WEEK 1
INPATIENT REHABILITATION
Inpatient rehabilitation is a branch of OT which typically deals with patients that have some type of neurological or orthopedic deficit. Stroke patients typically are treated from around two weeks to a month while orthopedic patients usually remain in therapy from 10 to 14 days. A typical day in inpatient rehabilitation likely would consist of grooming, dressing, feeding, and many other occupation-based activities. The OT, Hector, states that he really enjoys working with patients who have brain injuries, because they provide the biggest challenge for him and this is where he has to be the most creative.
I can completely relate to Hector’s desire to constantly be challenged and be creative. I have this same type of personality and desire to be challenged, which is largely why I chose biology as my undergraduate major due to many of the classes being very difficult. It is my goal to carry this creativity and desire to be challenged into my career as an OT. During one of my shadowing experiences, I shadowed an OT who worked extremely hard at her job every single day. She constantly challenged herself to be as creative as possible in developing treatment plans for her patients. Not surprisingly, her patients really loved and respected her, and seemed to work really hard for her in therapy. This shadowing experience, along with hearing the interview by Hector have made be truly believe that the more creative I am as a therapist and the harder I work, the more rewarding my career will be.
INPATIENT ACUTE CARE
Inpatient acute care is a branch of occupational therapy where the therapist works with patients that have suffered from sudden and severe trauma. The patients likely have experienced a sharp decline in both their physical and mental health due to some major traumatic event such as a car wreck, heart attack, or stroke. The primary role of an inpatient acute OT is to examine the extent to which patients are capable of performing daily tasks such as using the toilet and safely getting in and out of rooms. These OTs must be extremely flexible and be able to adapt to the personalities of people of all different ages, as traumatic events are not dependent on age. This branch of OT is one that I had no shadowing experience in, but this interview has shown what a rewarding career that inpatient acute OT would be.
Christy’s statement about what separates PT from OT was perhaps the best explanation I have ever heard concerning the difference between the two professions. She said that when patients ask what separates her from a PT, she says that her job as an OT is to make sure people are able to do what they want to do once they are up and moving. Since I first decided to pursue a career in OT around three years ago, I have been asked by nearly everyone--friends, family, classmates, people from church--what it is I will be doing. I have always said that I will be similar to a PT, but the philosophy is slightly different. After hearing this interview, I now can briefly yet effectively describe the difference between the two professions without the look of severe confusion.
WEEK 2
COTA
An occupational therapy assistant (COTA) provides many of the same services and treatments to patients as an OTR; however the COTA must work under the supervision of the OTR. The main job of the COTA is to execute the treatment plan that was designed by the supervising OTR on a day-to-day basis. Although the COTA and OTR collaborate with each other in addition to the client, the COTA usually has no involvement in the evaluations. With this being said the COTA must be knowledgeable about the results of the evaluations and develop day-to-day therapies for the clients based on their personal needs that will help achieve the goals that were put into place by the OTR.
After hearing the interview by Joan, I was surprised by the large role that she plays in providing treatment to the clients. I was completely unaware that the COTA and supervising OTR do not actually have to be located in the same building, although they are required to meet a certain number of times per month to discuss client progress. One thing that Joan said which stood out to me was that many patients with developmental disabilities find their own identity through exercising. I believe that this branch of OT that she works in would be extremely rewarding because it would provide the opportunity to give people with mental retardation something to look forward to and allow them to develop a sense of "who they are" through exercise or other meaningful occupations.
SCHOOL-BASED
OTs who work in school-based settings seek to help children who have some type of physical or cognitive disability to be able to function independently in both academic and non-academic settings such as behavior management, recess, and participation in sports or other extra-curricular activities. As stated by Andrew, many of the children receiving OT in a school setting have neuro-muscular disorders such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida. I have had no shadowing experience in a school-based setting, so I was very unfamiliar with this area of OT. I had always assumed that the goal of the therapy was focused solely on being able to improve functioning in an academic setting, so I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that the therapy is targeted to improve the quality of life for a child outside of the classroom as well.
