Environment Needs Occupational Therapy Perspectives for Acute and PICU Services

Synopsis

This project was initiated to look at Environment needs from an Occupational Therapy Perspective for Acute and PICU services and involved a review of Acute and PICU environments across the company involving over 40 Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Occupational Therapy Students across over 40 different Acute and PICU services nationwide within the company. This involved professional experience and included feedback from service users in order to develop a list of common themes and solutions across two service line meetings. The information gathered has been collated and shared within our Safe Environment Group forum and links are being made with the Design and Quality Team within the company to look at developing ideal environment standards and solutions to common environment difficulties. The project looked at the physical, social and sensory environment and impact this had on meaningful engagement (accessibility of meaningful activity), challenging behaviours (considerations of how the environment plays a role in challenging behaviours for example flashpoints), social interaction (enabling service users to interact with others within the environment) and meeting mental and physical health needs (sensory needs, sleep hygiene, mobility and transfers etc.). Fixtures and fittings within the context of service user’s bedrooms and personal care facilities, ward space, therapy space, outdoor space and for PICU services seclusion and extra care space were identified. This review considered areas of strength, deficit and potential solutions to develop and enhance the environment. The aim of this project is to increase Occupational Therapy input in the design and development of Acute and PICU inpatient Environment’s which considers and includes the needs and perspectives of service users.