OT for Hand Burns

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We need some of our OTs with the biggest hearts and brightest minds to consider specializing in burn therapy.

But, no matter what setting you work in, you will likely have someone with a burn patient on your caseload at some point. Burns are the 4th most common type of trauma worldwide (behind traffic accidents, falls, and interpersonal violence.) 90% of burns occur in low- to middle-income countries.

While OTs have worked in burn units for decades, the research behind OT-specific contributions to burn care is still in its infancy. We’ll see this at the beginning of the podcast as we look at some early-stage research from Iran on occupational therapy for hand burns. 

Then, we’ll be joined by burn-rehab clinical specialist, Jody Sabel, OT/L. Jody will share about her work in acute and outpatient burn care. And, she will speak with us about the challenges and opportunities is in this incredibly important practice area.

Primary Journal Article Explored

When you log in, be sure to check out the OT Potential Club’s written breakdown of the following research article. Then, share your questions and thoughts with fellow practitioners.

• Effectiveness of incorporating occupational therapy in rehabilitation of hand burn patients

Supporting Research and Journal Articles

• The effect of rehabilitation education through social media on the quality of life in burn patients: A randomized, controlled, clinical trial
• A scoping review of burn rehabilitation publications incorporating functional outcomes
• Rehabilitation of Burn Injuries: An Update

Supplemental Materials for OTs Working in Burns

• American Burn Association
• Journal of Burn Care & Research
• National Institutes of Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research Model Systems- Burn Injury Program
• Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others

Assessments for OTs in Burns

I did not think any of these felt super easy to find. If you find a more accessible source I should link to, please let me know in the comments!

• Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B)
• Vancouver Scar Scale
• Cutaneous Functional Units
• Young Adult Burn Outcomes Questionnaire

Learning Objectives

• You will be able to identify common interventions used by OTs for hand burn patients. 
• You will be able to recognize common functional assessment measures utilized by OTs for hand burn patients. 

Agenda

Intro (5 minutes)

Breakdown and analysis of journal article (5 minutes)

• Intro to hand burns
• Hand-burn rehab overview
• The role of OT and PT in hand burn rehab
• The role of OT
• Why was this specific article written?
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Limitations
• Takeaways for OT practitioners 

Discussion on practical implications for OTs (with Jody Sabel) (50 minutes)

• How did you first find OT?
• How did you begin working with burn patients?
• Can you give us a basic overview of your current work?
• What were your initial impressions of the article?
• Can you help me understand your current work in the burn continuum of care?
• What is on your mind as you walk in to evaluate a hand burn patient?
• Are there any assessments you find particularly helpful?
• Are there any treatments you utilize that were not mentioned in the article?
• How do you stay up to date in burn rehab?
• What challenges and opportunities do you see for OTs working with burn patients in the next 5 years? 

Target Audience/Educational Level

Our target audience is occupational therapy practitioners who are looking to learn about OT for Hand Burns. The educational level is introductory.

Financial and Non-financial Disclosures

It is the policy of OT Potential to disclose any financial and non-financial interest the provider or instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. This is to ensure that the audience is made aware of any bias of the speaker.

We here at OT Potential have no financial stake in this topic.  Our guest, Jody Sabel also has no financial disclosures. 

Speakers

Jody Sabel, OT/L:

Jody graduated with a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from New York University in 2007. Her clinical experience started at Bellevue Hospital, a level-one trauma center and safety-net hospital in the heart of NYC, where her passion for trauma care and serving the underserved population was born. She gained foundational knowledge working in both inpatient rehabilitation and hospital-based outpatient hand therapy. She worked briefly in home health and skilled nursing facilities as a travel therapist before settling in Seattle and returning to her roots in trauma-based care. 

For the past ten years, she has worked in acute care at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, eventually finding a home in burn care in 2017. Since then, she has specialized solely in burns and is now the clinical specialist for the acute and outpatient burn therapy group. She also serves as a co-chair on the OT/PT special interest group committee for the American Burn Association and is working towards her Burn Therapy Certification (BT-C). Read full bio.

Sarah Lyon, OTR/L:

Sarah’s passion is helping fellow OT practitioners translate evidence into daily practice. Sarah earned her BA in religion from St. Olaf College, then earned her master’s degree in occupational therapy from New York University in 2011.

Since then, she’s worked in numerous facilities, including a critical access hospital, an acute trauma hospital, and a state inpatient psychiatric hospital. Sarah is the founder/owner of OT Potential. Read more about OT Potential here.

This course was designed to meet your continuing education requirements

We designed the courses in the Club to meet the requirements for “online” and “independent/self-study” courses. For more details read our blog post: Can I earn OT CEUS from a podcast? To verify the requirements from your specific state (within the US), check out our post, OT Continuing Education Explained. If you are outside of the United States and have questions, please contact us.

We are proud to be an AOTA Approved Provider and to meet the requirements for your NBCOT renewal.

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