occupational therapy

resources in acute care

Whether you’re an Occupational Therapy student, new-grad or an experienced Occupational Therapist, this website is designed to simplify the Acute Care setting.

What is Acute Care?

The American of Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) defines acute care as “an inpatient hospital setting for individuals with critical medical conditions. These patients may have experienced a sudden decline in their medical and functional status due to a traumatic event, a worsening of a progressive disease, or the onset of a new condition.”

The main focus in the acute setting is not rehabilitation, but medically stabilizing the patient. If ordered by the attending doctor, you will evaluate and treat for the (usually) short days the patient is in this setting. Duration of hospitalization is typically two to three days up to a few weeks or months for medically complex patients (Stromsdorfer & Shoshanah, p. 4, 2022).
Reference: Stromsdorfer, S & Shoshanah, S. (2022). Occupational Therapy Intervention in Acute Care. My OT Spot.
In acute care, the occupational therapist (OT) is responsible for making important decisions that affect what will happen after the patient is discharged from acute care. The evaluation, clinical observation, and ability to use training in all areas of OT are important.
- Mobilizing the patient
- Education and recommendations on adaptive equipment and home modifications
- Discharge planning with patient and caregivers
- Safety and infection control

In acute care, you may have 6-10 evaluations in one day along with treatments. Focus on quick interventions that take place in the patient’s room.
- Get assistance with deciding where the patient should go next - home, sub-acute rehab, long-term acute care, or skilled nursing, or acute inpatient rehabilitation.
- You must be able to see the whole picture and focus on important core principles while making strong recommendations that support continual progress
- Master valuable skills to ensure good position, apply appropriate techniques that differ between neuro patients and those who have a medical conditions or have undergone surgery
- You must be able to work under pressure and master evaluating many factors quickly
- You must be organized and prepared for your treatment sessions
- You must be an excellent communicator to work effectively with your patient, team members, and family or caregivers