President’s Report

Associate Professor Carol McKinstry | OTA President

With the year of 2021 rushing by, and now finding ourselves in winter, it is good to stop and reflect on the important theme of ‘From Theory to Practice’. In my day job, I get immense enjoyment from working with students to help them apply what they have learnt in the classroom or lab to the real world of practice. Teaching them the value of using occupational therapy models or frameworks to help make sense of what they are experiencing, observing, or reading often leads to those light-bulb moments when they simply ‘get it’. The same applies for higher-degree research students, who are trying to make sense of their research findings and emerge from the fog of data-analysis to understand the full extent of their research implications.

Theory is often underrated by our profession. I constantly hear from students returning from placement that occupational therapists working in practice do not use models. Sometimes, even clinicians state this–although, when unpacked, their professional reasoning is informed by at least one model, even for those who may not have been explicitly taught occupational therapy models at university. I believe occupational therapists do use models or frameworks in their practice, but just have trouble naming or articulating them.

When talking with graduates in the early stages of their careers, many will report being relieved when they have landed upon the model or framework that has assisted them in managing a challenging situation in practice. The transition into practice for students and clinicians is challenging enough, but without models or frameworks to draw upon, it is like being in a rowboat without an oar–lacking direction and feeling out of control.

For those occupational therapists with a few miles on the clock, engaging in CPD activities is another way to keep up to date with useful models or frameworks for practice. Access to CPD is a major OTA member benefit and enables us to feel confident in the currency of our skills and knowledge, as well as satisfying AHPRA registration requirements. CPD such as our national conference and forums provide formal and informal exchanges with colleagues, students, and experts particularly relating to the latest research evidence. Do not let COVID-19 restrictions prevent your networking at virtual events—be brave and email the presenter your question, or reach out to someone who is doing amazing things in their practice. The national conference also provides researchers with the opportunity to disseminate their research and have the desired impact. Increasingly, researchers are being assessed not on their research outputs, but on the impact their research has on clinicians, policy makers, and particularly those using occupational therapy services and the health and well-being of our communities. As a profession, we have challenges that we can turn into opportunities. We need evidence to support not just our practice, but also our lobbying activities. We need to find creative ways to reach and influence those who are responsible for setting the structures and contexts in which we practise. We celebrate our Research Fellows who have made a substantial contribution to establishing evidence and developing models for our profession. Additional Research Fellows will be inducted at this year’s national conference, and we appreciate what they have contributed to our profession. As an association, we are continuing to look at how we can support and recognise all researchers, both those in professional practice and in academia.

In the February issue of the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, an editorial by Professor Reinie Cordier (Cordier, 2021) on the issue of reducing research waste was explored. Reinie raised some very important points about the need for research to be conducted with clients (rather than to, or for), and for the research agenda to be led by those individuals, groups, and communities that will impacted. More collaboration and involvement by practitioners in the research process could also improve the usefulness and uptake of research evidence, further reducing the gap between theory and practice.

... without models or frameworks to draw upon, it is like being in a rowboat without an oar–lacking direction and feeling out of control

Reference Cordier, R. (2021). The research challenges we face: Identifying and minimising res 1), 1-2.