Bouchier, Paula. Interview. Paula reflects on her career as an occupational therapist in Newfoundland and Labrador from 1975 to 2005.

• Main Author: Manojlovich, Mary
• Other Authors: Bouchier, Paula, Diploma in Occupational Therapy from St. Joseph's College of Occupational Therapy, Dublin Ireland, 1973; Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, University of Manitoba,1988; Occupational Ergonomics 1,2 from University of Michigan Continuing Education; worked at St, Clare's Mercy Hospital, St. John's 1975-78; Waterford Hospital, St. John's 1975-78; Children's Rehabilitation Centre, St. John's 1984-87; Newfoundland Hospital and Nursing Home Association 1988-91; Occupational Health and Safety Branch, Department of Employment and Labor, Government of Newfoundland 1991-94,1995-97; Integrated Occupational Health Services 1994-95; Occupational Ergonomics Consulting 1997-2005.
• Format: Audio
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Bouchier; Paula; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/occuptherapy/id/14

Paula describes being recruited in Ireland to work at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital in St. John's Newfoundland; 5-6 therapists in province; room in back of phsiotherapy department with little equipment; activity therapists with no training providing ""occupational therapy""; developed practices in stroke rehabilitation and rheumatology; recruited 2 more Occupational herapists from Ireland; moved to Children's Rehabilitation Centre; hired as assistant director then director at the Waterford Hospital; part of a major service review; plan to move from a warehousing model of care to a rehabilitation model; back injury prevention coordinator for Newfoundland Hospital and Nursing Home Association; developed and implemented comprehensive program in 6 pilot sites; moved to provincial government to implement program province wide; occupational therapy approach; task analysis; problemsolving, task modification; establishing rapport and trust; change from a rehabilitation approach to an injury prevention/risk management approach; successful career; innovation and accepting challenges.