SCOPE OF PRACTICE

Chronic pain is a multi-faceted syndrome affecting a person's way of life, whereas, the pain controls the person and lifestyle, behavior and functioning, as well as, the people around him/her. The occupational therapist's role is to increase the patient's level of function by teaching and incorporating the skills necessary to enable the patient to regain and maintain a physical and psychological sense of well being to resume a satisfying, productive lifestyle vocationally, socially and recreationally.

1. An evaluation is needed to establish baseline data on:Subjective pain scale.
2. Neuromuscular status - ROM, strength, sensation, coordination, balance and tolerance.
3. Cognitive/perceptual motor skills/sensory assessment.
4. Psychosocial status - motivation, stress level and behavioral status.
5. Independent living skills with functional status and subjective rating of activity level. An assessment of the patient's knowledge regarding postural principles/energy conservation and/or work simplification techniques currently utilized.
6. Any current adaptive equipment in place.

TREATMENT PLAN

With the findings documented, a specific treatment plan is established to facilitate the patient to reach his/her long-term goal of returning to functional role performance, achieving a balance of work/rest and pain reduction. The patient is an active participant with goal and treatment planning with the multidisciplinary team.

THE TREATMENT PLAN MAY INCLUDE BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO THIS:

1. Patient's instruction and incorporation for body mechanics, compensatory techniques, energy conservation, stress management, relaxation techniques and leisure skills.
2. Independent living skills with application of the body mechanics, energy conservation and compensatory techniques given for reaching maximum potential for ADLs, including community
   reintegration as appropriate
3. Upper extremity conditioning to increase endurance, ROM, strength and to prevent further deformities.
4. Pain reduction and decreasing pain behavior for maximizing role performance.
5. Any adaptive equipment recommendations for individual patient needs.