretical approaches, and evidence-based practice. Cues: Discuss implementation options, including benefits, risks, responsibilities and costs, time frames.

2.6.6

Consider the meaning of the proposed plan to the client.

2.6.7

Communicate the action plan to relevant parties. Cues: note to file, clinical discussion.

2.7 Implement plans. 2.7.1

Justify the intervention plan by using practices based on evidence and professional reasoning. Cues: ways of promoting change, occupational/activity analysis, grading, environmental modification, program planning, etc.

2.7.2

Review and modify plans throughout the intervention. Cues: monitor progress, acknowledge success, determine client satisfaction and goals and relevance of intervention, decision to pursue or discontinue.

2.7.3

Assist client in efforts to obtain funding as necessary to achieve outcomes identified in action plan.

2.8. Evaluate and analyse occupational performance outcomes. 2.8.1

Review targets in collaboration with client and identify outcomes of process. Cues: assessments, observations, reflections of client and therapist, client satisfaction, need to continue or complete process, discharge readiness.

2.8.2

Identify the client’s need for continued occupational therapy or for other services. Cues: follow-up visit, phone call, referrals to other services or resources.

Unit 3 – Organization of Practice, Leadership and Interpersonal Relationships 3.1 Utilize and communicate conceptual and theoretical orientations relevant to occupational therapy. 3.1.1

Articulate occupational therapy philosophy, models of practice and their impact on occupational therapy intervention. Cue: using terms that make sense to the audience.

3.1.2

Use the concepts of occupational performance and client-centredness as the focus of service. Cue: considering and balancing the needs of many clients and/or conflicting demands.

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3.1.3

Communicate philosophy, goals, objectives and purpose of occupational therapy in terms of occupational performance that are relevant to the client’s personal and social context.

3.1.4

Identify roles and responsibilities within the ethical and legal guidelines for practice.

3.2 Communicate the scope of practice to client or intended audience. 3.2.1

Communicate the relationship between occupation, occupational performance and health and well-being.

3.2.2

Use language consistent with occupation and client-centred practice.

3.3 Establish parameters and structure for organization of services. 3.3.1

Identify client needs that require occupational therapy services and determine types of services required. Cues: types of clients, age, occupational performance needs, etc.

3.3.2

Define parameters of service. Cues: frequency of service, type of service.

3.3.3

Demonstrate appropriate choice of service delivery options available in the practice setting. Cues: inpatient/outpatient care, home care, tele-health, etc.

3.3.4

Establish criteria for service access and for completion. Cues: objective and evidence-based criteria.

3.3.5

Design a structure that is best suited for service delivery and that meets regulatory and ethical requirements.

3.3.6

Structure practice to work with relevant parties with or on behalf of clients. Cues: agencies, organizations and governments.

3.3.7

Structure practice and organization of services to facilitate collaboration and participation of all stakeholders in the occupational therapy process. Cues: client, significant others, team members, relevant agencies, funding sources, other professionals, etc.

3.4 Apply the knowledge of the current sociocultural, economic and political factors relevant to practice. 3.4.1

Demonstrate capacity to work in a diverse and multicultural society.

3.4.2

Demonstrate an understanding of the overall policy environment and understand the impact of those policies on occupational therapy practice. Cues: regulations on informed consent, automobile insurance, funding policies for services and assistive devices, etc.

3.4.3

Work effectively with community resources to achieve positive occupational therapy outcomes. Cues: community agencies, legal system, school and health systems, insurance companies, social services, etc.

3.5 Demonstrate leadership in practice. 3.5.1

Demonstrate effective decision-making using a problem-solving approach when dealing with issues and in practice.

3.5.2

Promote enabling environments to enhance performance or participation in occupations.

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Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada

3.5.3

Support advocacy efforts for social and political issues that affect occupational performance in the population.

3.5.4

Establish and maintain a network of professional contacts to enhance the development of self, others and the profession.

3.5.5

Engage in mentorship and/or guidance with colleagues, students, subordinates and supervisees. Cues: providing and/or receiving.

3.5.6

Promote client and public participation in the definition of policies and services that support occupational performance.

3.5.7

Demonstrate a visionary approach to the development of programs and services. Cues: entrepreneurship, open-mindedness, creativity, etc.

