1. Appreciates the influence of socio-cultural, socioeconomic, political, diversity factors, and lifestyle choices on engagement in occupation throughout the lifespan.
In order to truly empower an individual and treat them holistically it's important to consider all that goes into their lives. Each person has a history and a story which factor into who they are as an individual. As an occupational therapist I need to understand the factors that go into who the individual is (i.e. socio-cultural, socioeconomic, political, etc.) It is not my job to judge or try to influence those factors but rather acknowledge them and empower the individual to live they life they choose to lead.
To the right is a blackboard post from my inpatient psychiatric rotation in Fairbanks, Alaska. During this rotation many of the clients came from different cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic status, with differing belief and value systems. This post is a reflection of how I was intentional and appreciated the diversity of each individual I came in contact with. This was especially important because most of my interventions were in the form of groups.
2. Communicates effectively with a wide range of clients, peers, and professionals both verbally and non-verbally.
In most aspects of life communication is critical. This is especially true when working with people, not just co-workers but also in the healthcare field. Throughout all of my fieldwork rotations, I've had opportunities to refine my communication skills with various individuals including doctors, rehab staff, other students, clients, caregivers and families. The post above is a reflection on the daily treatment team meetings during my inpatient psychiatric rotation. The treatment team included psychiatrists, social workers, nurse manager and a representative from the business office. During these daily meetings, I was able to communicate how individuals were progressing during their admission from on OT standpoint. More importantly, I was able to learn from other professionals to help inform and influence my group topics and individual treatments.
In order to truly empower an individual and treat them holistically it's important to consider all that goes into their lives. Each person has a history and a story which factor into who they are as an individual. As an occupational therapist I need to understand the factors that go into who the individual is (i.e. socio-cultural, socioeconomic, political, etc.) It is not my job to judge or try to influence those factors but rather acknowledge them and empower the individual to live they life they choose to lead.
To the right is a blackboard post from my inpatient psychiatric rotation in Fairbanks, Alaska. During this rotation many of the clients came from different cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic status, with differing belief and value systems. This post is a reflection of how I was intentional and appreciated the diversity of each individual I came in contact with. This was especially important because most of my interventions were in the form of groups.
2. Communicates effectively with a wide range of clients, peers, and professionals both verbally and non-verbally.
In most aspects of life communication is critical. This is especially true when working with people, not just co-workers but also in the healthcare field. Throughout all of my fieldwork rotations, I've had opportunities to refine my communication skills with various individuals including doctors, rehab staff, other students, clients, caregivers and families. The post above is a reflection on the daily treatment team meetings during my inpatient psychiatric rotation. The treatment team included psychiatrists, social workers, nurse manager and a representative from the business office. During these daily meetings, I was able to communicate how individuals were progressing during their admission from on OT standpoint. More importantly, I was able to learn from other professionals to help inform and influence my group topics and individual treatments.
3. Collaborates with clients and caregivers in establishing and maintaining a balance of pleasurable, productive, and restful occupations to promote health and prevent disease and disability.
Maintaining the ability to engage in occupations throughout the life span is a key factor in promoting health and prevent disease and disability. In my experience, it can be difficult for individuals with certain barriers (physical, cognitive, emotional, etc.) to engage in desirable occupations for various reasons. As an occupational therapist, I hope to inspire individuals to continue engagement in a balance of occupations and to ensure they are aware of what is available to them wether it is access or knowledge. During my rotation in inpatient psych collaborating with individuals to determine healthy leisure activities was a priority. Often times identifying a healthy leisure activity was done to encourage using the leisure activity as a positive coping skill. Additionally, during my rotation at Le Bonheur outpatient pediatrics I've had the opportunity to collaborate with a teenager and his parents to identify leisure activities that the individual could be successful in and continue to do outside of therapy as a means to promote health. The teenager has cerebral palsy and global developmental delay affecting executive functioning as well as fine motor skills. During each session, in addition to our other therapy goals, we attempt a new activity wether a craft, puzzle, outdoor activity, etc to determine if it is something the patient enjoys and then collaborate with the family to determine how they could adapt/implement the activity at home.
Maintaining the ability to engage in occupations throughout the life span is a key factor in promoting health and prevent disease and disability. In my experience, it can be difficult for individuals with certain barriers (physical, cognitive, emotional, etc.) to engage in desirable occupations for various reasons. As an occupational therapist, I hope to inspire individuals to continue engagement in a balance of occupations and to ensure they are aware of what is available to them wether it is access or knowledge. During my rotation in inpatient psych collaborating with individuals to determine healthy leisure activities was a priority. Often times identifying a healthy leisure activity was done to encourage using the leisure activity as a positive coping skill. Additionally, during my rotation at Le Bonheur outpatient pediatrics I've had the opportunity to collaborate with a teenager and his parents to identify leisure activities that the individual could be successful in and continue to do outside of therapy as a means to promote health. The teenager has cerebral palsy and global developmental delay affecting executive functioning as well as fine motor skills. During each session, in addition to our other therapy goals, we attempt a new activity wether a craft, puzzle, outdoor activity, etc to determine if it is something the patient enjoys and then collaborate with the family to determine how they could adapt/implement the activity at home.
4. Inspires confidence in clients and team members.
Throughout my fieldwork rotations, I've had the opportunity to teach several clients rote skills. However, individuals must also have the confidence to implement the skills, and therefore instilling confidence should also be a focus of interventions. This was especially true during my psychiatric rotation where teaching coping skills was a priority. If an individual does not have the confidence to use the positive coping strategies they've learned, they will be unable to implement them. Same goes for team members, if a team member learns a new skill or treatment technique but is not confident in implementing it, then no clients will be able to benefit from it.
