Occupational therapists have been treating patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) for decades. With ongoing advances in medical care, more people are surviving critical illness, resulting in an increased need for rehabilitation services.  ICU culture has shifted, and medical teams are more readily introducing rehabilitation services, regardless of the stage of illness or medical acuity, to improve long-term outcomes for the patient. Early participation in rehabilitation services has been demonstrated safe and feasible in all ICU environments. Occupational therapy interventions in the ICU setting are wide-ranging, and have contributed to reduced rates of delirium, reduced number of days spent on the ventilator, reduced ICU-acquired weakness, decreased use of sedation, improved functional recovery, and increased quality of life. 

                The focus of this course is to prepare the Occupational Therapist to safely and competently treat medically complex patients. The material in this course is intended to deepen the Occupational Therapist’s clinical reasoning skills. Complex concepts will be explained in a streamlined, useful manner. Therapists will learn how to perform thorough and efficient chart reviews, recognize and monitor changes in medical status, and develop effective treatment plans for ICU patients. There is emphasis on evidence-based practice, hemodynamic monitoring, respiratory devices including mechanical ventilation, interpretation of lab values and medicated infusions, and review of commonly encountered lines, tubes, drains, and other medical equipment. The level of this course is intermediate.