After reading this very interesting debate, I would have to agree with John.
I too work in a major hospital in New York, where in outpatient, O.T. does UE
and Hands(our CHT is an OT), and P.T. does L.E. I would disagree a great deal
with whomever said that O.T's dont know how to treat an U.E problem from an
orthopedic viewpoint....Having to treat UE problems has turned many of us
into experts. At our hospital, it is the P.T's that look to us for advise for
any UE problems.
I must say I am growing tired of this same debate over and over...The real
problem is from the vast majority of O.T's that are not member of their state
associations, or AOTA, and that dont have a clue as to what is happening with
medicare changes, licensing etc...That supervise students and have never
attended a conference or continued their education etc....
Academia can preach all they want about occupational performance, and
criticizing those that act as "pseudo PT's", or UE PT's....why dont you
instill in your students that they HAVE to join AOTA...that they must attend
conferences, and continue their education once they are out there....and why
do you send your students to clinical supervisors that dont set that
example???
Once thats achieved, then we can all get on the same page and perform the
same way....
Gerard