For this objective, I chose a Blackboard post where I was able to work individually with a young client on decision making and assertive communication. She was generally very passive and struggled with any type of confrontation. The patient was admitted after driving her car into a tree as a means of self-harm. After a few sessions, she had a family meeting with her social worker and mother where she reportedly spoke very assertively and respectfully to her mother stating that she needed to move out in order to keep their relationship stable and that she had decided which college she was going to. For this individual, having made the decision was a big step for her because she had been unable to do so for several weeks. Then to have an assertive conversation with her mother was another big accomplishment for her! Her improvement in confidence and use of coping strategies was an inspiration for myself and staff!
Throughout my fieldwork rotations, I've had the opportunity to teach several clients rote skills. However, individuals must also have the confidence to implement the skills, and therefore instilling confidence should also be a focus of interventions. This was especially true during my psychiatric rotation where teaching coping skills was a priority. If an individual does not have the confidence to use the positive coping strategies they've learned, they will be unable to implement them. Same goes for team members, if a team member learns a new skill or treatment technique but is not confident in implementing it, then no clients will be able to benefit from it.
For this objective, I chose a Blackboard post where I was able to work individually with a young client on decision making and assertive communication. She was generally very passive and struggled with any type of confrontation. The patient was admitted after driving her car into a tree as a means of self-harm. After a few sessions, she had a family meeting with her social worker and mother where she reportedly spoke very assertively and respectfully to her mother stating that she needed to move out in order to keep their relationship stable and that she had decided which college she was going to. For this individual, having made the decision was a big step for her because she had been unable to do so for several weeks. Then to have an assertive conversation with her mother was another big accomplishment for her! Her improvement in confidence and use of coping strategies was an inspiration for myself and staff!
5. Considers client motivation when using occupation based intervention to
maximize functional independence.
Rehab can be quite monotonous and repetitive if we, as occupational therapists, do not collaborate with patients and families to find interventions that are motivating and enjoyable. Additionally, evidence has shown that when interventions are occupation based and done in context, the ability to generalize the skill increases. This some something I particularly focused on during my time at Regional One Health - Firefighters Burn Center. Due to the nature of burn injury, patients often require days or weeks of preparatory methods such as soft-tissue elongation and strengthening before a patient had enough active motion or strength to participate in occupation-based interventions. Therefore, when a patient was able, it was my goal to work with the patient to identify an activity that would meet the goal of the treatment session but also client-centered and occupation-based. Below are comments from my fieldwork educator (FWE), Tess Geib, OTR/L on the Midterm Fieldwork Performance Evaluation at Regional One Health - Firefighter Burn center.
maximize functional independence.
Rehab can be quite monotonous and repetitive if we, as occupational therapists, do not collaborate with patients and families to find interventions that are motivating and enjoyable. Additionally, evidence has shown that when interventions are occupation based and done in context, the ability to generalize the skill increases. This some something I particularly focused on during my time at Regional One Health - Firefighters Burn Center. Due to the nature of burn injury, patients often require days or weeks of preparatory methods such as soft-tissue elongation and strengthening before a patient had enough active motion or strength to participate in occupation-based interventions. Therefore, when a patient was able, it was my goal to work with the patient to identify an activity that would meet the goal of the treatment session but also client-centered and occupation-based. Below are comments from my fieldwork educator (FWE), Tess Geib, OTR/L on the Midterm Fieldwork Performance Evaluation at Regional One Health - Firefighter Burn center.
6. Applies theory regarding the therapeutic use of occupation and adaptation to screen and evaluate, plan, and implement intervention, while establishing and maintaining a therapeutic relationship with the client.
Applying theory throughout the occupational therapy process is an area of practice in which I have tried to be intentional about. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day work and forget the "why" behind what is being done. An example of when I used a theory out of the "norm" is when a teenager with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and developmental delay was admitted to the burn center. Frequently at the burn center, Biomechanical and Rehabilitative frames of reference are used with the PEO Model of Practice. However, with this particular patient I had to use my previous experience and knowledge of ASD and developmental delay in order to adapt the evaluation and intervention process in order to ensure the patient still treated effectively and appropriately. The mother reported that the patient had additional sensory processing needs and therefore following collaboration with her and use of the Sensory Integration Frame of Reference, the patient was provided a weighted-blanket to be used for calming during dressing changes and soft-tissue elongation which can be quite uncomfortable.
Below is a comment made by my FWE 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 disorder 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
Applying theory throughout the occupational therapy process is an area of practice in which I have tried to be intentional about. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day work and forget the "why" behind what is being done. An example of when I used a theory out of the "norm" is when a teenager with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and developmental delay was admitted to the burn center. Frequently at the burn center, Biomechanical and Rehabilitative frames of reference are used with the PEO Model of Practice. However, with this particular patient I had to use my previous experience and knowledge of ASD and developmental delay in order to adapt the evaluation and intervention process in order to ensure the patient still treated effectively and appropriately. The mother reported that the patient had additional sensory processing needs and therefore following collaboration with her and use of the Sensory Integration Frame of Reference, the patient was provided a weighted-blanket to be used for calming during dressing changes and soft-tissue elongation which can be quite uncomfortable.
Below is a comment made by my FWE 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 disorder 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