This idea of improving a child's life outside of academia fits perfectly to what Andrew said about his reason for pursuing a career in OT. He said that he loved working with children, and was debating on getting a master's degree in special education or OT. He ended up choosing OT because it helps improve the life of the person as "a whole," rather than just being more focused on improving academic performance. While being able to perform academically is without question extremely important in life, it is far from being the most important thing in my opinion. Establishing social relationships, living an active healthy lifestyle, and being able to function independently and engage in meaningful occupations is far more important in life than academic performance. School-based OT practice really does target the child as a whole, and allows him or her to be able to better function both in and out of the classroom
SENSORY-BASED
Sensory-based OT is a branch of occupational therapy where the therapist typically works with children who have difficulties with vestibular processing (knowing where their body is in space) and proprioception. Many of the children also have problems with fine motor movements. Karen stated that the therapy typically consists of "heavy work activity" such as pushing or pulling heavy objects and often jumping exercises are used. In addition, she stated that obstacle courses are set up for children to improve proprioceptive skills. One thing Karen stated that stood out to me was that her professional identity is still being formed. This shows just how diverse the field of OT is and how actually getting out into clinical practice can alter how one identifies themselves professionally. Although I am just starting my first semester of the MOT program, I have felt that I have a good idea of what my professional identity will be once I am a practicing occupational therapist. However, this interview has made me realize that my professional identity always has the potential to change and is not "set in stone."
WEEK 3
MANAGEMENT
Managers in rehabilitation settings are responsible for the recruitment of OTs, PTs, speech pathologists, as well as many other employees in similar professions. They must assess the competence of the professionals that they hire, both initially and annually through developing ongoing competencies based on the way that the different professions evolve and progress. Many of the personality traits required for a management position are also some of "stereotypical" traits of OTs such as creativity, energy, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. Many people who work in management positions such as Dave are also involved in designing the rehab settings, as he stated that he helped designed a model garage at a clinic that had lawnmowers, fishing poles, and golf clubs.
One thing that Dave said that stood out to me was that he has never lost his passion to directly help and interact with patients despite taking the position in management. He said that he initially did not plan on becoming a manager, and loved working with patients with neurological disorders. Still today, he takes advantage of every opportunity to actually work with patients when the OTs are off work or on vacation. It was also inspiring that said if you are energetic, passionate, and professional in your work as an OT, management opportunities will come your way.
ACADEMIA
It is expected that there will continue to be an increased demand for OTs to take roles in academic positions as the profession continues to grow and new programs continue to develop around the country. Transitioning from a clinical setting to an academic setting can be challenging for many OTs. It is suggested that one should start small such as applying for an adjunct position rather than full-time starting out and be prepared to balance the responsibilities of academia with one's personal life. Although I do not think a career in academia would best suit me, I can completely relate to Jane’s desire to further her education in order to learn as much as possible and become the best OT that she could be. I have also always been the type of person who wants to be as knowledgeable as possible in anything that I am doing, whether it is academic or non-academic work.
Listening to the interview with Jane made me further appreciate just what a collaborative career OT is. Not only do OTs have to have great interpersonal skills to work with their clients, their OTAs, and other professionals such as PTs, but in academic settings in particular they often get to collaborate with engineers in designing assistive devices as Jane does. I really look forward to this aspect of my career in OT--being able to interact with so many different people who I can learn from which will ultimately help me become a better all-around therapist.
MOBILITY AND POSITIONING
Occupational therapists who work in mobility and positioning often work with clients who have had strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or other neuromuscular disorders such as ALS, MS, or muscular dystrophy. They are responsible for evaluating the client and determining what type of assistive devices and equipment such as wheelchairs will be needed in the home to allow the client to be able to function as independently as possible. The OT will often go into the home to rearrange rooms and install devices that will allow ADLs to be possible for the client. Theresa stated that computers are very important to have in the homes of clients. They provide a means for individuals to be able to order products online rather than having to go to a retail store in addition to providing entertainment through movies, games, and social networking.
Theresa said that to be a successful OT in mobility and positioning, you must enjoy working with gadgets which would require you to be somewhat mechanically-minded. She said that in order to earn respect, the OTs must be willing to participate in the assembly of different devices. They may have to use a wrench to tighten nuts on a wheelchair or install shelves or railing in a client's home. I feel that mobility and positioning would be a very enjoyable branch of OT to work in. I have always liked working with my hands and I would enjoy the challenge of getting to go into clients' homes and help make them better suited for the client to be able to function independently.
