Question 1

An OTA is working with a client in a return-to-work program. The client is experiencing pain in his shoulders and is refusing most activities due to not wanting to further damage his injury. What should be the OTA's next step?

Accepted Answer

C

Question 2

A client has been unable to work or provide for her family for the past year due to a work-related injury. Which psychosocial factor will this client most likely experience?

Accepted Answer

The client is likely to experience depression due to the inability to work and provide for her family, causing financial stress and low self-esteem. Fear and anger may also be present, but depression is the most likely psychosocial factor. Denial may have been present initially, but after a year, the client is likely to have come to terms with the injury and its impact on her life.

Question 3

A client who works in a factory on an assembly line has been out of work due to injury. Currently, the client is working on strengthening and is able to tolerate around 4 hours of work tasks. What program is this individual participating in?

Accepted Answer

The client is participating in a work conditioning program, which focuses on improving a client's physical abilities and preparing them to return to work after an injury or illness. This program typically involves exercises and activities specific to the client's job duties and can gradually increase in intensity and duration as the client progresses in their rehabilitation. Work hardening, on the other hand, is a more intense program designed for clients who are ready to return to work but need to further improve their physical abilities and endurance. Worker compensation refers to the legal system that compensates employees who are injured on the job, while functional evaluation for work is a type of assessment that evaluates a client's ability to perform specific job tasks.

Question 4

Some clients are discharged from a return-to-work program, but they have no current job description. What information will most likely be included in their functional capacity evaluations?

Accepted Answer

Since the clients have no current job description, the functional capacity evaluation will most likely focus on their physical abilities, such as their strength, pain-tolerance, and endurance levels, to determine what type of work they are capable of performing. Information about their mental health (such as depression) or preferences for specific jobs may be useful supplementary information, but their physical capabilities are typically the primary concern in a functional capacity evaluation. Information about breaks needed for blood sugar levels would only be relevant if the client had a medical condition that required frequent breaks.

Question 5

A client has been increasing her strength and is ready to begin training during an 8-hour setting in preparation for returning to work by doing simulated work activities. What type of program is the client most likely participating in?

Accepted Answer

Work hardening programs are designed to prepare individuals for a return to work by simulating work activities in a controlled environment, often including extended hours to match a typical workday, which aligns with the scenario described.

Question 6

A 45-year-old has been discharged from a return-to-work program. What will the information on the functional capacity evaluation tell the client's future employer?

Accepted Answer

The functional capacity evaluation provides information on the physical abilities and limitations of the client, indicating what tasks they can perform when they return to work.

Question 7

Upon interview, a client states that she has good days and bad days. How should the OTA use this information when conducting a functional capacity evaluation over several days?

Accepted Answer

Knowing that the client has good days and bad days will allow the OTA to assess the client's abilities over multiple days and times for more accurate reporting. It will give a clear understanding of the client's level of functioning overall, rather than basing the evaluation on just one day or a few good days. This will help in the development of an appropriate treatment plan.

Question 8

When working in a return-to-work program, what is most important for an OT practitioner to consider when working with the program participants?

Accepted Answer

The answer of When working in a return-to-work program, what...

Question 9

An OTA suspects that a participant in a return-to-work program is demonstrating symptom magnification. What can the OTA do to best document if this possibility is true?

Accepted Answer

Observing the participant in functional tasks when they are distracted can provide a more accurate assessment of their abilities and limitations, as it minimizes the chance for conscious or unconscious symptom magnification. This approach allows for objective documentation of the participant's performance.

Question 10

An OTA is evaluating a client who is complaining of a pain level of 7/10 in her legs due to the sciatic nerve. How can the OTA test this client to determine if this is symptom magnification?

Accepted Answer

Having the client perform a supine straight leg raise and seated leg raise while distracted can determine if the pain is truly caused by the sciatic nerve, or if the client is magnifying their symptoms. If the client is able to perform the tasks without an increase in pain, it may suggest that the pain level is being exaggerated. The other options do not provide a clear test for symptom magnification.

Question 11

An OT practitioner is conducting a functional capacity evaluation on a client who is hoping to return to employment as a mail carrier. What should the OTA do to learn more about the requirements of the client's job?

Accepted Answer

The answer of An OT practitioner is conducting a functional...

Question 12

A client has been determined to be unable to return to his job working on a factory assembly line. How can the OT practitioner best assist this client during his return-to-work program?

Accepted Answer

The OT practitioner can explore other employment interests with the client during therapy sessions and also make a vocational rehabilitation referral to assist the client in finding a suitable job that matches the client's interests, abilities, and limitations. The goal is to help the client achieve meaningful and productive employment. Discharging the client due to lack of progress or convincing the client that a sedentary job is the perfect option are not appropriate options. Referring the client to unemployment and disability services may be helpful, but it is not the best choice because it focuses on benefits rather than employment.

Quiz 17: Work Rehabilitation and Retraining