title: Knowledge, skills and professional behaviours needed for occupational therapists and physiotherapists new to work-related practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The paper seeks to identify the key knowledge domains, skills and professional behaviours required to prepare occupational therapists and physiotherapists for employment in work related practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve experienced work related practitioners in one Australian state participated in face to face semi-structured interviews. PARTICIPANTS represented the majority of perspectives in the field and in addition to professional qualifications, a number of participants were employers or contractors of therapists.
  
  
  METHODS
  The paper reviews existing evidence about knowledge, skills and professional behaviours in the field. The results of a study examining requisite knowledge, skills and professional behaviours for occupational therapists and physiotherapists follow. Interviews were analysed using the Leximancer™ text analysis program developed at The University of Queensland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A high level of congruence was evident in key areas of knowledge, skills and professional behaviours between all interviewees and the literature. Findings included the need for very good communication skills by both professions and the need for a sound grounding in specific disciplinary skills. Results identified that occupational therapists take a broad view of function and task analysis and that physiotherapists have good skills in anatomy, musculoskeletal assessment and movement analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results are considered in relation to planning the clinical education of OT and PT students in preparation for work related practice.
authors.affiliation: UQ Work Service Clinic, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. k.adam@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strong
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lyle
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D019359:Knowledge; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty; D011364:Professional Practice; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations