The occupational therapy scope of practice includes assessments and interventions for physical and psychological barriers for adaptation, within the social cotexts where clients live and work. Hand therapy practice settings are often challenging places for occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) to utilize their holistic background and training. In the author’s practice setting a biomechanical frame of reference and an electronic health record system favors assessment and interventions for upper extremity impairments. Relevant literature demonstrates that clients with upper extremity injury (UEI) have physical impairments and perceived long-term disability. The literature on the psychosocial aspects of UEI identifies key psychological and social client factors that predict adaptive outcomes. This educations program proposal aims to provide OTPs with a psychosocial protocol and workflow enhancements that support holistic plans of care for individuals with UEI. A reference booklet details how to use patient rated outcome measures to create psychosocial goals and interventions for clients with UEI. Using these tools, the OTP can integrate impairment and disability assessments within the hand therapy setting, drawing from the occupational therapy unique holistic scope of practice.
