Fatigue management with Ciara Breen
This session provides a practical introduction to the role of Occupational Therapy in fatigue management. It explores key assessments used to support intervention in clinical populations experiencing fatigue, alongside strategies such as the “4Ps” of energy conservation and pacing approaches to help prevent post-exertional malaise.
The session also highlights the importance of rest and sleep in achieving better occupational balance, while addressing common challenges in applying these strategies in practice. In addition, participants will gain an understanding of key red flags that may require further investigation, and why certain clinical populations need tailored approaches to fatigue management.
Learning Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
- Gain an insight into the role of Occupational Therapy (OT) in fatigue management
- Be able to identify assessments that can support OT intervention in clinical populations that experience fatigue
- Identify the “4Ps” of energy conservation, and troubleshoot where this can be difficult to apply for some patients
- Understand the role of rest and sleep in fatigue management, and how to use these to create better occupational balance
- Understand pacing approaches to avoid post-exertional malaise
- Become aware of “red flags” requiring further investigation, and why certain clinical populations require particular approaches
Meet our Experts:
Nicky Phillips
Nicky is a dedicated Occupational Therapist with over 16 years of experience, specialising in disability, posture, and seating. She has worked in both in patient and community settings, and most recently served as a seating therapist within the HSE.
Ciara Breen
Ciara Breen is an Occupational Therapist with over twenty-five years of experience in neuro-rehabilitation and older persons rehabilitation. She has long held a particular interest in fatigue and sleep and has more recently also developed further specialism in sleep by training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi). In her private practice, The Brí Clinic, Ciara assesses and treats people with a range of causes for their fatigue, including neurological conditions such as stroke and brain injury, energy-limiting conditions such as ME and Long Covid and lifestyle factors such as burnout and shift working. Ciara has also held a range of leadership positions and representative roles both within the HSE and internationally and continues to do so.