1. Methods or approaches selected to direct the process of interventions include: a. Establishment, remediation, or restoration of a skill or ability that has not yet developed, is impaired, or in decline. b. Compensation, modification, or adaptation of activity or environment to enhance performance or to prevent injuries, disorders, or other conditions. c. Maintenance, retention, and enhancement of skills or abilities without which performance in everyday life activities would decline. d. Creation, promotion of health and wellness, including the use of self-management strategies, to enable or enhance performance in everyday life activities. e. Prevention of barriers to performance and participation, including injury and disability prevention.

2. Interventions and procedures to promote or enhance safety and performance in activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), health maintenance, rest and sleep, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation, including: a. Therapeutic use of occupations, exercises, and activities. b. Training in self-care, self-management, health management and maintenance, home management, community or work reintegration, and school activities and work performance. c. Development, remediation, or compensation of neuromusculoskeletal, sensory-perceptual, visual, mental, and cognitive functions, pain tolerance and management, and behavioral skills. d. Therapeutic use of self, including one's personality, insights, perceptions, and judgements, as part of the therapeutic process.

e. Education and training of individuals, including family members, caregivers, groups, populations, and others. f. Care coordination, case management, and transition services. g. Consultative services to groups, programs, organizations, or communities. h. Modification of home, work, school, or community environments and adaptation of processes, including the application of ergonomic principles. i. Assessment, design, fabrication, application, fitting, and training in seating and positioning, assistive technology, adaptive devices, and orthotic devices, and training in the use of prosthetic devices. j. Assessment, recommendations, and training in techniques to enhance functional mobility, including management of wheelchairs and other mobility devices. k. Low vision rehabilitation. l. Driver rehabilitation and community mobility. m. Management of feeding, eating, and swallowing to enable eating and feeding performance. n. Application of physical agent modalities, and use of a range of specific therapeutic procedures (such as wound care management, interventions to enhance sensory-perceptual and cognitive processing, and manual therapy) to enhance performance skills.

An occupational therapist may purchase, store, and administer topical medications, including aerosol medications, as part of the practice of occupational therapy, but shall not dispense or sell any of the medications to patients. An occupational therapist shall comply with any protocols of the United States pharmacopoeia for storage of medications.

A valid order or prescription for medication classified as a legend drug is needed before administration to a patient. Occupational therapy facilities must work with a pharmacist to assist with proper protocols for storage of medications. A record of dosage, for, quantity, and strength of medication administered to each patient is required in the medical record.

o. Facilitating the occupational performance of groups, populations, or organizations through the modification of environments and the adaptation of processes. p. Advocacy in promoting and empowering clients to seek and obtain resources.

History: Effective November 1, 1992; amended effective November 1, 2000; April 1, 2014; April 1, 2021.

General Authority: NDCC 43-40-05

Law Implemented: NDCC 43-40-01, 43-40-05