Day in the life of an OT ACP
I am an Occupational Therapist Advanced Clinical Practitioner working on the Acute Medical Unit, and supporting across Acute Medical Therapies. My ACP role focuses on the management of the older frail patient, many of whom have varying presentations and multiple co morbidities.
My primary functions involve examination, assessment, diagnosis, and providing meaningful, person centred intervention/treatment with a home first approach. I use a screening process each day to identify my caseload at the earliest opportunity to ensure that they are placed on the correct pathway with appropriate care and intervention.
This means working closely and communicating with the Frailty Assessment Unit and the Rapid response team, enhancing multidisciplinary working. On average, I can see between three to five patients per day, depending on the complexity of the cases, with the aim to facilitate a safe discharge home or put an appropriate management plan in place if NMFFD.
I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of managing the varying presentations and each day identifies a new potential area for development, allowing me to support the multi-disciplinary team and enhance the patient pathway.