The Occupational Therapist in Long-Term Care

By Laura More, MSW, LCSW and Edie Deane-Watson, MS, CCC, CCM

The Occupational Therapist in Long-Term CareOccupational therapists work in a variety of settings. The most common workplace is schools, followed by private practice and hospitals. A growing number of occupational therapists, however, are working full or part-time in skilled nursing facilities as the population of the United States ages. Every practice setting has unique characteristics that affect clinical practice. Skilled nursing facilities have a multitude of regulations, complicated billing practices, and a culture of care that must be learned and integrated into the clinician’s treatment habits. This can make it difficult for the OT working part-time or PRN in a skilled nursing facility.

The Occupational Therapist in Long-Term Care is a new 2-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that will provide a framework for providing care in a skilled nursing facility. It is intended to give the OT an overview of the important aspects of long-term care that affect treatment, including the structure, organization and reimbursement system of skilled nursing facilities. The average resident and common treatment areas will also be discussed. Course #20-87 | 2014 | 28 pages | 14 posttest questions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account after purchasing) and mark your answers on while reading the course document. Then submit online when ready to receive credit.

Learning Objectives:

1. List three rights of residents in long-term care
2. Describe the average skilled nursing facility resident
3. Name the top two persons in the skilled nursing facility administration structure
4. Distinguish between rehabilitation and restorative nursing
5. Describe three safety issues in long-term care

About the Authors:
 

Laura More, MSW, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and healthcare author. She earned her Masters of Social Work from Florida State University and has over twenty years of healthcare experience, with a focus on geriatric and head injury rehabilitation. Laura has directed case management, social service, and rehabilitation in skilled nursing, outpatient and inpatient hospital settings. She has managed long-term care rehabilitation from facility, area, and regional positions, with a strong emphasis on training and education of staff and client caregivers in the provision of care for geriatric patients in skilled nursing facilities. Laura was one of the founding partners of Care2Learn, a provider of online continuing education courses for the post-acute healthcare industry. She has authored or edited over 120 online continuing education titles, co-authored evidence-based care assessment area resources and a book, The Licensed Practical Nurse in Long-term Care Field Guide. She is the recipient of the 2010 Education Award from the American College of Health Care Administrators.

Edie Deane-Watson, MS, CCC, CCM, has served in the post-acute care industry in various capacities for 25 years. She developed and managed SNF based rehabilitation programs at the facility and regional level and was one of the founding partners of Care2Learn, a provider of online continuing education courses for the post-acute healthcare industry. In addition, she has worked in acute care, head injury, life care planning, and e-learning. She is currently the Director of Education and Training at American Health Tech, a leading provider of post-acute care integrated software.AOTA-Approved Provider

Professional Development Resources is an AOTA Approved Provider of continuing education (#3159). OT Content Focus – Domain of OT: Client Factors and Mental Function; OT Process: Intervention. This program is offered for 0.2 CEU’s. The assignment of AOTA CEU’s does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Florida Board of OT Practice (#34) and is CE Broker complaint.