3.6 Establish collaborative communication with colleagues, team members and relevant stakeholders. 3.6.1

Consider and respect information and opinions provided by colleagues, team members and other stakeholders.

3.6.2

Share appropriate information with colleagues and team members in a timely and effective manner.

3.6.3

Manage discrepancies or conflicts in a professional and ethical manner.

Unit 4 – Quality Management of Occupational Therapy Services 4.1 Engage in a continuous process for evaluation and improvement of quality of service. 4.1.1

Establish quality standards for services/practice. Cue: Identify key indicators for quality of service.

4.1.2

Develop an effective process for the continuous improvement of services. Cues: needs analysis, targeted goals and outcomes, methods, criteria, type of data analysis, resources, communication plan.

4.1.3

Seek stakeholder input when planning services, policies or procedures used for service. Cues: clients and client representatives, staff, public, interest groups, agencies, etc.

4.1.4

Advise appropriate decision-makers about the type of services to be offered.

4.2 Engage in continuous evaluation of services. 4.2.1

Develop and implement a plan for continuous evaluation of service. Cues: purpose and expected outcomes, methods, criteria, data analysis, resources, communication.

4.2.2

Maintain service/practice data to facilitate evaluation of services and interventions. Cues: database, records, workload measurement, outcome measures, etc.

4.3 Interpret, utilize and communicate results of evaluation. 4.3.1

Interpret results with reference to expected service outcomes.

4.3.2

Communicate evaluation results to stakeholders.

4.3.3

Utilize evaluation results for future development and improvement of occupational therapy services.

4.3.4

Revise evaluation plan based on findings from periodic review.

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Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada

Unit 5 – Management and Promotion of Occupational Therapy Services 5.1 Utilize information and communication technology to support current and future occupational therapy service. 5.1.1

Use current information and communication technology to support occupational therapy practice. Cues: patient database, cognitive training software, electronic mail, internet, OTDBASE, tele-health, workload statistics, material inventory.

5.1.2

Use the practice information gathered for the development of services and impact analysis.

5.1.3

Develop service reports.

5.2 Manage or participate in the management of human resources. 5.2.1

Create or collaborate in creating a work environment that promotes human resource development and teamwork. Cues: provide leadership, coaching, mentoring, foster self-direction, accountability and selfevaluation, recognize and reward excellence.

5.2.2

Participate in the performance evaluation and performance enhancement of human resources. Cues: ongoing feedback, supervision, performance reviews, peer review, self-review, disciplinary process, orientation.

5.2.3

Contribute to the assessment of human resource needs and to the development of human resource strategies. Cues: recruitment, retention measures, incentives, etc.

5.2.4

Participate in implementing and reviewing human resource initiatives. Cues: employee assistance programs, promotion of team work, coaching, in-services.

5.3 Manage financial, physical and environmental resources. 5.3.1

Use accepted principles of sound business management as they apply to the practice setting. Cues: budgets and financial records, business plan, cost-effectiveness, cost recovery, revenue generation.

5.3.2

Effectively manage resources to reflect service priorities.

5.3.3

Provide a safe environment. Cues: accessibility, safe storage and preventive maintenance of material and equipment, safe practice procedures for therapists.

5.3.4

Adhere to safety policy. Cues: Waste and Hazardous Materials Information System, CPR, infectious disease control, general occupational health and safety practices.

5.4 Participate in the promotion of occupational therapy. 5.4.1

Convey the benefits of occupational therapy. Cues: occupational therapy week, symposia, developing promotional material, match selected strategies with identified target populations.

5.4.2

Identify and explore emerging markets for services using accepted and ethical principles of marketing and business development.

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SECTION V – Glossary The terminology utilized in the Profile is consistent with recent work from CAOT. In particular, there were two primary reference documents: i) Occupational Therapy Guidelines for Clientcentred Practice (CAOT, 1991); ii) Enabling Occupation: An Occupational Therapy Perspective (CAOT, 1997). activities: specific functions, actions or group of actions that contribute to occupation. assessment: an ongoing process of collecting, analysing and interpreting information obtained through observation, interviews, record review and testing. Assessments used in occupational therapy may include standardized, informal, qualitative and quantitative methodologies in addition to the report of other disciplines, clients and others. beginning occupational therapists: those who are at the point of entry into the profession.

