1. Invests in the acquisition of evidence through participation in workshops, continued education and pursuit of additional degrees.
While attending school, I had the opportunity to attended 2016 TNOTA conference. The conference was enlightening into different settings for OT, I had yet to consider. Throughout the 2-day conference I participated in various workshops and sat in on numerous speakers for continued education and networking.
One of the courses I attended was titled Providing Everyone A Place To Grow And Thrive: How Everyone With Varying Abilities Can Be Purposeful by Barbara Meussner. This talk really stuck with me because focused on individuals abilities rather than disabilities. Additionally, it focused on creating an environment and culture to build on people's strengths and abilities, even when on the surface it may not seem that there are many. When you change your mindset to look for strengths rather than barriers, it is surprising how many more strengths you will find! This followed me through the rest of school and fieldworks in that I try to approach each individual with the mindset that they have strengths to build on rather than focusing on what they are unable to do. I also try to frame my treatment sessions so that the client starts and ends with success while addressing more difficult skills in the middle. The talk I attended at the TNOTA conference helped to shape this mindset.
While attending school, I had the opportunity to attended 2016 TNOTA conference. The conference was enlightening into different settings for OT, I had yet to consider. Throughout the 2-day conference I participated in various workshops and sat in on numerous speakers for continued education and networking.
One of the courses I attended was titled Providing Everyone A Place To Grow And Thrive: How Everyone With Varying Abilities Can Be Purposeful by Barbara Meussner. This talk really stuck with me because focused on individuals abilities rather than disabilities. Additionally, it focused on creating an environment and culture to build on people's strengths and abilities, even when on the surface it may not seem that there are many. When you change your mindset to look for strengths rather than barriers, it is surprising how many more strengths you will find! This followed me through the rest of school and fieldworks in that I try to approach each individual with the mindset that they have strengths to build on rather than focusing on what they are unable to do. I also try to frame my treatment sessions so that the client starts and ends with success while addressing more difficult skills in the middle. The talk I attended at the TNOTA conference helped to shape this mindset.
2. Is a knowledgeable consumer of global research related to occupational therapy and utilizes an evidence based approach to practice.
During my last semester of classes, I read 1 peer-reviewed article per week of various occupational therapy topics as a professional development goal to regularly read evidence and stay up to date. Additionally, I continued to read evidence based articles as they specifically related to each of my fieldwork rotations as a means to inform my theories and interventions. For example, I read about current concepts in burn rehab including the wound healing process, positioning, and elongation of soft tissue. I used used the information I learned with each of the patients I encountered. Having read the evidence, I was also able to ensure patients that although the elongation and stretching of soft tissue was uncomfortable, it was not doing further damage. In fact, evidence has shown that early motion and elongation of the tissues prevents contractures, which means less deformity, improved function, and fewer surgeries. Above is an excerpt from the Final Fieldwork Performance Evaluation at Regional One Health - Firefighters Burn Center indicating competence in utilizing evidence to inform intervention decisions.
During my last semester of classes, I read 1 peer-reviewed article per week of various occupational therapy topics as a professional development goal to regularly read evidence and stay up to date. Additionally, I continued to read evidence based articles as they specifically related to each of my fieldwork rotations as a means to inform my theories and interventions. For example, I read about current concepts in burn rehab including the wound healing process, positioning, and elongation of soft tissue. I used used the information I learned with each of the patients I encountered. Having read the evidence, I was also able to ensure patients that although the elongation and stretching of soft tissue was uncomfortable, it was not doing further damage. In fact, evidence has shown that early motion and elongation of the tissues prevents contractures, which means less deformity, improved function, and fewer surgeries. Above is an excerpt from the Final Fieldwork Performance Evaluation at Regional One Health - Firefighters Burn Center indicating competence in utilizing evidence to inform intervention decisions.
3. Integrates individual clinical expertise and patient values with the best available external clinical evidence.
A goal of mine is to integrate knowledge and experiences from each fieldwork site even though they were vastly different. For example, I was able to use many experiences from my psychosocial rotation during my rotation at the burn center whether it was while treating patients with psychiatric diagnosis or using motivational interviewing. Below is a comment made by my fieldwork educator at the Firefighters Burn Center on the Final Fieldwork Performance Evaluation:
"She often takes our more "challenging" patients and is able to blend all of her knowledge together in order to treat the whole person, not just their physical injury." -Tess G., OTR/L
A goal of mine is to integrate knowledge and experiences from each fieldwork site even though they were vastly different. For example, I was able to use many experiences from my psychosocial rotation during my rotation at the burn center whether it was while treating patients with psychiatric diagnosis or using motivational interviewing. Below is a comment made by my fieldwork educator at the Firefighters Burn Center on the Final Fieldwork Performance Evaluation:
"She often takes our more "challenging" patients and is able to blend all of her knowledge together in order to treat the whole person, not just their physical injury." -Tess G., OTR/L
4. Applies the domain of occupational therapy in gathering, evaluating, setting goals, planning and implementing occupational therapy.
