Use of the PEOP Model to Guide OT Intervention in the NICU

Course overview

s members of multidisciplinary healthcare teams in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), occupational therapists are expected to practice in a way that ensures therapeutic interaction is evidence-based, family-centered, and neurodevelopmentally supportive. However, these guidelines are not exclusive to occupational therapists; current best-practice suggests other professional disciplines practice accordingly. So what unique skill set do occupational therapists bring to the care of infants and families in the NICU? This course seeks to answer this relevant question, exploring the evolution of practice and idea of occupation-based practice in the NICU. Serving as frameworks for occupation-based practice, the PEOP Model and PEOP Process are explicated as potential guides to neonatal occupational therapy assessment, intervention, and outcomes measurement.