Author: Natasha Boskic

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3.2 The "P" Professionals

Mental Health Therapists: Psychotherapists, Psychologists and Social Work Counsellors

There is a wide variety of mental health practitioners, and understanding the role that each one plays can be confusing. The following practitioners provide mental health support: psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric social workers, psychiatric nurses, counselors, pastoral counselors, and other professionals who call themselves ‘therapists.’ Others practice alternative therapies, for  example, reiki and others.  In Canada, certain regulations ensure that therapists have had a specific training for their area of work.  Not all therapists are psychologists and not all psychologists are trained therapists. Mental Health Canada provides some useful information on therapists and therapies.

Psychologists who work on inter-professional teams and conduct psycho-educational assessments pre-kindergarten. e.g Hearing Loss team at Sunny Hill Health Centre for children which includes a developmental pediatrician, clinical psychologist, nurse clinician, speech &  language pathologist, occupational therapist & physiotherapist. Some or all of these professionals may be involved in the assessment of children with multiple diagnoses.

A psychiatrist is a physician  whose education includes a medical degree (MD or DO) and at least four additional years of study and training. As physicians, psychiatrists can prescribe and monitor medications.

Practice

Psychiatrists are the primary mental healthcare givers. They provide medical/psychiatric evaluation and treatment for emotional and behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders.

They assess and treat mental illnesses through a combination of psychotherapy (see full Glossary), psychoanalysis (see full Glossary), hospitalization, and medication.

Further reading in this topic:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2007.00273.x/full
Source: Young, R. & Nichol, J. (2007). Counseling in Canada. Advancing psychology for all. Applied Psychology, 56(1), 20–32, January 2007


Categories
3.2 The "P" Professionals

Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist is a physician whose education includes a medical degree (MD or DO) and at least four additional years of study and training. As physicians, psychiatrists can prescribe and monitor medications.

Practice

Psychiatrists are the primary mental healthcare givers. They provide medical/psychiatric evaluation and treatment for emotional and behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders.

They assess and treat mental illnesses through a combination of psychotherapy (see full Glossary), psychoanalysis (see full Glossary), hospitalization, and medication.

Categories
3.2 The "P" Professionals

Physiotherapist

Physiotherapists or physical therapists are health-science professionals with a master’s or PhD degree in physical therapy

Practice

A physical therapist uses exercises, stretches, and other techniques to improve mobility, decrease pain, and reduce any disability related to illness or injury. Children may need physical therapy as a result of developmental delays, injuries, long hospitalizations, or after surgery. Doctors often recommend physical therapy for kids who have been injured or have movement problems from an illness, disease, or disability.

Physiotherapists work with infants and young children assessing their motor development; they work in collaboration with parents and other service providers including infant development (IDP) and supported child development (SCDP) consultants, and with teachers in preschools, daycares, and schools.

Physical therapists are often able to relieve pain and help children resume daily activities. After an injury, physical therapists teach exercises designed to help children regain strength and range of motion, and also show them how to prevent a recurring injury. Physical therapy (PT) may be needed any time a child has difficulty moving in such a way that it limits daily activities.

 

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3.2 The "P" Professionals

Pediatrician

General pediatricians are MD specialists who care for the health of infants, children, teenagers, and young adults. They specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of ailments specific to young people and track patients’ growth to adulthood.

Just like General pediatrician, Developmental pediatrician who works in inter-professional team with nurse clinician, speech &  language pathologist, occupational therapist & physiotherapist. Some or all of these professionals may be involved in the assessment of children with multiple diagnoses.
Some pediatricians have an additional specialization. For example, some of them become pediatric surgeons, pediatric neurologists, or pediatric immunologists (see full Glossary).

Practice

Like most physicians, pediatricians work with different healthcare workers, such as nurses and other physicians, to assess and treat children. Most of the work of pediatricians involves treating day-to-day illnesses—minor injuries, infectious diseases, and immunizations—that are common to children, much as a general practitioner treats adults.

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3.2 The "O" Professionals

Orthopaedic Surgeon (“Bones and Muscle” Surgeon)

An orthopaedic surgeon is involved in the care of patients with conditions in their bones and muscles, known as musculoskeletal problems (Fig. 1). These include congenital deformities, trauma, infections, tumors, metabolic disturbances (see full Glossary) of the musculoskeletal system, deformities, injuries and degenerative diseases of the spine, hands, feet, knee, hip, shoulder, and elbow in children and adults. He or she has been trained on how to repair and treat conditions related to the limbs (arms and legs) and spine, and to how to restore these through surgery so that they can function to the fullest capacity (Fig. 2).

spinal deformities
Figure 1.  Examples of spinal deformities in a child (The child on the left has normal spine)

 

OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM

Figure 2. Knee Surgery

An orthopaedic surgeon is also concerned with primary and secondary muscular problems and the effects of the central or peripheral nervous system lesions of the musculoskeletal system.