WEEK 4
LIFESTYLE REDESIGN
Occupational therapists who work in lifestyle redesign treat patients who have chronic illnesses in order to help change daily activities and routines in order to promote health and wellness. One of the main goals of the therapy is to allow the clients to do occupational self analysis, which encourages them to carefully dissect how they spend their time, and it helps them to see the benefits of occupation for themselves. According to Camille, a typical treatment session is very conversational; the therapist and client talk about what the client wants to achieve and what are some of the barriers in the way. Ultimately the patient has to change his or her actions during the week following the treatment session.
It was brought up that lifestyle redesign could potentially be confused with counseling or some other form of psychotherapy. Camille stated that lifestyle redesign OT is different from psychotherapy because it does not dig into the past as would be done in Freudian psychoanalysis but instead it only focuses on the present and the future. Camille also stated that one crucial personality trait of OTs is that they must love people. I continue to realize more and more each day just how much of an interpersonal person that I am, so this was a very encouraging statement for me personally.
CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH
Occupational therapists who work in a children's mental health setting typically see children who come from very unstable home environments and have disorders such as ADHD, PTSD, oppositional defiant disorder, and a variety of mood disorders. Most of the children do not receive care from their biological parents, which could be from a variety of reasons including neglect, incarceration, or death. OTs in a children's mental health setting want to adapt the children's home and school environments to help them complete daily tasks and have more engagement in social activities such as sports and clubs. As stated by the AOTA, having good behavior and social interaction skills is more likely to result in successful outcomes rather than just having strong academic skills.
Working in children's mental health seems like it would be slightly more stressful and demanding than many other areas of OT. Lindy said that a big key in working in this field is to never take yourself too seriously and always be good-natured and have a good sense of humor. Although the job would require a great deal of patience, it would be extremely rewarding knowing that you have helped children who have poor home lives and have a variety of psychological disorders. I have always found mental illnesses and disorders to be fascinating, so I believe I would really enjoy working in this area of OT.
OUTPATIENT REHAB
I thought it was very interesting to hear from Sharon, an OSU MOT student who is in the process of completing her level 2 fieldwork in an outpatient setting at the Martha Morehouse outpatient rehabilitation clinic. The interview gave a different perspective on OT coming from someone who is still a student and not yet practicing on her own. Sharon is doing neuro rehab and working with patients who have had traumatic brain injury, stroke, as well as neuromuscular conditions such as MS and ALS. Her patients have already underwent OT therapy at some inpatient setting, so most are pretty familiar with the practice of OT. She evaluates their strength, range of motion, and current functional levels with the goal of returning the patients to work, driving, and normal ADLs.
Sharon also provided some comic relief that was very important advice for myself being a first year student. She said that we should not worry about making mistakes because everyone is going to make them at some point and that is how the learning process occurs. She also stated everyone is going to feel "stupid" when starting clinicals simply because we will be seeing and doing completely new things. The interview reminded me just how important it is to be patient and not overreact when I make a mistake during the beginning my clinicals but instead learn from the mistakes and move on.
WEEK 5
ADVOCACY
I have been involved in the political process for the past five years. I was able to vote for the first time in the 2008 presidential election during my senior year of high school, and have voted every November since then. While truthfully I have a very limited interest in politics, I have voted every year because I feel that it is my duty as an American citizen. Not everyone in the world has the privilege to play a part in electing their leaders, so I feel that I should take full advantage of the U.S. democracy.
While I do not see myself being an advocate at the state or national level like Monica has been, I think it is important to volunteer at a district level as she discussed and get involved in anyway possible, regardless of how small it is. I think what motivates her and what will motivate me to get involved is simply just taking pride in the profession. OTs have seen the nearly endless benefits that the practice gives to patients, so they know how important OT is for the future and for the health and well-being of Americans. It is crucial that new legislation and healthcare policies keep OT in the picture.
I thought it was interesting how Monica pointed out the specific ways that she interacts with legislators when advocating for the profession. She said that she introduces herself and her title, and that she always says that she is an occupational therapist rather than saying she is an OT. Another important thing she pointed out was that she never asks them if they know what OT is. Prior to listening to this interview, I really had not considered how "delicate" the process of advocating has to be at times.
