Tracy's interest in occupation started during her training when she observed that patients on the surgical wards who were occupied, were happier than those who were idle.
[6]:16 Tracy studied at the Teachers College, Columbia University, New York in 1905, attending courses in crafts and hospital economics.
[2]:32 In 1905, Tracy was appointed director of the Training School for Nurses at the Adams-Nervine Asylum, Boston by Daniel H. Fuller, the resident physician.
Occupation was prescribed by the physician who ordered ‘a certain sort of work for a definite time’ which was supervised by a qualified teacher.
[6]:176 Tracy believed nurses were ‘best suited’ to teach occupations because they understood ‘the limitations imposed by all sorts of diseases’.
She illustrated her argument with practical exemplars, such as nurse should ‘be able to find just the thing which a person suffering from chest troubles might safely do without aggravating symptoms’.
[8]:1111 Tracy developed the concept of invalid occupations, which encompassed any purposeful, orderly activity of the mind and body.
[6]:172 Tracy illustrated this difference with case studies of using occupation with children, adults and older people.
There was a display of ‘experimental work in the new field of occupations for invalids’ at the 1910 meeting of the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses.
[4]:49 The exhibitors included Herbert James Hall and Tracy, two founder members of the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy.
In September 1911, she exhibited ‘Invalid Occupations’ at the American Hospital Association conference, held at the Manhattan Hotel in New York.
[14] In 1912 Tracy left the Adams-Nervine Asylum to set up the Experiment Station for the Study of Invalid Occupations in Jamaica Plain, Boston.
This was a resource centre with case studies and information; and a venue for courses, demonstrations, exhibitions and private instruction.
George Edward Barton and William Rush Dunton, the organisers, selected a few people who were interested in the therapeutic value of occupation.
They surveyed institutions because Tracy considered understanding the scope of occupational therapy practice was a pre-requisite for formulating educational standards.