Occupational Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit

Guzman Lecture Hall, Dominican University of California

In recent years, the number of inpatient cardiovascular surgeries has significantly increased in hospitals around America. Occupational therapists working in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (Burlingame, California) currently lack a standard protocol for addressing physical, cognitive, and psychosocial factors in patients following cardiac surgery. Furthermore, interventions are frequently guided by professional experience and clinical reasoning instead of current evidence. The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Centennial Vision encourages occupational therapists to pursue science-driven practices and provide patients with evidence-based interventions. In response to this vision, an extensive review of current literature was conducted and applied to develop an evidence-based clinical pathway for the occupational therapists at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. The proposed clinical pathway includes intervention guidelines for physical recovery, early detection of cognitive impairment, and psychosocial health for patients recovering from cardiac surgery in the ICU. The proposed clinical pathway would establish a standard of care and facilitate patients’ return to their highest level of function during post cardiac surgery rehabilitation.