Enhancing he Occupational Performance and Safety of Food Servers Through the Development and Implementation of Food Servers Through the Development and Implementation of Educational Materials Related to Injury Prevention and Wellness Promotion
Graduation Date
2011
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy
Department
Occupational Therapy
Department or Program Chair
Ruth Ramsey, EdD, OTR/L
Thesis Advisor
Janis Davis, PhD, OTR/L
Abstract
Many restaurant food servers are unaware of the physical and mental demands of their job and their susceptibility to serious injury. Few educational resources are available for food servers about factors that influence their overall wellness and the risk of job- related injury. A video and series of handouts were created to educate food servers in topics related to health, wellness, and injury prevention.
Occupational therapists are trained in task analysis and consider all factors involved within each of the food servers’ occupations. Through a client-centered practice, occupational therapists can evaluate and determine how lifestyle choices influence a food server’s overall occupational performance.
The most important method to decrease injury among food servers is to raise awareness regarding specific topics that relate to the food service profession. The identification of common injuries among food servers, introduction of proper body mechanics and adaptive aids, and tips to encourage health and wellness to fit the lifestyle of a food server are all methods utilized within this project. With the proper materials, food servers may be better equipped to protect themselves from serious work-related injury.