Acute Care Treatment Ideas

Orthopedic Conditions

  • Day of surgery:

    • Educate on post op precautions as related to ADLs.

    • Ambulate to the bathroom using rolling walker and practice toilet transfer on raised toilet.

    • Provide resources on purchasing hip.

    • Educate on fall prevention strategies (e.g., removing throw rugs, use shower chair during bathing).

    Day after surgery:

    • ADL training (lower body dressing) with adaptive equipment (hip kit)

    • Practice shower transfer.

  • Day of surgery:

    • Education on post-op precautions as related to ADLs.

    • Adjust knee immobilizer and educate on wear time.

    • Walk to bathroom using rolling walker and practice toilet transfer.

    Day after surgery:

    • Practice shower transfer

    • Educate on adaptive equipment for lower body dressing (e.g., reacher, sock aide, shoe horn, long handled sponge).

  • Day of surgery:

    • Educate on post-op precautions as related to ADLs (non-weight bearing, no external rotation, etc.)

    • Educate on one-handed ADL techniques.

    • Active and passive range of motion within physicians protocol.

    • Safe positioning during rest (e.g., arm rested on pillow).

    • Education on ice post exercise.

    Day after surgery:

    • Donning/doffing sling during upper body dressing.

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    • Log rolling and spinal precautions

    • Education on proper body mechanics during tasks

    • ADL retraining with equipment

    • Adaptive strategies for dressing and bathing

    • Education on TLSO brace (if applicable)

Neurological Conditions

    • Neuromuscular re-education (weight-bearing, weight-shifting, etc)

    • Hemiplegia management (positioning, one-handed techniques)

    • Visual-perceptual training

    • Cognitive assessment (e.g., MoCA, The Clock Drawing Test)

    • UE motor recovery and tone management

    • Sensory re-education: sensory bins, contrast therapy (hot/ cold packs)

    • Cognitive training

    • ADLs with cues/adaptations (e.g., set up)

    • Sensory regulation: sensory boards

    • Splinting for contracture prevention

    • Family education

    • Pressure relief education

    • Adaptive techniques for self-care

    • UE strengthening and coordination

    • Bowel/bladder routine training

    • Assistive technology introduction

Cardiopulmonary Conditions

    • Energy conservation techniques

    • Pacing strategies during ADLs

    • Education on safe exertion levels (MET levels)

    • Monitoring vitals with activity

    • Sternal precautions education

    • Light ADL retraining with monitoring

    • Adaptive techniques to avoid strain

    • Home safety education

    • Family education

    • Energy conservation techniques during ADL tasks (e.g., shower chair during bathing, sitting during grooming tasks, etc)

    • Dyspnea control techniques

    • Education on oxygen use with mobility

Medical/ Surgical Conditions

    • Tolerance-building activities

    • Delirium prevention (orientation, stimulation)

    • Basic self-care retraining

    • Positioning to prevent skin breakdown

    • Fatigue management

    • Light ADLs and mobility

    • Pain control strategies

    • Psychosocial support

    • Splinting and positioning

    • Edema control

    • Scar management

    • Gentle ADLs

ICU / Critical Care Diagnoses

    • Basic grooming and hygiene

    • Positioning for pulmonary hygiene

    • ROM and early mobility

    • Communication alternatives (AAC boards)

    • Sensory stimulation

    • Orientation activities

    • Family education

    • Sleep-wake regulation support

Chronic or Systemic Conditions

    • Energy conservation

    • ADL retraining around dialysis

    • UE strengthening

    • Education on skin integrity

    • Foot care education

    • Adaptive dressing/bathing

    • Amputation care and desensitization

    • ADL retraining with DME

Geriatric Syndromes

    • Fall recovery techniques

    • Bed-to-chair transfers

    • Strengthening through function

    • Home setup planning

    • Routine-based ADLs

    • Environmental cueing

    • Caregiver training

    • Engagement in familiar tasks

How to document a treatment session

A patient’s treatment plan is developed based on the results and findings of the OT evaluation. Listed below, includes treatment ideas and examples of how-to document effectively in the acute care setting.

  • Therapeutic activities encompass

    • Activities of daily living (ADLs) (e.g., bathing, dressing, toileting, etc).

    • Vision

    • Neglect/Inattention

    • Cognition & Delirium

    • Sensory

    • Education

    Sitting Balance Activity

    • Patient engaged in functional reach activity while seated using cones requiring BUE while reaching beyond BOS with CGA (2x10 reps) in order to promote muscle strengthening, enhanced posture, and endurance for functional transfers/ambulation, participation in ADLs/IADLs, and the prevention of falls.


  • AAROM Upper Extremity

    The patient engaged in AAROM of RUE working proximally to distally (shoulder flexion, shoulder abduction, adduction, external rotation, internal rotation, elbow flexion, elbow extension, wrist flexion/extension, fingers flexion/extension, abduction/adduction) within 2 planes (10 repetitions each movement) in order to decrease tone, increase strength and mobility, and re-establish correct movement patterns for ongoing independence with ADLs and IADLs.


  • The patient engaged in proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation of the RUE to promote decreased spasticity and increase ROM performing 2 sets of 10 reps through D1 and D2 movement patterns. The patient was educated on observed compensatory movements demonstrated an understanding of education.

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