In this episode of Everyday Evidence, we explore what happens to occupation when someone is fighting for their life in the intensive care unit.

Joining us are Dr. Stephanie Tsai, OTD, OTR/L and Dr. Elyse Peterson, OTD, OTR/L, authors of "Occupational Therapy Interventions and Early Engagement for Patients in Intensive Care: A Systematic Review," recently published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

ICU rehabilitation literature has long focused on early mobilization, but occupational therapy brings something more. This review introduces the term early engagement to describe OT-specific interventions that support participation in activities of daily living, physical rehabilitation, and functional cognition during critical illness.

Whether you work in acute care, outpatient rehab, community health, or education, this episode challenges us to ask:

How early can occupation begin in the healthcare continuum?

Read the full article in AJOT: https://research.aota.org/ajot/article/79/1/7901205020/26024/Occupational-Therapy-Interventions-and-Early

Complete the following survey for a contact hour certificate:

https://forms.aota.org/forms/everyday_evidence_copy?PODCAST=Early Engagement in the ICU: Reclaiming Occupation in Critical Care

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Britt St. John (PhD, MPH, OTR/L), occupational therapist, Fulbright Scholar, and researcher at the University of Washington whose work bridges family health, autism research, and food science.

Britt shares the remarkable story behind her "From Focus Group to Chicken Nugget" project, a participatory research collaboration that began with focus-group conversations among autistic adults about sensory preferences and safe foods and evolved into the development of a hybrid-protein, sensory-modified chicken nugget.

We discuss how inclusive and community-driven research can transform clinical understanding of selective eating, challenge assumptions about "picky eaters," and demonstrate that joy and preference are integral to both participation and biological health. Dr. St. John's pilot studies revealed that participants who enjoyed the nugget showed greater positive microbiome changes! A finding that connects sensory processing, nutrition, and gut health in profound new ways.

Contact Hour Survey Link

Want to learn more or support this work? You can reach out to Dr. St. John directly at bstjohn@uw.edu with questions, collaborations, or inquiries about future research opportunities.

How does occupational therapy help people live meaningfully even as life nears its end? In this deeply human episode of the AOTA Podcast, we sit down with Lindsey Buddelmeyer, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, Christian Jacobus, MD, FACEP, FAAHPM, David Benthall, MS, OTR/L, BCG, and Heather McKay, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, to explore how occupational therapy practitioners bring dignity, purpose, and connection to individuals navigating serious illness, hospice, and palliative care.

Together, our guests share how OTPs address functional decline, support legacy work and life review, and empower caregivers facing loss and transition. From bedside stories to systems-level advocacy, this conversation highlights how occupational therapy bridges the physical and the emotional to help clients find meaning, comfort, and autonomy at every stage of care.

Resources:

• AOTA Official Document: End-of-Life Care and the Role of Occupational Therapy (2023)

• Quality of Life: Occupational Therapy in Chronic Condition Management, Palliative Care, and Hospice (AOTA Press)