You Can Provide Hand Therapy in Acute Care

Hi, my name is Hoang Tran. I’m an Occupational Therapist and Certified Hand Therapist, and I’m passionate about helping therapists develop their clinical skills in hand therapy. Today, I want to share with you how you can provide hand therapy in an acute care setting. It’s not just about outpatient clinics—there’s so much more to explore in the world of hand therapy.

Rethinking Hand Therapy Beyond Outpatient Clinics

Most occupational therapists think of hand therapy as something you do in a traditional outpatient clinic. You know, working alongside a surgeon and seeing lots of post-op cases. But hand therapy isn’t limited to that. You can also thrive as a hand therapist in acute care settings, providing valuable treatment right at the beginning of a patient’s recovery journey.

My Acute Care Experience: A Story from the Burn Unit

Before I transitioned into outpatient care, I gained extensive experience in acute care. During my time as a student, I worked at a burn clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the University of North Carolina. There, I met a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) who worked specifically in burns and acute care. This experience opened my eyes to the possibilities of providing hand therapy in an acute care environment.

I later worked in both large and small hospitals. At a 500-bed hospital, I encountered a wide variety of cases—neurological injuries, general declines, orthopedic surgeries, and more. In contrast, the smaller 150-bed hospital offered fewer cases but provided a chance to hone my skills in a more intimate setting. No matter where you are, there’s always an opportunity to work with hand and arm injuries if you’re willing to see it.

How to Become a Hand Therapist in Acute Care

The key to becoming a hand therapist in acute care is opening your mind to what’s possible. Every patient you see has two hands and two arms. While we’re trained to treat patients holistically, in practice, OTs often focus on upper-body care while PTs handle lower-body care. Instead of resisting this divide, we can embrace it and become the go-to experts for upper extremity injuries in acute care settings.

What Kind of Cases Will You See?

In an acute care setting, you’ll encounter a variety of cases, including:

• Open-heart surgeries
• Abdominal surgeries
• Strokes
• Brain surgeries (e.g., craniotomies, tumors)
• Spinal cord injuries

This setting allows you to see patients at the very beginning of their recovery—right after an accident, surgery, or major health event. For example, I once treated someone who broke both humeri and needed immediate intervention to regain basic function.

What Can You Do as a Hand Therapist in Acute Care?

Here are some examples of what hand therapy in acute care might look like:

• Educating patients about proper positioning to prevent further complications.
• Teaching manual movements they can do on their own.
• Providing wound care to ensure proper healing.
• Creating custom splints tailored to the patient’s needs.

I’ve done all of these in acute care, and they absolutely count as hand therapy! One memorable case was a patient with radial palsy. I crafted a splint that helped them regain function—proving that even in acute care, you can make a significant impact.

Transitioning from Acute Care to Outpatient

After four years in acute care, I moved to an outpatient setting. The timeline of patient recovery was different, but the skills I developed in acute care translated seamlessly. In acute care, I worked with patients at the start of their recovery. In outpatient, I saw them further along their journey. Both experiences complemented each other and made me a well-rounded therapist.

If you start in acute care, you’ll develop foundational skills that will make you confident and prepared for any setting.

Why Acute Care Matters for Hand Therapists

Hand therapy isn’t confined to outpatient clinics. Acute care allows you to gain valuable experience with complex cases early in the recovery timeline. The skills you build here—like splinting, wound care, and patient education—will set you up for success, no matter where your career takes you.

Resources to Help You Grow

If you’re ready to sharpen your skills and explore the possibilities of hand therapy in acute care, I offer resources and classes tailored to your needs. From live courses to on-demand training, these opportunities are designed to help you grow at your own pace.

Additionally, for more in-depth information and practical tips, I encourage you to check out my YouTube video.