Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Occupational and
Physical Therapy Department is dedicated to providing care
to children from birth through adolescence with various
injuries or disabilities.
Read on to learn more about:
Our Department
Our Technology
Our Therapists
Our Orientation Process
Our Scheduling
Our Educational Opportunities
Diagnosis typically seen include
but are not limited to: Cerebral Palsy, Myelomeningocele,
Muscle Disease, Dyspraxia, Sensory Integration Deficits,
Orthopedic Injuries, Traumatic Injuries, Chronic Pain
Conditions, Congenital Syndromes, and Sports Related
Injuries in conjunction with our Sports Medicine Team.
Services are provided to both inpatients and outpatients.
Outpatients are serviced at Connecticut Children’s Medical
Center in Hartford and at our satellites in Farmington and
Glastonbury. Aquatic Therapy is also currently provided at
pool locations in Avon and Glastonbury.
State of the art equipment is available for performing
Assistive Technology assessments and treatments. A wide
variety of treatment options are available for motivating
patients including biofeedback, computerized upper limb
exerciser, climbing wall, a Play Station 2 with floor
mat and electronic eye for monitoring upper extremity
movements, and we also have a Wii game.
The Occupational and Physical Therapy staff at Connecticut
Children’s Medical Center includes 17 Occupational
Therapists and 24 Physical Therapists. Most staff possess 6
or more years of experience working in pediatrics. The
occupational and physical therapy staff at Connecticut
Children’s Medical Center are highly trained. Many hold
advanced certifications in Assistive Technology, Neurodevelopmental Treatment and Sensory Integration. In
addition the department is supported by several experienced
per-diem Occupational and Physical Therapists. The
Occupational and Physical Therapy Department offers a
Professional Practice Model for clinical advancement.
Therapists who demonstrate a strong commitment to their
profession with advanced clinical skills in several areas of
practice are eligible to apply for Level 2 Occupational and
Physical Therapy Positions.
The departmental orientation is comprehensive. It provides
a strong foundation for learning the intricacies of the
department as well as functioning relative to other areas in
the hospital. Staff is available to new hires for
additional questions as they become more independent in all
aspects of the job.
Basic clinical skills related to the provision of pediatric
Occupational and Physical Therapy are reviewed and validated
following the department orientation. Such basic skills may
include but are not limited to administration and
interpretation of standardized and non-standardized tests,
goal writing, and treatment interventions including
modalities. Opportunities for developing advanced clinical
competencies are presented through on-going mentoring and
support. Advanced competencies may include, but are not
limited to biofeedback for pain, providing care in the NICU,
and conducting tone management assessments.
The Occupational and Physical Therapy Department is
open from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM Monday through Friday.
Weekend coverage is scheduled as needed for inpatients.
Opportunities exist to expand weekend coverage for
outpatient and aquatic therapy services as well. Staff is
paid on-call and extra shift bonuses if they sign up to
cover a weekend. Shifts are flexible and designed to meet
patient needs.
The Occupational and Physical Therapy Department prides
itself in providing ongoing education to staff. Upon hire
there is an initial hospital orientation followed by a
department orientation, and a validation period during which
new staff demonstrate their clinical competencies.
Mentoring is provided in areas that may be unfamiliar to a
new employee. There are bi-weekly meetings that address
inservice education, peer review and clinical problem
solving. In addition, continuing education support is
provided through the co-hosting of conferences with outside
agencies. Staff is given the opportunity to participate in
our student programs after one year of experience working in
the field.
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