A New Era in Acute Care

Abstract

Acute care continues to be the primary place of employment for occupational therapists. It is a challenging environment that requires the skills of our most experienced practitioners. Because the acute care hospital is likely to remain an entry point for rehabilitative care, this area of practice warrants continued attention in our professional literature. We hope this issue will stimulate therapists to write more articles, conduct more research, and develop more programs in acute care occupational therapy.

Occupational Therapy Graduate Education: The Scientist-Practitioner Model

“…The financial climate of the day continues to be one of restraint with demands for more cost effectiveness and accountability in the delivery of health care (Acquaviva, 1986;Barer, Evans & Stoddart, 1979;Blomquist, 1979;Comanor, 1980;Crispo, 1979;Gilfoyle, 1984;Madill, Cardwell, Robinson & Brintnell, 1986;Rausch & Melvin, 1986). To be accountable, practitioners need to be able to draw on existing data or to develop the skill to generate them.…”

“…To be accountable, practitioners need to be able to draw on existing data or to develop the skill to generate them. The growth and development of occupational therapy, indeed its survival, will depend on its constituents' fluency with techniques and methodologies appropriate to the validation of service and marketing of those services (Rausch & Melvin, 1986). The growth and development of occupational therapy, indeed its survival, will depend on its constituents' fluency with techniques and methodologies appropriate to the validation of service and marketing of those services (Rausch & Melvin, 1986).…”