Welcome to my blog! This is the first of seven blogs to be posted over the next couple of months regarding the topic of Occupational Therapy (OT) and more specifically ‘Participation in Occupation’. I’ll be examining the relationship between technology and OT and how technology affects and enhances the service provided by Occupational Therapists to their clients.
Information technology (IT), has been defined by one source as a division of engineering encompassing the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve, store and transmit information.
IT is rapidly everchanging; I remember 20 years ago the cumbersome Apple Mac’s with games like Pac Man and Sim City. Nowadays, much improved applications can be performed on a computer the size of your palm. However IT comprises more than just computers; ‘telecommunications’ as mentioned in the definition, also incorporates the important communication devices of mobile phones, radio and television.
It’s near impossible to get away from IT in today’s society. Businesses rely on the Internet and mobile phones for communication with clients, society depend on television and radio for news from the media (particularly with the current earthquake calamity in Christchurch), and entire societies rely on mobile phones and the Internet to stay in contact with friends and family worldwide. These devices are constantly becoming updated and improved, so much so that the latest model of cell phone for example, is immediately being challenged by competitors models that are that much more advanced. (See 'The Information Revolution').
I feel comfortable using computers, cell-phones, radio and televisions, however when it comes to tuning the television or adapting to different models of cell-phones it takes a wee while to get the hang of the device.
Brought up from a young age with a range of different computers and various models has allowed me to feel confident with computers. However my knowledge is very basic as I have only learnt to adapt to a ‘need to know’ basis. Computer information is readily available via classes or instructions in the form of live videos on Youtube, therefore I could readily expand my knowledge base. I feel less confident using cell-phones, particularly the more expensive models that contain the Internet, video and music. What ever happened to the need for phones being used purely for texting and calling?
On my OT placement at an acute physical medical ward, IT was sometimes used as a tool for information gathering. The Internet was used as a quick way to find information regarding patient’s medical conditions. The phone was also used as a way for colleagues to contact the Occupational Therapist for information and appointments. IT is also being used in OT to enhance a client’s functional independence, such as using computer games for strengthening grip as well as improving occupational performance.
Although the integration of IT into OT practice appears to be a good idea, IT could also create some concerns. For example, the lack of client socialisation when using the computer for social networking; the dangers of the Internet and relative inability of the OT to monitor the client’s usage of the Internet, and the issue around technological change. This change may require the OT to keep up to date with new technology as well endure the ongoing cost of purchasing new equipment in order to play new applications on.
I foresee IT becoming a relatively important part of OT. I think it will allow the contact between patient and therapist to become more frequent, but maybe more detached because of this as well. An example of this is the development of Skype – free computer to computer video calling is a very popular phenomenon that could be incorporated into the therapist/client relationship. This would allow the therapist to have more frequent contact with the client if they are at home, however the client may lose face-to-face contact due to this. ( See 'Quadriplegic Speaking with OT Students via Skype').
The use of IT is inevitable as an OT, whether it be using telephones to make appointments, the computer to type up notes or the television to play a client an instructional video. However, a considerable understanding of IT is unnecessary, as the needs of the client and the specific skill base that is required of the therapist is relative to the setting eg: mental health, vs medical vs neuro-rehab.
As an OT, you are responsible for keeping your client’s information private. Transferring client information via email is risky as you run the risk of sending information to the wrong person. Taking photos on mobile phones could also become an ethical issue. A therapist may want to take a photo of a client to show them how they are performing a transfer; however getting informed consent from the client as well as anyone else in the photo is extremely important.
Intellectual property (IP) is referred to by the Ministry of Economic Development as “an umbrella term used for human innovations and creativity that are capable of being protected under national law and international treaties. IP includes a diverse range of commercial assets from patents for new inventions through to copyright protected artworks” (Ministry of Economic Development, 2010, p 2). In essence, IP are the rights of those in the creative genre and guards these people under law from having their ideas used or stolen.
Social justice can be defined as ‘the fair distribution of advantages, assets, and benefits among all members of a society’ (http://www.glenbow.org/mavericks/teacher/english/ index.html, 2006). Essentially, social justice is based on human rights and fairness for everyone in society. Some occupational therapists in the public health system may feel a lack of social justice in their inability to access resources and information quickly and in abundance verses their privately funded counterparts who have the money and technology to do this.
As a patient you have the right to be told everything about the health care that you are receiving. Before you undertake a procedure, you need to sign your consent or agree to undertake the procedure (http://www.healthpoint.co.nz/default,6321.sm). Before an OT is to take a video recording of a client, the OT must gain verbal consent from the client confirming their acceptance to being videoed. Depending on the context of the situation, the OT may be required to have the client sign their agreement before the filming is to take place.
References
(2006) Retrieved 26th February, 2011, from http://www.glenbow.org /mavericks /teacher/engl ish/ index.html.
Ministry of Economic Development. (2010). What is Intellectual Property? Retrieved 26th February, 2011, from http://www.iponz.govt.nz/cms/what-is-ip/what-is-intellectual-property
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