DRIVER REHAB
I had never heard of driver rehabilitation prior to listening to this interview and reading the articles about this branch of OT. I think that it is a fascinating field, because being able to drive is something that almost everyone wants and needs to be able to do in order to live the lifestyle that they want to live. According to Meredith, many of the clients who undergo driver rehabilitation are stroke victims, have suffered traumatic brain injury, or have disorders such as Asperger's Syndrome. To be able to practice in this branch of OT, one must receive additional training in addition to their OT curriculum. Meredith is a Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS) which she must re-apply for every three years to become re-certified. In addition, she is a Certified Driving Instructor (CDI), which is earned from the Ohio Department of Public Safety and allows her to instruct teenagers with a disability who have their learner's permit.
While I think that driver rehabilitation is an amazing branch of OT, it would not be a job that I would be able to do. I simply do not feel comfortable riding in a car unless I, or someone who I know well, is driving it. Meredith said that the main personality trait required for this job is patience. In addition, I think that these OTs would have to be able to tolerate a lot of stress. I have the highest respect for Meredith and other OTs who work in driver rehabilitation because it would be such a stressful job, yet being able to drive is incredibly important for everyone. I could not imagine not being able to drive, so I think that driver rehabilitation would be incredibly rewarding for these OTs who have helped someone with a disability be able to drive.
HAND THERAPY
Certified hand therapists (CHTs) work with patients who have limited functioning and mobility in the hand and arm due to orthopedic problems. They see trauma patients who may have had hand fractures, tendon repairs, or skin grafting as well as cumulative trauma patients who have conditions such as tendonitis. While hand therapy is often thought of as being very scientifically based because examines and treats biomechanical problems, it also uses a client-centered approach that addresses what activities are important and meaningful to the clients.
Sharon, a CHT, described perfectly just how OT can really change a person's life. She referred to herself as being a "mother bear" for the profession--she defends OT and will not tolerate other people putting the profession down. She tells her students that "If you could package the power of occupation in a pill, it would be the most popular prescription. OT engages people back into life." This statement made me think more deeply about how OT really is a medicine. While OTs do not prescribe pills, the therapy that they provide to patients can often heal patients to a greater extent than what surgery or a drug can do.
COMPARISON BETWEEN INITIAL AND FINAL 'OT IS' ESSAYS
I believe that my final 'Occupational Therapy Is' essay is much more sophisticated than my initial one. I now have a much better understanding of what the goals are of occupational therapy as well as what it is that occupational therapists do through listening to the weekly interviews. In my final essay I used a lot more OT terminology than I did in my initial one such as "ADLs", "meaningful occupations", and "client-centered" practice. Thinking back to the first day of class this summer, I really had a very minimal understanding of what OT is, despite shadowing in two different settings the past year and applying to all the different OT programs that I did. When people asked me what OT was, I often described it to them as "PT for the upper body." While that is not always completely false, it is an extremely poor definition of what OT is and really does not make much of a distinction from PT. I now would describe OT as "a healthcare field that treats individuals with a disability or illness with the goal of allowing them to function independently, complete day-to-day activities, and engage in occupations that are meaningful to them." In my final essay, I also discuss the importance of having a strong background in the natural and social sciences for a career in OT, which is something I did not do in my initial essay. I now can fully understand the importance and the application of the pre-requisite courses for this program that I took as an undergrad. When I stop and think about it, it is amazing just how much my understanding of and appreciation for occupational therapy has grown just in the past two months. I feel like this shows in final essay when compared to the initial one.
ARTIFACT REFLECTION
For my OT artifact, I chose to write a poem about what OT means to me. I tried to incorporate into the poem the basics of what it is that OTs do, personality traits that OTs should have, and the ultimate goals of therapy. I chose to write a poem, because I thought that would give me the greatest chance to be able to express what little creativity I actually have. I am not someone who is great with technology, so I didn't think a video would be the best option. I have had some experience writing poetry during my undergraduate studies. I took two English courses, a basic writing course as well as an American literature course and had several poetry assignments in each. I think that this really helped me out in writing this poem about OT. I also tried to incorporate a little bit of humor into my poem. I thought that everyone would appreciate an anatomy "shout out" in the poem since the class has basically consumed our lives for the past two months. Overall I think my poem turned out pretty well. I feel like it expressed my views about OT and the love I have for the profession.
