Professionalism Across Occupational Therapy Practice

When most people think of professionalism, ethics, or moralism, they often think of a set of rules for distinguishing between right and wrong, such as the proverbial Golden Rule. However, the true definition of professionalism is not an easy one, and it is not necessarily black and white. In fact, it could be argued that it is often easier to describe what is not professional versus what is professional. It could also be disputed that although professionalism can be recognized when you see it, you may not necessarily be able to put your finger on what “it” is exactly.

Professionalism Across Occupational Therapy Practice by Dr. Elizabeth D. DeIuliis provides an overview of the wide-ranging knowledge, skills, and attitudes that encompass professionalism across the occupational therapy profession. While there is no formal endorsed definition of professionalism in occupational therapy practice, suggestions are provided to serve as a blueprint for use.

“Professionalism in occupational therapy practice is a dynamic sophistication, exemplified by a combination of an individual’s personal skill set, knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes, and the adoption of the moral and ethical values of the profession and society.”

Dr. DeIuliis illustrates the concept of professionalism as a unique combination of intrinsic and extrinsic qualities surrounding key constructs of ethics, responsibility, competency and behavior. Professionalism Across Occupational Therapy Practice discusses these various expectations in the academic setting, the clinic, workplace, and in general society.

Professionalism Across Occupational Therapy Practice utilizes a developmental approach to teaching and learning, paralleling the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (2001). This classification system provides a graded, holistic methodology to human teaching and learning. The concept of professionalism will be exemplified by using both a knowledge-based approach to subject matter requiring higher-level learning such as metacognition, which is a crucial component of professionalism. The chapter objectives and learning activities will challenge the reader to recall, comprehend, apply analysis, synthesize, evaluate, and create knowledge directly to their context.

Instructors in educational settings can visit www.efacultylounge.com for additional materials such as informative appendices and resources include sample statements for syllabi & policy manuals, resume and CV templates, interview guidelines, professional development plans and more to be used for teaching in the classroom.

Occupational Therapy practitioners at all levels, including fieldwork educators, leaders, managers and researchers will also benefit Professionalism Across Occupational Therapy Practice as it provides a synopsis of professional expectations beyond the classroom and fieldwork setting.

Due to recent changes in healthcare, educational standards, and societal influence, the expectation of professionalism has been under greater scrutiny across health and social care professions. Professionalism Across Occupational Therapy Practice is the ideal text to provide a blueprint for occupational therapy students, faculty, and practitioners to fulfill our profession’s potential and achieve the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Vision 2025.

Elizabeth D. DeIuliis, OTD, OTR/L, is the Assistant Department Chair, Director of Community & Clinical Education, and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator within the Department of Occupational Therapy, John G. Rangos Sr. School of Health Sciences at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As a teaching-scholar, Dr. DeIuliis’s teaching philosophy includes the use of a variety of instructional methods to foster self-directed, and active learning of her student cohorts within the adult physical disability curricula such as the flipped classroom model and simulated-learning. She actively participates in the University’s Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Committee, focusing on the advance of interprofessional education and practice in the University. Furthermore, Dr. DeIuliis was awarded the 2014 Creative Teaching Award through Duquesne University’s Center for Teaching Excellence, the 2015 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the 2016 recipient of the University’s Student Learning Outcome Assessment Award. Dr. DeIuliis has developed a strong passion and connection with the fieldwork education process and has continued to be an advocate for fieldwork education and overall student learning development within the department, school, and occupational therapy profession. Dr. DeIuliis has received a certificate of completion from the AOTA Fieldwork Educator Course, serves on the Greater Pittsburgh Fieldwork Council, and has presented at various conferences on fieldwork education.

In addition, Dr. DeIuliis has upheld both clinical and administrative positions within various hospitals within the local Pittsburgh area. Dr. DeIuliis is an active member of the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association, in addition to District II Delegate to the Board, member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, and received an appointment to the NBCOT Certification Examination Validation Committee in 2012.

In addition, she maintains clinical practice, at Centers for Rehab Services―UPMC Shadyside Hospital, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her clinical experience is primarily acute-care, hospital-based rehabilitation, and she created an evidenced-based occupational therapy program for individual’s status-post a breast-cancer related surgery during her clinical occupational therapy doctorate program from Chatham University.