Because there is a discrepancy between the described role for OT in the professional literature and the Kentucky Practice Act, it is necessary to consider occupational therapy's role and to evaluate what type of practice is occurring related to visual deficits in the local environment. The purpose of this study was to explore occupational therapist's perceptions of their role and experiences in working with visual deficits in an inpatient rehabilitation setting in Kentucky. In this phenomenological study, four occupational therapists participated in a one-on-one interview with the principal investigator, lasting from 30-60 minutes. Occupational therapists answered questions about their lived experiences relating to the phenomenon of addressing visual deficits in a rehabilitation setting. Transcripts of the interviews were formed and phenomenological data analysis was used to obtain a better understanding of the phenomenon of addressing visual deficits in a rehabilitation setting. Data analysis revealed four main themes including a) defining a blurry role, b) working through a blurry role, but walking a fine line, c) vision is the missing piece, and d) in an ideal world. Further exploration of these themes reveals conclusions related to the role of occupational therapy related to treating visual deficits.
","abstract_html":"<p>Because there is a discrepancy between the described role for OT in the professional literature and the Kentucky Practice Act, it is necessary to consider occupational therapy's role and to evaluate what type of practice is occurring related to visual deficits in the local environment. The purpose of this study was to explore occupational therapist's perceptions of their role and experiences in working with visual deficits in an inpatient rehabilitation setting in Kentucky. In this phenomenological study, four occupational therapists participated in a one-on-one interview with the principal investigator, lasting from 30-60 minutes. Occupational therapists answered questions about their lived experiences relating to the phenomenon of addressing visual deficits in a rehabilitation setting. Transcripts of the interviews were formed and phenomenological data analysis was used to obtain a better understanding of the phenomenon of addressing visual deficits in a rehabilitation setting. Data analysis revealed four main themes including a) defining a blurry role, b) working through a blurry role, but walking a fine line, c) vision is the missing piece, and d) in an ideal world. Further exploration of these themes reveals conclusions related to the role of occupational therapy related to treating visual deficits. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Wurzback, Rebekah Katherine"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:13Z","subjects":["Occupational Therapy","OT","Role","Visual Deficits"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2012 Rebekah Katherine Wurzback"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/74","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Wurzback, Rebekah Katherine"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Occupational Therapy","OT","Role","Visual Deficits"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2012 Rebekah Katherine Wurzback"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/74"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Because there is a discrepancy between the described role for OT in the professional literature and the Kentucky Practice Act, it is necessary to consider occupational therapy's role and to evaluate what type of practice is occurring related to visual deficits in the local environment. The purpose of this study was to explore occupational therapist's perceptions of their role and experiences in working with visual deficits in an inpatient rehabilitation setting in Kentucky. In this phenomenological study, four occupational therapists participated in a one-on-one interview with the principal investigator, lasting from 30-60 minutes. Occupational therapists answered questions about their lived experiences relating to the phenomenon of addressing visual deficits in a rehabilitation setting. Transcripts of the interviews were formed and phenomenological data analysis was used to obtain a better understanding of the phenomenon of addressing visual deficits in a rehabilitation setting. Data analysis revealed four main themes including a) defining a blurry role, b) working through a blurry role, but walking a fine line, c) vision is the missing piece, and d) in an ideal world. Further exploration of these themes reveals conclusions related to the role of occupational therapy related to treating visual deficits.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Occupational Therapists' Perception of Their Role in Working With Clients Experiencing Visual Deficits: A Phenomenological Study"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Wurzback, Rebekah Katherine"],"dc:description.abstract":["Because there is a discrepancy between the described role for OT in the professional literature and the Kentucky Practice Act, it is necessary to consider occupational therapy's role and to evaluate what type of practice is occurring related to visual deficits in the local environment. The purpose of this study was to explore occupational therapist's perceptions of their role and experiences in working with visual deficits in an inpatient rehabilitation setting in Kentucky. In this phenomenological study, four occupational therapists participated in a one-on-one interview with the principal investigator, lasting from 30-60 minutes. Occupational therapists answered questions about their lived experiences relating to the phenomenon of addressing visual deficits in a rehabilitation setting. Transcripts of the interviews were formed and phenomenological data analysis was used to obtain a better understanding of the phenomenon of addressing visual deficits in a rehabilitation setting. Data analysis revealed four main themes including a) defining a blurry role, b) working through a blurry role, but walking a fine line, c) vision is the missing piece, and d) in an ideal world. Further exploration of these themes reveals conclusions related to the role of occupational therapy related to treating visual deficits.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/74"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2012 Rebekah Katherine Wurzback"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["Occupational Therapy","OT","Role","Visual Deficits"],"dc:title":["Occupational Therapists' Perception of Their Role in Working With Clients Experiencing Visual Deficits: A Phenomenological Study"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:13Z"}