INPATIENT REHABILITATION
Inpatient rehabilitation is a branch of OT which typically deals with patients that have some type of neurological or orthopedic deficit. Stroke patients typically are treated from around two weeks to a month while orthopedic patients usually remain in therapy from 10 to 14 days. A typical day in inpatient rehabilitation likely would consist of grooming, dressing, feeding, and many other occupation-based activities. The OT, Hector, states that he really enjoys working with patients who have brain injuries, because they provide the biggest challenge for him and this is where he has to be the most creative.
I can completely relate to Hector’s desire to constantly be challenged and be creative. I have this same type of personality and desire to be challenged, which is largely why I chose biology as my undergraduate major due to many of the classes being very difficult. It is my goal to carry this creativity and desire to be challenged into my career as an OT. During one of my shadowing experiences, I shadowed an OT who worked extremely hard at her job every single day. She constantly challenged herself to be as creative as possible in developing treatment plans for her patients. Not surprisingly, her patients really loved and respected her, and seemed to work really hard for her in therapy. This shadowing experience, along with hearing the interview by Hector have made be truly believe that the more creative I am as a therapist and the harder I work, the more rewarding my career will be.
INPATIENT ACUTE CARE
Inpatient acute care is a branch of occupational therapy where the therapist works with patients that have suffered from sudden and severe trauma. The patients likely have experienced a sharp decline in both their physical and mental health due to some major traumatic event such as a car wreck, heart attack, or stroke. The primary role of an inpatient acute OT is to examine the extent to which patients are capable of performing daily tasks such as using the toilet and safely getting in and out of rooms. These OTs must be extremely flexible and be able to adapt to the personalities of people of all different ages, as traumatic events are not dependent on age. This branch of OT is one that I had no shadowing experience in, but this interview has shown what a rewarding career that inpatient acute OT would be.
Christy’s statement about what separates PT from OT was perhaps the best explanation I have ever heard concerning the difference between the two professions. She said that when patients ask what separates her from a PT, she says that her job as an OT is to make sure people are able to do what they want to do once they are up and moving. Since I first decided to pursue a career in OT around three years ago, I have been asked by nearly everyone--friends, family, classmates, people from church--what it is I will be doing. I have always said that I will be similar to a PT, but the philosophy is slightly different. After hearing this interview, I now can briefly yet effectively describe the difference between the two professions without the look of severe confusion.
WEEK 2
COTA
An occupational therapy assistant (COTA) provides many of the same services and treatments to patients as an OTR; however the COTA must work under the supervision of the OTR. The main job of the COTA is to execute the treatment plan that was designed by the supervising OTR on a day-to-day basis. Although the COTA and OTR collaborate with each other in addition to the client, the COTA usually has no involvement in the evaluations. With this being said the COTA must be knowledgeable about the results of the evaluations and develop day-to-day therapies for the clients based on their personal needs that will help achieve the goals that were put into place by the OTR.
After hearing the interview by Joan, I was surprised by the large role that she plays in providing treatment to the clients. I was completely unaware that the COTA and supervising OTR do not actually have to be located in the same building, although they are required to meet a certain number of times per month to discuss client progress. One thing that Joan said which stood out to me was that many patients with developmental disabilities find their own identity through exercising. I believe that this branch of OT that she works in would be extremely rewarding because it would provide the opportunity to give people with mental retardation something to look forward to and allow them to develop a sense of "who they are" through exercise or other meaningful occupations.
SCHOOL-BASED
OTs who work in school-based settings seek to help children who have some type of physical or cognitive disability to be able to function independently in both academic and non-academic settings such as behavior management, recess, and participation in sports or other extra-curricular activities. As stated by Andrew, many of the children receiving OT in a school setting have neuro-muscular disorders such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida. I have had no shadowing experience in a school-based setting, so I was very unfamiliar with this area of OT. I had always assumed that the goal of the therapy was focused solely on being able to improve functioning in an academic setting, so I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that the therapy is targeted to improve the quality of life for a child outside of the classroom as well.
