2025 Volume 21 Issue 1 Pages 94-102
Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of and need for occupational therapist interventions in intensive care units in Japan, as well as the need for postgraduate learning and education in the practice of occupational therapy.
Method: Occupational therapists were invited to respond to questionnaire that was distributed to 359 facilities with intensive care units.
Result: A total of 139 responses were received from the 359 facilities contacted, representing a response rate of 38.7%. The frequency of intervention by occupational therapists in intensive care units was 74.3%, and 93.5% of occupational therapists felt that the interventions were justified. Self-learning was the most common method of post-graduate learning (95.1%), followed by instruction from other professions (85.3%). The vast majority of occupational therapists (98.0%) indicated that postgraduate education was a necessary component of their professional development.
Conclusion: The current postgraduate education system for occupational therapists working in intensive care units needs to be revised to improve its effectiveness. The development of a dedicated postgraduate education system for occupational therapists, particularly in the intensive care setting, would be a valuable addition to the existing training framework.
