Preventing Medical Errors

Course overview

Occupational therapy's holistic approach can expose practitioners to a variety of physical, cognitive, and mental health diagnoses. In addition, occupational therapy service delivery can differ greatly from one client to the next and even across practice settings. Providers often view this in a positive light since it encourages critical thinking, adaptive approaches, on-the-job learning, and greater interest in job roles due to frequent variations. However, this same trait can also serve as a disadvantage for occupational therapists in the realm of medical errors. The likelihood of mistakes may increase when therapists are asked to shift gears quickly, intervene in the event of a crisis, or respond to novel situations over the course of a standard workday. When OTs utilize a client-centered approach, as they so often do, this may also lead therapists to overlook otherwise simplistic aspects of medical treatment that must be adhered to. When factoring in other aspects, such as equipment, safety, and consistent team collaboration, medical errors can result. However, in keeping with the preventive lens of many OT approaches, these errors can be avoided if therapists take appropriate measures. In this course, occupational therapy professionals will explore how the unique demands of their role can increase the risk of medical errors and how a preventive, client-centered approach can help reduce these risks. Strategies for maintaining safety, consistency, and collaboration across diverse settings will be emphasized.