This idea of improving a child's life outside of academia fits perfectly to what Andrew said about his reason for pursuing a career in OT. He said that he loved working with children, and was debating on getting a master's degree in special education or OT. He ended up choosing OT because it helps improve the life of the person as "a whole," rather than just being more focused on improving academic performance. While being able to perform academically is without question extremely important in life, it is far from being the most important thing in my opinion. Establishing social relationships, living an active healthy lifestyle, and being able to function independently and engage in meaningful occupations is far more important in life than academic performance. School-based OT practice really does target the child as a whole, and allows him or her to be able to better function both in and out of the classroom
SENSORY-BASED
Sensory-based OT is a branch of occupational therapy where the therapist typically works with children who have difficulties with vestibular processing (knowing where their body is in space) and proprioception. Many of the children also have problems with fine motor movements. Karen stated that the therapy typically consists of "heavy work activity" such as pushing or pulling heavy objects and often jumping exercises are used. In addition, she stated that obstacle courses are set up for children to improve proprioceptive skills. One thing Karen stated that stood out to me was that her professional identity is still being formed. This shows just how diverse the field of OT is and how actually getting out into clinical practice can alter how one identifies themselves professionally. Although I am just starting my first semester of the MOT program, I have felt that I have a good idea of what my professional identity will be once I am a practicing occupational therapist. However, this interview has made me realize that my professional identity always has the potential to change and is not "set in stone."
WEEK 3
MANAGEMENT
Managers in rehabilitation settings are responsible for the recruitment of OTs, PTs, speech pathologists, as well as many other employees in similar professions. They must assess the competence of the professionals that they hire, both initially and annually through developing ongoing competencies based on the way that the different professions evolve and progress. Many of the personality traits required for a management position are also some of "stereotypical" traits of OTs such as creativity, energy, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. Many people who work in management positions such as Dave are also involved in designing the rehab settings, as he stated that he helped designed a model garage at a clinic that had lawnmowers, fishing poles, and golf clubs.
One thing that Dave said that stood out to me was that he has never lost his passion to directly help and interact with patients despite taking the position in management. He said that he initially did not plan on becoming a manager, and loved working with patients with neurological disorders. Still today, he takes advantage of every opportunity to actually work with patients when the OTs are off work or on vacation. It was also inspiring that said if you are energetic, passionate, and professional in your work as an OT, management opportunities will come your way.
ACADEMIA
It is expected that there will continue to be an increased demand for OTs to take roles in academic positions as the profession continues to grow and new programs continue to develop around the country. Transitioning from a clinical setting to an academic setting can be challenging for many OTs. It is suggested that one should start small such as applying for an adjunct position rather than full-time starting out and be prepared to balance the responsibilities of academia with one's personal life. Although I do not think a career in academia would best suit me, I can completely relate to Jane’s desire to further her education in order to learn as much as possible and become the best OT that she could be. I have also always been the type of person who wants to be as knowledgeable as possible in anything that I am doing, whether it is academic or non-academic work.
Listening to the interview with Jane made me further appreciate just what a collaborative career OT is. Not only do OTs have to have great interpersonal skills to work with their clients, their OTAs, and other professionals such as PTs, but in academic settings in particular they often get to collaborate with engineers in designing assistive devices as Jane does. I really look forward to this aspect of my career in OT--being able to interact with so many different people who I can learn from which will ultimately help me become a better all-around therapist.
MOBILITY AND POSITIONING
Occupational therapists who work in mobility and positioning often work with clients who have had strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or other neuromuscular disorders such as ALS, MS, or muscular dystrophy. They are responsible for evaluating the client and determining what type of assistive devices and equipment such as wheelchairs will be needed in the home to allow the client to be able to function as independently as possible. The OT will often go into the home to rearrange rooms and install devices that will allow ADLs to be possible for the client. Theresa stated that computers are very important to have in the homes of clients. They provide a means for individuals to be able to order products online rather than having to go to a retail store in addition to providing entertainment through movies, games, and social networking.
Theresa said that to be a successful OT in mobility and positioning, you must enjoy working with gadgets which would require you to be somewhat mechanically-minded. She said that in order to earn respect, the OTs must be willing to participate in the assembly of different devices. They may have to use a wrench to tighten nuts on a wheelchair or install shelves or railing in a client's home. I feel that mobility and positioning would be a very enjoyable branch of OT to work in. I have always liked working with my hands and I would enjoy the challenge of getting to go into clients' homes and help make them better suited for the client to be able to function independently.
