Interprofessional collaboration in inpatient individual prevention
The perspective of occupational therapy in the care of patients with work-related skin diseases
Occupational therapy is an essential element of inpatient individual prevention for patients suffering from work-related skin diseases. In interprofessional collaboration, e.g., with medical and health education colleagues, the specific aims of occupational therapy are to support patients in their ability to act and participate in their everyday professional and private lives.
In line with the
ICF model, occupational therapy also pursues a holistic approach in the field of occupational dermatology. Pivotal elements are the identification of possibilities, limitations, and challenges in the implementation of private and occupational skin protection behavior, e.g., wearing of protective gloves in everyday life. Work processes and individual action routines, possibilities for environmental adaptation, the use of aids, and individual challenges and possible solutions in the implementation of personal skin protection are worked out together with the patients in occupational therapy group training sessions and individual workplace simulations.
This paper presents the occupational therapy perspective in interprofessional inpatient occupational dermatology care, including case studies, workplace simulation models, and practice references. It is shown how occupational therapy can support patients suffering from work-related skin diseases in the long-term pursuit of a “high-risk profession” with optimized skin protection.