By nature, occupational therapy is holistic. In order to treat clients holistically, one must be able to apply the whole domain as it is applicable to gather information throughout the occupational therapy process. Using as holistic approach ensures that clients are treated as an individual rather than a diagnosis or statistic. Below is a comment made by my fieldwork educator during my final performance evaluation at Regional One Health - Firefighters Burn Center:
"She had exceeded expectations in the second of her fieldwork, taking information gained in the evaluation process and applying it not only to treatment sessions, but to the patient's discharge planning as well. For example, in the burn center, we recently had a patient with autism. Morgan took her knowledge of autism spectrum disorders and applied it to the evaluation process, making her treatment sessions effective and appropriate. I have been very impressed at the growth she has made in this category." -Tess G., OTR/L
By nature, occupational therapy is holistic. In order to treat clients holistically, one must be able to apply the whole domain as it is applicable to gather information throughout the occupational therapy process. Using as holistic approach ensures that clients are treated as an individual rather than a diagnosis or statistic. Below is a comment made by my fieldwork educator during my final performance evaluation at Regional One Health - Firefighters Burn Center:
"She had exceeded expectations in the second of her fieldwork, taking information gained in the evaluation process and applying it not only to treatment sessions, but to the patient's discharge planning as well. For example, in the burn center, we recently had a patient with autism. Morgan took her knowledge of autism spectrum disorders and applied it to the evaluation process, making her treatment sessions effective and appropriate. I have been very impressed at the growth she has made in this category." -Tess G., OTR/L
5. Contributes to the knowledge base of OT practice by mentoring students, performing research, publishing, presenting and/or teaching.
It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks involved in being a practitioner and forget to contribute to the knowledge base of OT which can be done in various ways. For instance, one can contribute to the evidence base by doing research, or one can participate in journal clubs to discuss current evidence. Additionally, practitioners can invest in the knowledge of the "next generation" of OTs. I can't begin to describe how thankful I am for those who have invested in my learning! Continued contribution and investment in the knowledge base of OT ensures that OT continues to evolve and remain relevant as a healthcare profession.
In order to promote evidence based practice on my rotation at Regional One Health - Firefighter Burn Center, I had the opportunity to do an inservice about fatigue following burn injury. The burn center rehab staff (PT, OT, rehab techs, and administrative staff) attended the inservice which focused on the cause of fatigue after a burn injury and intervention strategies. The handout I created can be viewed to the right.
It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks involved in being a practitioner and forget to contribute to the knowledge base of OT which can be done in various ways. For instance, one can contribute to the evidence base by doing research, or one can participate in journal clubs to discuss current evidence. Additionally, practitioners can invest in the knowledge of the "next generation" of OTs. I can't begin to describe how thankful I am for those who have invested in my learning! Continued contribution and investment in the knowledge base of OT ensures that OT continues to evolve and remain relevant as a healthcare profession.
In order to promote evidence based practice on my rotation at Regional One Health - Firefighter Burn Center, I had the opportunity to do an inservice about fatigue following burn injury. The burn center rehab staff (PT, OT, rehab techs, and administrative staff) attended the inservice which focused on the cause of fatigue after a burn injury and intervention strategies. The handout I created can be viewed to the right.
6. Incorporates continued education as a lifelong practice with the commitment to remain up-to-date and well-informed.
Throughout each of my fieldwork rotations, I've been able to discuss various continuing education courses with my fieldwork educators. Each educator valued life-long learning and had an abundance of resources. I enjoyed reading through the materials and to discuss how each course they have attended has influenced they're practice. Looking forward to my career as a practitioner, I cannot wait for the continued opportunities to learn from those around me as well as while attending continuing education courses. Continued education is a privilege as well as a responsibility to the field and consumers.
Throughout each of my fieldwork rotations, I've been able to discuss various continuing education courses with my fieldwork educators. Each educator valued life-long learning and had an abundance of resources. I enjoyed reading through the materials and to discuss how each course they have attended has influenced they're practice. Looking forward to my career as a practitioner, I cannot wait for the continued opportunities to learn from those around me as well as while attending continuing education courses. Continued education is a privilege as well as a responsibility to the field and consumers.