Early Engagement in the ICU: Reclaiming Occupation in Critical Care

In this episode of Everyday Evidence, we explore what happens to occupation when someone is fighting for their life in the intensive care unit.  Joining us are Dr. Stephanie Tsai, OTD, OTR/L and Dr. Elyse Peterson, OTD, OTR/L, authors of "Occupational Therapy Interventions and Early Engagement for Patients in Intensive Care:  A Systematic Review," recently published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.  ICU rehabilitation literature has long focused on early mobilization, but occupational therapy brings something more. This review introduces the term early engagement to describe OT-specific interventions that support participation in activities of daily living, physical rehabilitation, and functional cognition during critical illness.  Whether you work in acute care, outpatient rehab, community health, or education, this episode challenges us to ask:  How early can occupation begin in the healthcare continuum? Read the full article in AJOT: https://research.aota.org/ajot/article/79/1/7901205020/26024/Occupational-Therapy-Interventions-and-Early  Complete the following survey for a contact hour certificate:  https://forms.aota.org/forms/everyday_evidence_copy?PODCAST=Early Engagement in the ICU: Reclaiming Occupation in Critical Care