WEEK 4
LIFESTYLE REDESIGN
Occupational therapists who work in lifestyle redesign treat patients who have chronic illnesses in order to help change daily activities and routines in order to promote health and wellness. One of the main goals of the therapy is to allow the clients to do occupational self analysis, which encourages them to carefully dissect how they spend their time, and it helps them to see the benefits of occupation for themselves. According to Camille, a typical treatment session is very conversational; the therapist and client talk about what the client wants to achieve and what are some of the barriers in the way. Ultimately the patient has to change his or her actions during the week following the treatment session.
It was brought up that lifestyle redesign could potentially be confused with counseling or some other form of psychotherapy. Camille stated that lifestyle redesign OT is different from psychotherapy because it does not dig into the past as would be done in Freudian psychoanalysis but instead it only focuses on the present and the future. Camille also stated that one crucial personality trait of OTs is that they must love people. I continue to realize more and more each day just how much of an interpersonal person that I am, so this was a very encouraging statement for me personally.
CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH
Occupational therapists who work in a children's mental health setting typically see children who come from very unstable home environments and have disorders such as ADHD, PTSD, oppositional defiant disorder, and a variety of mood disorders. Most of the children do not receive care from their biological parents, which could be from a variety of reasons including neglect, incarceration, or death. OTs in a children's mental health setting want to adapt the children's home and school environments to help them complete daily tasks and have more engagement in social activities such as sports and clubs. As stated by the AOTA, having good behavior and social interaction skills is more likely to result in successful outcomes rather than just having strong academic skills.
Working in children's mental health seems like it would be slightly more stressful and demanding than many other areas of OT. Lindy said that a big key in working in this field is to never take yourself too seriously and always be good-natured and have a good sense of humor. Although the job would require a great deal of patience, it would be extremely rewarding knowing that you have helped children who have poor home lives and have a variety of psychological disorders. I have always found mental illnesses and disorders to be fascinating, so I believe I would really enjoy working in this area of OT.
OUTPATIENT REHAB
I thought it was very interesting to hear from Sharon, an OSU MOT student who is in the process of completing her level 2 fieldwork in an outpatient setting at the Martha Morehouse outpatient rehabilitation clinic. The interview gave a different perspective on OT coming from someone who is still a student and not yet practicing on her own. Sharon is doing neuro rehab and working with patients who have had traumatic brain injury, stroke, as well as neuromuscular conditions such as MS and ALS. Her patients have already underwent OT therapy at some inpatient setting, so most are pretty familiar with the practice of OT. She evaluates their strength, range of motion, and current functional levels with the goal of returning the patients to work, driving, and normal ADLs.
Sharon also provided some comic relief that was very important advice for myself being a first year student. She said that we should not worry about making mistakes because everyone is going to make them at some point and that is how the learning process occurs. She also stated everyone is going to feel "stupid" when starting clinicals simply because we will be seeing and doing completely new things. The interview reminded me just how important it is to be patient and not overreact when I make a mistake during the beginning my clinicals but instead learn from the mistakes and move on.
WEEK 5
ADVOCACY
I have been involved in the political process for the past five years. I was able to vote for the first time in the 2008 presidential election during my senior year of high school, and have voted every November since then. While truthfully I have a very limited interest in politics, I have voted every year because I feel that it is my duty as an American citizen. Not everyone in the world has the privilege to play a part in electing their leaders, so I feel that I should take full advantage of the U.S. democracy.
While I do not see myself being an advocate at the state or national level like Monica has been, I think it is important to volunteer at a district level as she discussed and get involved in anyway possible, regardless of how small it is. I think what motivates her and what will motivate me to get involved is simply just taking pride in the profession. OTs have seen the nearly endless benefits that the practice gives to patients, so they know how important OT is for the future and for the health and well-being of Americans. It is crucial that new legislation and healthcare policies keep OT in the picture.
I thought it was interesting how Monica pointed out the specific ways that she interacts with legislators when advocating for the profession. She said that she introduces herself and her title, and that she always says that she is an occupational therapist rather than saying she is an OT. Another important thing she pointed out was that she never asks them if they know what OT is. Prior to listening to this interview, I really had not considered how "delicate" the process of advocating has to be at times.
