A nurse initiates a referral to an occupational therapist for a client with care at the facility.
Which of the following client care tasks should the nurse support the need for this referral?
A.
The client requires assistance with completing oral hygiene.
B.
The client expresses the desire to join a support group.
C.
The client reports pain when chewing solid foods.
D.
The client has difficulty ambulating with a walker.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is D. The client has difficulty ambulating with a walker.
Explanation:
Occupational therapists (OTs) specialize in helping clients develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills. They often focus on enhancing clients’ abilities to perform tasks that are meaningful to them, which can include activities of daily living (ADLs) and mobility.
In this scenario, the client’s difficulty ambulating with a walker is a significant reason to initiate a referral to an occupational therapist. Here’s why:
- Mobility and Functional Independence: OTs assess mobility challenges and develop strategies to enhance a client’s functional independence. Difficulty ambulating with a walker suggests that the client may require specialized intervention to improve gait, balance, and overall mobility. An OT can create a tailored intervention plan, which may include strength training, balance exercises, and strategies to safely navigate the environment.
- Adaptive Strategies: An occupational therapist can recommend adaptive devices or modifications to the walker to improve its usability for the client. This may include adjusting the walker’s height or adding features to increase safety and comfort.
- Education and Training: The OT can provide education to the client on the correct use of the walker, including how to stand up from a seated position and how to negotiate obstacles in their environment, reducing the risk of falls and increasing confidence.
- Holistic Approach: Beyond just addressing the mobility issue, OTs consider the client’s overall context, including physical, emotional, and social factors that may impact their ability to mobilize. They can help integrate occupational therapy with other treatments, creating a holistic care plan.
While the other options (A, B, and C) may require support or intervention, they do not specifically necessitate the expertise of an occupational therapist in the same way that mobility challenges do. Therefore, option D is the most appropriate reason for the referral.