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3.2 The "O" Professionals

Ophthalmologist or Eye Doctor

An ophthalmologist is an MD that has specialized in the examination, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions of the eye (Fig. 1). This includes problems affecting the eye itself and its related structures, the eyelids, the orbit, and the visual pathways. An ophthalmologist prescribes vision services (Fig. 2), including glasses and contact lenses.

eye
Figure 1. Eye
prescription
Figure 2. Prescription

Practice

Ophthalmologists (Fig. 3). are medically trained to diagnose, monitor, and medically or surgically treat all ocular and visual disorders, including vision loss.

examination_by_Ophthalmologist
Figure 3. Ophthalmologist examining a child

This specialist has the knowledge and professional skills needed to provide comprehensive eye and vision care for patients of all ages. They also provide consultation services for the diagnosis and management of eye and vision related manifestation of systemic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and infectious and noninfectious inflammation.

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3.2 The "S" Professionals

Sensory Integration Specialist

Sensory Integration Specialists are trained occupational therapists who have specialized in sensory integration techniques (see full Glossary). These techniques target children who experience difficulties making sense of what they see, hear, touch, smell or taste. Some of these children are identified with autism, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) or other established risk conditions.

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3.2 The "O" Professionals

Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists are health-science professionals with a Master’s or PhD degree in occupational therapy.

Practice

An occupational therapist (Fig. 1) works with children to improve coordination, motor skills, and skills to play, function in school, and perform routine activities. Kids in occupational therapy may be coping with birth defects, autism, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, developmental delays, burns, amputations, or severe injuries.

ALL HANDS IMAGERY
Figure 1. Occupational therapist
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3.2 The "N" Professionals

Nurse

Nurses provide much of the day-to-day care in hospitals, closely monitoring a patient’s condition and performing vital jobs like giving medicine (Fig. 1 and 2). Nurses are graduate health professionals who often specialize at a master’s level.

paediatric nurse
Figure 1. A paediatric nurse

Nurse with a newborn

Figure 2. A nurse with a newborn

Practice

Many different kinds of nurses provide varying levels of care:

Licensed practical nurse (LPN): LPNs provide basic care and assistance to patients with tasks like bathing, changing wound dressings, and taking vital signs. An LPN has at least 1 year of training in this kind of care.

Registered nurse (RN): A registered nurse gives medication, performs small procedures such as drawing blood, and closely follows a child’s condition. RNs have graduated from a nursing program and have a state license.

Advanced practice nurses (APN): An advanced practice nurse is an RN who has received advanced training beyond nursing school. At minimum, APNs have a college degree and a master’s degree in nursing. Different kinds of APNs include:

  • Nurse practitioner (NP): A nurse practitioner has additional training in a particular area, such as family practice or pediatrics. NPs often take the medical history, do the initial physical exam, perform some tests and procedures, write prescriptions, and treat minor illnesses and injuries. NPs have a master’s degree, board certification in their specialty, and a state license.
  • Certified nurse midwife (CNM): A certified nurse midwife provides gynecological care and obstetrics care for low-risk pregnancies. CNMs attend births in hospitals, birth centers, and homes.
  • Clinical nurse specialist (CNS): A clinical nurse specialist provides a wide range of care in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, private offices, and community health centers. A CNS has been licensed in nursing, has a master’s degree, and often works in administration, education, or research. Nurse Clinician or Clinical Nurse Specialist works on inter-professional teams in a pediatric hospital. e.g BC Children’s Hospital or Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children (affiliated with BC Children’s Hospital).
  • Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA): CRNAs specialize in giving and monitoring anesthesia. They prepare patients before procedures, administer anesthesia, and oversee recovery from anesthesia. CRNAs receive 2 to 3 years of training in this area.
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3.2 The "N" Professionals

Neurologist

A neurologist is a physician who has specialized training dealing with conditions and diseases related to the nervous system (Fig. 1). Conditions that may impair functions in the nervous system may impact the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, muscles, and autonomic nervous system, as well as the blood vessels that relate to these structures.

nervous system
Figure 1. Nervous system

Practice

Neurologists (Fig. 2) work with other medical specialists, like nurses, family physicians and pediatricians, as well as with non-medical (non MDs) professionals in the health sciences like radiologists, lab technicians and others.

neurologist
Figure 2. Neurologist

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