environment: social, political, cultural, economic, physical and geographic conditions which impact on occupational performance. health: having choice, abilities and opportunities for engaging in meaningful patterns of occupation. occupation: everything people do to occupy themselves, including what people do to look after themselves (self-care), enjoy life (leisure), and contribute socially and economically to their communities (productivity); the domain of concern and the therapeutic medium of occupational therapy. occupational performance: the result of a dynamic, interwoven relationship between persons, environment and occupation over a person’s life span; the ability to choose, organize and satisfactorily perform meaningful occupations that are culturally defined and age appropriate for looking after oneself, enjoying life and contributing to the social and economic fabric of a community.

client: may be individuals with occupational performance problems arising from medical conditions, transitional difficulties or environmental barriers, or clients may be organizations that influence the occupational performance of particular groups or populations.

occupational performance areas: the three key groupings of occupations: self-care (what people do to look after themselves), leisure (how people enjoy life) and productivity (how people contribute to society).

client-centred practice: collaborative and partnership approaches used in enabling occupation with clients who may be individuals, groups, agencies, governments, corporations or others.

occupational performance components: the elements which contribute to occupational performance in self-care, leisure and productivity. These elements include mental, physical, sociocultural, and spiritual.

competency: a behaviour statement that reflects the combined knowledge, abilities, skills, attitudes and judgment expected of occupational therapists in the context of their practice.

mental – total emotional and intellectual response of an individual to the environment.

enable: using a variety of self-help, mutual aid and participatory processes, including facilitating, guiding, coaching, educating, prompting, listening, reflecting, encouraging or otherwise collaborating, which provide the means and opportunity for people to be involved in solving their own problems.

sociocultural – dimension which describes the interpersonal relationships of a client with family; and educational, ethnic and community backgrounds.

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physical – motor skills, abilities and sensory functions.

spiritual – a pervasive life force, manifestation of a higher self, source of will and self-determination, and a sense of meaning, purpose and

Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada

connectedness that people experience in the context of the environment. occupational performance potential: the client’s possible level of performance in occupations which is influenced by need, desire, environment, time and ability.

practice of occupational Unpublished document.

therapy

in

Canada.

Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (2000b). Position statement: Home care. Ottawa, ON: CAOT Publications ACE. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (2000c). Position statement on primary health. Ottawa, ON: CAOT Publications ACE.

occupational profile: analysis and documentation of a client’s strengths, limitations, environmental supports and barriers which influence engagement in specific occupations.

Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (2001). Position statement: Telehealth and tele-occupational therapy. Ottawa, ON: CAOT Publications ACE.

occupational roles: culturally defined roles that represent the organization of time and occupations by individuals, groups or communities (e.g., homemaker, community leader, student, athlete, employee, artist).

Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (1994). Position statement: The health reform. Ottawa, ON: CAOT Publications ACE.

occupational therapy: a professional practice conducted by occupational therapists anywhere and with anyone where occupation is the central concern and client-centred partnerships are developed as appropriate to the situation. theoretical model: a theoretical blueprint or specific manner of organizing knowledge to guide practice.

References Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations. (2000). The essential competencies for occupational therapists in Canada.Toronto, ON: Author.

Bibliography

Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (2002). Position statement: Entry-level education of occupational therapists to the profession in Canada. Ottawa, ON: CAOT Publications ACE.

Acknowledgements Many thanks to the members of the Task Force who participated in the development of the Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada (Second Edition 2002): Maureen Coulthard, Chair; Mary Manojlovich, Vivien Hollis, Sylvie Tétreault, Louise Aronoff, Jacinthe Savard, Heather Colquhoun and Jan Polgar. CAOT would also like to recognize the contributions of the Working Group that developed the draft Profile: Emily Etcheverry, Elizabeth Taylor, Maureen Coulthard, Heather Young, Virginia Griswold Fearing, Line Robichaud, Jacinthe Savard, and Heather Cutcliffe.

Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (1991). Occupational therapy guidelines for client-centred practice. Ottawa, ON: CAOT Publications ACE. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (1996). Profile of occupational therapy practice in Canada. Ottawa, ON: CAOT Publications ACE. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (1997). Enabling occupation: An occupational therapy perspective. Ottawa, ON: CAOT Publications ACE. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (1999). Joint position statement: Evidence-based occupational therapy. Ottawa, ON: CAOT Publications ACE. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (2000a). Environmental scan of the factors that impact on the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists • 2002 • 13