The objective of the occupational therapy in patients involved in cardiovascular rehabilitation program is to determine the information on how cardiovascular diseases affect the patient in all aspects of the occupation: self-management, productivity and free time. Bachelor of Occupational Therapy makes occupational and therapeutic evaluation first by individual approach – takes occupational and social medical history and heteroanamnesis, defines occupational profile, analyzes the performance of basic activities of daily living and components of skills within the context in which the daily activity is performed. The evaluation of the activities of daily living requires the use of modern instruments recommended by professional societies, that is, standardized and non-standardized questionnaires for evaluation of the health condition (e.g., structured scale for the evaluation of hospital depression and anxiety – HAD scale, determining the desirable health behavior by examining the locus of control, the Canadian measure of performing the occupation, questionnaire on the level of physical activity, questionnaire on Mediterranean diet, etc.). (1-3)

Good evaluation helps an occupational therapist to detect potential presence of certain occupational-therapeutic diagnoses in a cardiovascular patient: reduced effort tolerance, fear of physical activity, lack of criticism towards physical activity, social isolation, lack of education about acceptable health behavior, degree of anxiety and depression, lack of interest in therapy and dates scheduled for examination, fatigue, ignorance of risk factors, architectural and other barriers in the residential and work area.

Required occupational-therapeutic interventions are planned in cooperation with a patient and family members, if necessary. Some objectives will be met by team members’ work, while some of them, depending on the evaluation of a cardiologist, physiatrist, psychologist and/or occupational therapist will require an individual approach. The occupational therapist provides therapeutic education by interventions in the field of setting priorities in the activities of daily living, advising on the importance of optimal physical activity and rest ratio, the importance of proper and regular taking of the therapy and following the schedule of examination and workup.

A good evaluation helps an occupational therapist to monitor and evaluate which segments of daily living are impaired by the cardiovascular disease and he establishes, renews, modifies and/or maintains the activities of daily living in cooperation with the patient/family members and other team members.

Following the completion of additional education and training, we conduct occupational therapy procedures in all patients involved in the outpatient cardiovascular rehabilitation program since September 2015 in the Department of Outpatient Rehabilitation in the Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation. The scope of work of Bachelor of Occupational Therapy is documented in the personal accounts of patients by using the diagnostic and therapeutic procedure codes in secondary healthcare as prescribed by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.