Occupational Therapy Essentials for Clinical Competence

The occupational therapy profession has seen many textbooks on a wide range of topics, but never has a text used the ACOTE Accreditation Standards as a blueprint, incorporating them as a way to intricately outline a plan of action for the current practice of occupational therapy.

Occupational Therapy Essentials for Clinical Competence begins by linking the ACOTE Accreditation Standards with current practice in chapters for students and educators. With 50 expert contributors, this forward-thinking text sets the stage with two foundational concepts vital to the study of occupation: flow and culture.

Led by nationally renowned authors, Karen Sladyk, Karen Jacobs, and Nancy MacRae, Occupational Therapy Essentials for Clinical Competence presents a summary of interconnected constructs that define and direct occupational therapy practice.

Inside you will find:
• Basic tenets of occupational therapy
• Occupational therapy theoretical perspectives
• Screening, evaluation, and referral
• Formulation and implementation of an intervention plan
• Context of service delivery
• Management of occupational therapy services
• Professional ethics, values, and responsibilities
• Culture and its role in occupational choice and performance

Occupational Therapy Essentials for Clinical Competence also includes student activities at the end of each chapter, as well as on-line material that consists of multiple choice questions, chapter objectives, teacher activities, and PowerPoint slides.

Some Additional Features Include:
• Examples as viewed and analyzed from multiple perspectives
• Evidence-based practice reviews that provide a starting point to have each topic explored in depth
• Evaluation of the mastery of application and self-assessment exercises
• Integration throughout the text of Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process, Second Edition

Occupational Therapy Essentials for Clinical Competence incorporates adult learning theory as its basis to assist in establishing cognitive interest. All occupational therapists will welcome this unique organizational format of grouping concepts together to reinforce and facilitate learning.

From the Foreword by Charles Christiansen:
"This textbook… edited by highly respected leaders in the field... is appropriately and cleverly organized around the essentials of competence in the occupational therapy process. It did not escape my notice that the array of possibilities presented is balanced and reflects the opportunities that are available for using situations (contexts, environments, activities, and people) to provide competent care. The toolkit of options available...for implementing the plan of care as presented here is comprehensive and represents a formidable and significant part of the book."

Karen Sladyk, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA has been an occupational therapy educator in New England for 18 years―first at Quinnipiac University and currently at Bay Path College. She "accidentally" fell into writing when she was a substitute at a focus group at an American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) annual meeting and conference, offering suggestions of what she thought students wanted to know. Since that time, she has edited or authored 9 textbooks targeted specifically at occupational therapy/occupational therapy assistant students' specific needs. Known as a "hard and demanding" teacher, she cares very deeply about students getting an intense and meaningful education.

Like every occupational therapist/occupational therapy assistant, she has a difficult time balancing her life, but she enjoys travel, quilting, crafts, and writing. She recently visited all 50 states before turning 50 herself. Karen spends time with her sisters and nephews in Connecticut and Utah and continues to collect vintage jewelry at flea markets. Lately, she has been hunting for Disney Lanyard pins. When developing this newest book, she had the good fortune of teaming up with Karen and Nancy.
Karen Jacobs, EdD, OTR/L, CPE, FAOTA is a past president and vice president of the AOTA and a 2005 recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to the University of Akuryeri in Akuryeri, Iceland. Dr. Jacobs is a clinical professor and the program director of distance education post-professional programs in occupational therapy at Boston University, Boston, MA. She earned a doctoral degree at the University of Massachusetts, a master of science degree in occupational therapy at Boston University, and a bachelor of arts degree at Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

Dr. Jacobs’ research examines the interface between the environment and human capabilities. In particular, she examines the individual factors and environmental demands associated with increased risk of functional limitations among populations of university- and middle school-aged students, particularly in notebook computing and backpack use (http://people.bu.edu/kjacobs/index.shtml).

In addition to being an occupational therapist, Dr. Jacobs is also a certified professional ergonomist (CPE) and the founding editor of the international journal WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation (IOS Press, The Netherlands).
Dr. Jacobs is a faculty-in-residence and lives in an apartment in one of the dormitories at Boston University. She is the mother of 3 childre–Laela, Joshua, and Ariel; and the amma (grandma in Icelandic) to Sophie Redd. She balances work with occupations such as cross country skiing, kayaking, photography, yoga, and travel.
Nancy MacRae, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA is an associate professor, graduate coordinator, and academic fieldwork coordinator at the University of New England (UNE) in Portland, ME, where she has taught for nearly 20 years. She is a past president of the Maine Occupational Therapy Association.

Nancy’s work experience has been within the field of developmental disabilities, primarily mental retardation, across the lifespan. Her graduate degree is in adult education, with a minor in educational gerontology. Involvement in the Interprofessional Geriatric Education Program at UNE allows her to mentor and learn from future health care practitioners.

Ms. MacRae is the proud mother of 2 sons and a 10-year-old granddaughter. Occupational balance is maintained through participation in reading, yoga, walking, baking, and basket-making.