Occupational Therapy in Australia: Professional and Practice Issues

This ground-breaking text provides a comprehensive guide to the occupational therapy profession in Australia, from the profession’s role in the health care system to the broad scope and nature of its practice. The book is organised into three sections: the Australian context; professional issues and practice issues. Contributions from 80 Australian occupational therapists working in education, research, policy and practice bring together the most relevant and up-to-date information in this essential book. The authors begin the Australian environment section with an overview of the Australian health care system, a history of occupational therapy in Australia and the role of Australian occupational therapy professional associations and regulatory bodies. The values and philosophy of occupational therapy, ethical and legal aspects of practice and the role of occupational therapy in population health and health promotion are considered next. The professional issues covered in the book include using effective communication skills, client-centred practice principles and a strength-based approach when working with individuals, families, groups, communities, organisations and populations. Additional topics, including occupational science, the education of occupational therapists, research in occupational therapy, evidence-based practice clinical reasoning and occupational therapy models of practice, are also covered in the middle section of the book. Occupational Therapy in Australia: Practice and Process Issues is established as the essential practice reference for students, practitioners and educators in Australia. This second edition has been revised and updated throughout and includes new chapters on communication skills, environmental aspects of occupational therapy practice and decolonising occupational therapy through a strength-based approach to practice.