Abstract
The study investigated the extent of information the nurses have about Occupational Therapy (OT) and its place within a health Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). It took place in the paediatric ward of the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Gauteng Department of Health. It was stimulated by the adverse attitude of the nurses to the OT staff and/or students from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) for prescribed OT activities in that ward. The purpose of the study was to demonstrate that if nurses in a MDT setting did not understand OT purpose, then this may cause lack of their appreciation of OT activities and of occupational therapists. Forty-three nurses participated in the study. Most of them did not know much about OT and seemed to have different impressions about the OT profession. The study recommended that the nurses should be informed about other practitioners in the MDT of their workplace, how each one works and the scope of the nurses’ work.
Highlights
Understanding the role of each member in the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) in the workplace is crucial
In a health facility it is vital for the benefit of the patients in health facilities to ensure that appropriate referrals are made to specific MDT members
The nurses did not seem to know much about the occupational therapy profession and its roles within a multidisciplinary team
Summary
Understanding the role of each member in the MDT in the workplace is crucial. According to Athal and Caldwell (2006), working in a MDT requires many skills, which involves appreciating own role and other professionals’ roles. In a health facility it is vital for the benefit of the patients in health facilities to ensure that appropriate referrals are made to specific MDT members. This could improve the well-being of patients, enhancing the morbidity rate reduction. OT services aim to empower occupationally dysfunctional clients to discharge their everyday personal management, work and recreational activities at their highest levels of independency. It aims to restore dignity and self-respect, improve quality of life, improve health, manage illness, develop skills, recover and maintain a healthy life style, among others. Bodenheimer and Smith (2013) observed that occupational therapists are highly skilled professionals but who are not recognised as competent contributors in the MDT
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