A Day in the Life of an Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses or disabilities. They help their patients meet goals to develop, recover, improve and maintain skills needed for daily living and working. To show appreciation to our talented occupational therapists for everything they do, here’s a look behind the scenes at a day in the life of one of our amazing occupational therapists — Kelly Beuttenmuller, MS, OTR/L, CNT.

Kelly has been an occupational therapist for 19 years, five of those have been here at UF Health. Specializing in infant feeding and development, Kelly is a familiar face down the halls of the pediatric units in UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital.

A typical day in Kelly’s life starts with reviewing who she is working with that day, which typically includes 8-10 patients each day. As she makes her rounds, Kelly performs specialized care that fits each patient’s individual needs helping them grow closer to functional independence. She makes note of any progress and changes within their feeding and development and adjusts her treatment to make sure that her patients are making the needed improvements under her care.

“Occupational therapists aim to empower and educate people to maximize functional independence in all areas of their life,” Kelly shared.

Some patients have spent most of their life with Kelly as the occupational therapist on their care team. One case in particular involves Calliope “Cali” Roque, who Kelly met when Cali was a preterm infant in the NICU.

“We first worked with Cali and her parents on getting her able to tolerate being touched and handled. As she grew, I continued to work with her in the pediatric CICU as she prepared for surgery and recovered afterwards,” Kelly said. “Cali was only home for a short time before she found herself back in the hospital receiving chemo for leukemia. Her prolonged hospital stay and complex medical history put her at a high risk for developmental delays.”

A year later, Kelly is still playing a vital role in Cali’s care, helping her achieve developmental milestones while she fights cancer and the effects of chemo.

In the NICU, Kelly sees patients who are at the very beginning of their life. She helps with educating parents and caregivers on managing patient needs and conditions at home to ensure that her patients will continue to show improved growth and development outside of her direct care.

“We work with the tiniest babies from 25 weeks’ gestation to full-term infants. Feeding is a fundamental skill. Preemies, unlike term infants, have to learn how to regulate and control their bodies before they’re able to eat by mouth,” Kelly shared.

The care Kelly is able to provide as an occupational therapist to her patients from such a young age creates a lasting impact on their lives. This care, combined with the education she provides parents and caregivers, creates a perfect recipe for the success of her patients and their families.

“I love empowering families to feel comfortable touching and caring for their baby,” Kelly said.

From an early age, Kelly was drawn to the health care profession, and similarly, from an early age, she makes an impact in her tiny patients’ lives. Where the average person may see a child sitting and eating a snack or a baby having a bottle, Kelly sees milestones achieved, lives transformed and independence gained.

This special month, National Occupational Therapy Month, we recognize and celebrate the incredible care that occupational therapists like Kelly provide.