Occupational therapy: values, evidence, and interventions

This chapter describes the role of the occupational therapist on the psychiatric inpatient unit. They are highly valued members of the multidisciplinary team who have a unique role to play in ensuring the patients are enabled to function at their optimum level. The philosophy and models of occupational therapy practice are discussed along with specific occupational therapy interventions including personal activities of daily living, leisure, productivity, and functional mobility. Finally, there is a note on the role of the occupational therapist in discharge planning and a clinical vignette illustrating how an occupational therapist might provide a specific therapeutic input on the ward.