Footprints on the Sands of Time – Reflecting on the Impact of Attitude

The results provide insight into several professional values and behaviours perceived as essential for practice. Consequently, these professional values need to be taken into consideration when defining the values of the profession. The professional behaviours need to be taken into account when finalising the essential behaviours that constitute professionalism in the profession. This study takes an initial but fundamental step towards defining professionalism within the Australian occupational therapy profession.

Section: Professional Values Considered Essential For Practicementioning

confidence: 79%

Towards a definition of professionalism in Australian occupational therapy: Using the Delphi technique to obtain consensus on essential values and behaviours

Aguilar

Stupans

Scutter

et al. 2012

“…The presence of such a large non-government employer group is of considerable significance as it could give the profession an independence in industrial negotiations which is not enjoyed by either social work or psychology. Although occupational therapy does not have a history of industrial action or consciousness (Grayson, 1993), the preparation and orientation of graduates towards the private sector would substantially strengthen the hand of the profession in negotiations with government employers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The early history of the profession has been well recorded by Anderson and Bell (1988), and supplemented by the many notable speakers invited to contribute over the years to the Sylvia Docker lecture series (e.g. Grayson, 1993). These readings should be compulsory for students as they provide a sense of history and continuity that is essential for the formation of a sense of identity for the profession and the establishment of an agenda for the next decade and beyond.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Despite this rapid growth in numbers, and the proliferation of university-based courses, no published studies have examined the demand for occupational therapists, the expectations of employers or the nature of jobs. The health system has undergone rapid changes in the past decade with the progressive introduction of case mixbased funding, diagnostically related groups, and the Structural Efficiency Principle (Franklin, 1993(Franklin, , 1994Grayson, 1993). These structural changes have already had a significant bearing on the employment climate for occupational therapists, and the rate of change is likely to accelerate as governments seek to limit the growth in their health budgets and maximize targeted health outcomes.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Employment trends for occupational therapists: An analysis of employment advertisements in the Sydney Morning Herald 1984–90

Franklin

Gibson

Merkel-Stoll

et al. 1995

Despite rapid growth in the number of occupational therapy graduates in Australia, almost no data are available concerning the demand and the expectations of employers. This study surveyed 6298 advertised positions available to occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists and counsellors in the state of New South Wales during the years 1984–90. Over this period the demand for occupational therapists grew by 53%, which exceeded the growth in demand for social workers and psychologists, but was less than that for community and mental health workers and counsellors. The employment base was found to be reasonably broad and 8% of jobs were in the private sector. The number of duties required of occupational therapists increased over time, and there was an increase in the demand for programme promotion, administration and supervision skills. The results are discussed in terms of the employment base and defining strengths of the profession, recommendations for strengthening the profession, and implications for the Australian Association of Occupational Therapists.

“…The call for occupational therapists to value and become involved in research has been a consistent theme throughout the profession's history Cusick, 1987;Delin & Wilcock, 1991;Grayson, 1993;Ottenbacher, 1987;Ottenbacher, Barris & Van Deusen, 1986;Paulsen, 1967). Underpinning these calls is the assumption that the status of occupational therapy as a profession depends to a large extent upon the development and consolidation of a unique knowledge base.…”

Section: K Ey W 0 R D S Occupational Therapy Professional Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Australian occupational therapy research: A review of publications 1987–91

Cusick

1995

The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of Australian occupational therapy research published during the period 1987–91. A literature review of the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal for the years 1987–91, and the Australian Association of Occupational Therapists' conference proceedings for the years 1988 and 1991 was conducted. A number of trends were identified. The proportion of research journal articles and conference papers over the 5 year period remained stable. Most journal research articles were written by academics, while clinicians were the most frequent authors of conference research papers. The majority of the research articles reviewed were the result of collaboration between authors; however, this collaboration was not usually between occupational therapy academics and clinicians. Research was predominantly on topics related to practice in clinical specialty areas; however, academics focused more on education and professional issues. The main method for data collection used in the research articles was by surveys. These findings provide valuable information about the nature of Australian occupational therapy research.