Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is a health profession that specializes in helping people gain independence with activities that are most important to them following injury, disease, or physical disability. Occupational therapists assist patients in reaching their maximum level of function, while learning to live within the limits of their capabilities. Areas addressed by OT may include basic skills such as dressing, self-feeding, and toileting. Once these basic skills are achieved, other aspects of living such as getting back to work or hobbies may be addressed.

Our two registered occupational therapists use adaptive equipment, exercise, splints, safety awareness training, and ergonomic instruction to improve function after injuries and illnesses. Patients with variety of medical conditions including stroke, arthritis, prolonged bedrest, joint replacement surgeries, hand/wrist injuries, fractures, falls, neurological diseases, and coordination problems may benefit from our services.

Occupational therapy services at Scott County Hospital are offered on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Services are provided upon referral of a physician. OT is a recognized form of medical treatment and is covered by most health insurances including Medicare and Medicaid.

Vestibular Rehabilitation - Scott County Hospital's Occupational Therapy Department offers vestibular rehabilitation, a treatment program designed to assist with dizziness or balancing problems. For more information on vestibular rehabilitation, click here.

Low Vision Rehabilitation - Scott County Hospital's Occupational Therapy Department also offers training and support for patients dealing with low vision. For more information about this program, click here.

Meet Our Occupational Therapist

Sara Hawkins, OT, OT Supervisor
		Sara Hawkins is an Occupational Therapist who joined the Scott County Hospital therapy team in 2006. She has enjoyed watching the OT department at SCH grow and flourish over the years, in both staffing and in programs offered to the community. Sara graduated from Rockhurst University in 2000 with her master's degree in Occupational Therapy. While she has worked in many different settings, her favorite is right here at Scott County Hospital. She is very thankful to work for a dynamic facility in a health-minded community, with many opportunities for growth and new experiences as a therapist. In 2018, Sara fulfilled a career goal of hers by becoming a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT). While she specializes in upper extremity rehabilitation, she enjoys treating patients with a variety of problems and disabilities, including vestibular problems, low vision, and general loss of function. Sara is experienced in helping patients across the lifespan to restore or gain independence, from small children to older adults. In her free time, Sara enjoys spending time with her husband and three children. She loves cooking, crocheting, and running-when she is not running to keep up with her busy family!

Bethany Beckman, OT

Bethany Beckman Carrillo was born in Phillipsburg, KS and moved to Scott City, KS at the age of four. She graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor's of science in biology in 2009. She then went on to Rockhurst University to receive her masters of occupational therapy in 2011. She is also an Astym certified provider. She has a passion for her career as an occupational therapist with helping her patients to be able to engage in their daily lives as independently as possible. She is experienced in upper extremity rehab, vestibular rehab, cognitive rehab, neurological rehab and helping patients to reach their highest level of independence after injury, illness, or disability. She is also able to speak Spanish to communicate with our Spanish speaking population. She was married in May of 2019 to Ferny Carrillo and they now live out by Scott Lake. She enjoys going on mission trips to Ecuador every year to use her skill set to work with children with developmental disorders and with adults with Hansen's disease. In her free time, she enjoys going dancing with her husband, reading and spending time outside hiking or biking.

Megan Bunn, COTA

Megan Bunn has worked at the Scott County Hospital since July 2018. In August 2015, she earned an Associates of Applied Science degree from the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Brown Mackie College in Akron, Ohio. One of her favorite things about working at the Scott County Hospital is getting to know her patients on a personal level, and helping them to achieve their goals and become as independent as possible. When not at work, Megan spends most of her time with her husband and dog, helping on the feedlot where they live.