FEA TURE professiona lism

Talking the #OTalk

If you want a platform to talk about all things OT, you cant go far wrong with the weekly #OTalk/#Occhat on Twitter

More OTalk and professionalism resources:

COT standards and ethics bit.ly/PpORXd OTalk/OCchat blog http://otalkocchats. wordpess.com #OTalk/#Occhat Twitter account twitter. com/OTalk_Occhat #OTalk on Twitter bit.ly/Q7EZgv HCPCs Anna van der Gaag on professionalism bit.ly/TBfaKQ The full rundown of the OTalk on professionalism bit.ly/UV4HZq HCPC social media guidelines bit.ly/HPCSMG CARE measure www.caremeasure.org

eekly Twitter-based OT events #OTalk and #Occhat have just celebrated their first birthday, having come a long way from the two approaches they fused. One group of OTs had been participating in weekly chats including #phdchat (PhD researchers chat) and #nhssm (social media in the NHS) for some time, while more widely, OTs have been using the #OTuesday hashtag to share insights into the daily activities of an OT. Chris Genter floated the idea of a more occupation-focused Twitter chat. Once Chris suggested the idea, we felt the time had come to create an online, public-facing forum for talking about our practice and the theory that underpins it. A Twitter account, Facebook page and blog were set up in autumn 2011 to get it up and running. We have two hashtags, #OTalk and #Occhat, to enable a distinction to be made between chats that focus specifically on OT practice issues (#OTalk) and chats that explore occupational science issues (#Occhat). The two alternate every Tuesday night from 8pm, with users including the hashtag in tweets to follow a discussion on a specified topic. While it is obviously aimed at OTs, being on Twitter means it is open to a wider audience outside of the profession. The first #OTalk Twitter chat, Our identity as OTs and how we explain our role, was held on 25 October 2011. The following week, we launched #Occhat and explored occupational science and what it means to us. An archive of the resulting chats and many more can be found on our blog. Analytics from tracking site Healthcare Hashtags has shown that #OTalk has engaged 423 participants, making 9,423 tweets that have reached 8,159,709 people. #Occhat has seen 226 individuals generate 6,780 tweets, with 5,145,181 impressions. While these numbers are very encouraging, even they do not demonstrate the value of the experience when joining in the chats. #OTalk and #Occhat have contributed to the development of a community of practice

in a public forum. We love that this is such a mixed and diverse community in terms of experience and this is reflected in the makeup of the organisational team and participants. So one year on and both #OTalk and #Occhat are going from strength to strength. The comments on the right from participants give a flavour of the wideranging opportunities that Why people join participation can offer to individuals, #OTalk/#Occhat not least how social media can support and enhance CPD activities. Plus it is free, allowing you to invest just a little time and be open to experiencing a supportive and welcoming community that loves to share. Deborah Harrison I learn We invite more people to get loads and love the contact involved, suggest topics, write and Bill Wong I love to do with other OTs. I like the share their own summaries or it because I love to mix between #occhat and reflections, comment on the blog exchange ideas and #otalk but hearing about and let us know how #OTalk or concepts with ppl from practice is great #Occhat has impacted on practice all over the world. #occhat and supported CPD. People dont have to have a Twitter account to get involved and we would love to hear from those who have been lurking. As we move into the second year of #OTalk Cathy Ormston re #occhat and #Occhat, we are expanding into other #otalk at time when NHS social media platforms to support the austerity can threaten ones Twitter chats and provide greater optimism, the sheer opportunities to engage and promote the commitment, collective profession. wisdom, &inspiration So keep your eyes wide open Cathy Ormston #occhat and we look forward to #otalk of worlds occ connecting and sharing with you therapists generous with soon. thoughts & resources, Allison Sullivan MT @ The team and their Twitter sharing respectful debate is BillWongOT: I agree. the 2 handles: inspiring & restorative! chats helped me see how OT Gillian Crossley @gilliancrossley and OS work together in Shaan Ellor, @ShaanOT, lecturer practice. #occhat me too in OT at Plymouth University Chris Genter, @cgenter, PhD student Plymouth University Claire Jones, @ClaireOT, OT specialising in Digital and Social Media Practice Helen Rushton, @Helen_otuk, OT in LeonoraCoolhaas I like #otalk social care, housing specialist #occhat I get to think about Clarissa Sorlie, @clissa89, adult acute contemp issues for #OTPeeps inpatient mental health express myself & challenge my Kirsty Stanley, @kirstyes, lecturer in OT at thinking w #smartots Bournemouth University

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26/10/2012 10:47