DRIVER REHAB
I had never heard of driver rehabilitation prior to listening to this interview and reading the articles about this branch of OT. I think that it is a fascinating field, because being able to drive is something that almost everyone wants and needs to be able to do in order to live the lifestyle that they want to live. According to Meredith, many of the clients who undergo driver rehabilitation are stroke victims, have suffered traumatic brain injury, or have disorders such as Asperger's Syndrome. To be able to practice in this branch of OT, one must receive additional training in addition to their OT curriculum. Meredith is a Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS) which she must re-apply for every three years to become re-certified. In addition, she is a Certified Driving Instructor (CDI), which is earned from the Ohio Department of Public Safety and allows her to instruct teenagers with a disability who have their learner's permit.
While I think that driver rehabilitation is an amazing branch of OT, it would not be a job that I would be able to do. I simply do not feel comfortable riding in a car unless I, or someone who I know well, is driving it. Meredith said that the main personality trait required for this job is patience. In addition, I think that these OTs would have to be able to tolerate a lot of stress. I have the highest respect for Meredith and other OTs who work in driver rehabilitation because it would be such a stressful job, yet being able to drive is incredibly important for everyone. I could not imagine not being able to drive, so I think that driver rehabilitation would be incredibly rewarding for these OTs who have helped someone with a disability be able to drive.
HAND THERAPY
Certified hand therapists (CHTs) work with patients who have limited functioning and mobility in the hand and arm due to orthopedic problems. They see trauma patients who may have had hand fractures, tendon repairs, or skin grafting as well as cumulative trauma patients who have conditions such as tendonitis. While hand therapy is often thought of as being very scientifically based because examines and treats biomechanical problems, it also uses a client-centered approach that addresses what activities are important and meaningful to the clients.
Sharon, a CHT, described perfectly just how OT can really change a person's life. She referred to herself as being a "mother bear" for the profession--she defends OT and will not tolerate other people putting the profession down. She tells her students that "If you could package the power of occupation in a pill, it would be the most popular prescription. OT engages people back into life." This statement made me think more deeply about how OT really is a medicine. While OTs do not prescribe pills, the therapy that they provide to patients can often heal patients to a greater extent than what surgery or a drug can do.
COMPARISON BETWEEN INITIAL AND FINAL 'OT IS' ESSAYS
I believe that my final 'Occupational Therapy Is' essay is much more sophisticated than my initial one. I now have a much better understanding of what the goals are of occupational therapy as well as what it is that occupational therapists do through listening to the weekly interviews. In my final essay I used a lot more OT terminology than I did in my initial one such as "ADLs", "meaningful occupations", and "client-centered" practice. Thinking back to the first day of class this summer, I really had a very minimal understanding of what OT is, despite shadowing in two different settings the past year and applying to all the different OT programs that I did. When people asked me what OT was, I often described it to them as "PT for the upper body." While that is not always completely false, it is an extremely poor definition of what OT is and really does not make much of a distinction from PT. I now would describe OT as "a healthcare field that treats individuals with a disability or illness with the goal of allowing them to function independently, complete day-to-day activities, and engage in occupations that are meaningful to them." In my final essay, I also discuss the importance of having a strong background in the natural and social sciences for a career in OT, which is something I did not do in my initial essay. I now can fully understand the importance and the application of the pre-requisite courses for this program that I took as an undergrad. When I stop and think about it, it is amazing just how much my understanding of and appreciation for occupational therapy has grown just in the past two months. I feel like this shows in final essay when compared to the initial one.
ARTIFACT REFLECTION
For my OT artifact, I chose to write a poem about what OT means to me. I tried to incorporate into the poem the basics of what it is that OTs do, personality traits that OTs should have, and the ultimate goals of therapy. I chose to write a poem, because I thought that would give me the greatest chance to be able to express what little creativity I actually have. I am not someone who is great with technology, so I didn't think a video would be the best option. I have had some experience writing poetry during my undergraduate studies. I took two English courses, a basic writing course as well as an American literature course and had several poetry assignments in each. I think that this really helped me out in writing this poem about OT. I also tried to incorporate a little bit of humor into my poem. I thought that everyone would appreciate an anatomy "shout out" in the poem since the class has basically consumed our lives for the past two months. Overall I think my poem turned out pretty well. I feel like it expressed my views about OT and the love I have for the profession.