Pre OT School Shadowing
- Observed OT in an outpatient hand therapy clinic setting
Mirabella Rehabilitation Center
- Observed OT in post-acute rehabilitation setting
Level 1 Fieldwork Experiences
- Observed OT and interacted with students in K-12 school-based setting
- Aphasia Camp NW are camping events for people with aphasia and their care partners
- Collaborated with SLP students to facilitate camper’s with aphasia engagement in activities and social participation at Couple’s Retreat and Adventure Weekend, camping events for people with aphasia and their care partners
- Volunteered at Aphasia Network communication workshops and social events
- Observed, interacted with, and created and led group activities for typically developing children (ages 2-5 years) in daycare setting
Level 2 Fieldwork Experiences
- Evaluated and established goals and intervention plans based on the patient’s current level of functioning and potential for improvement and performed re-evaluations as indicated
- Assessed patient and home for safety, provided recommendations for equipment and home modification where necessary
- Guided and instructed the patient in prescribed therapeutic, self-care, and creative activities that are directed toward improving independence and physical and mental functioning
- Instructed patients and caregivers in the use of durable medical equipment and assistive devices (canes, walkers, wheelchairs, dressing aids, etc.)
- Instructed caregivers in the patient’s occupational therapy plan in collaboration with total home health plan or care
- Recorded and reported to the home health care team and physician the patient’s reaction to the therapy program or any changes in the patient’s condition through periodic written summaries
- Educated other health team personnel in the care of patients regarding occupational therapy
- Prepared clinical/progress notes on the day of the visit to be incorporated in the clinical record
- Attended weekly case conferences and staff meetings
- Communicated effectively with all those providing care
- Participated in occupational therapy staff development activities and in-service education
- Served mental health population with primary conditions including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, psychosis disorders, mood disorder, personality disorders as well as those with a history of substance abuse and trauma
- Independently conducted occupational therapy assessment evaluations and contributed to treatment plan discussions for clients in coordination with the interdisciplinary treatment team demonstrating initiative, utlizing skills of interprofessional collaboration, decision-making, conflict resolution, adaptability, and therapeutic rapport building
- Completed electronic documentation to facilitate efficient client care exemplifying time management skills, attention to detail, willingness to learn, problem-solving, effective written communication, and competency with electronic medical records systems
- Led individualized and group treatment sessions to increase client functional performance demonstrating creativity, activity grading, cultural responsiveness, flexibility, and communication and time management skills
- Developed a social games and activities program plan to develop social skills and increase social competence to help patients apply skills to their forensic process and reintegrate into community living
Reflections on Fieldwork Experiences
Oregon City School District
Wonderful fieldwork experience that taught me a lot of what occupational therapy is and how it is practiced within a school-based setting. Overall, the whole experience was perfect for this level of fieldwork. The fieldwork supervisor was knowledgeable and shared any resource I could possibly every want or need. She included me as much as she could in the therapy sessions and enriched my experience by allowing me room to ask questions and even went further by providing additional questions as they relate to the OTPF so I could connect my in school learning with the fieldwork experience. I would not change a thing even though I prefer not to work with kids in general, which surprised me in the end since I enjoyed the experience.
Aphasia Camp NW – Couple’s Retreat & Adventure Weekend
Roles I observed OT to have in supporting the campers’ mental health or psycho-social wellness:
The whole weekend was set up by both OT and SLP to support all campers’ overall health and well-being. The OT supervisors provided adaptive equipment and group resources to aid in fun and therapeutic activities such as adaptive kitchen tools, beach ready wheelchairs with inflatable wheels, and guided intimacy activities during groups. The SLP supervisor provided communication aids such as dry erase boards, photo and word books, and offered a brief training on use of them to the OTs. Altogether these supported the campers’ mental and psycho-social wellness.
Some interventions that were observed or used:
As mentioned above, incorporating adaptive devices and guided activities through OT lead and SLP supported groups and activities were the primary interventions used throughout the weekend.
Occupations observed that supported mental wellness:
Everything was planned out and set up in ways to support mental wellness in ways that the campers with aphasia rarely get to experience out in the world. Again, as mentioned above there were activities planned and tools provided with aphasia in mind so as to remove barriers to socializing and enjoying their weekend getaway with their loved ones. The weekend supported and fostered the connections with their loved ones, their friends, and the students and staff at the event.
Some models learned thus far that could support clinical reasoning in this setting:
There was certainly a good mix of models used to create this event. For example, the PEO model was used to address the environment in ways that suits the persons with aphasia by creating adaptations to facilitate their participation. I could also see some CMOP-E because throughout the weekend while there was a schedule and activities planned, there was some variety in things that the campers could choose to do based on their interests and things that they would find satisfying. Additionally, one activity planned on Sunday was a church service which speaks to CMOP-E’s spiritual base of approach. During the support groups, I can see how MoHO is used to get to the underlying issues of what poses barriers, emotional and physical, to the campers’ engagement and participation with the world, especially in the context of their relationships.
Something that was most surprising from the experience and something unforgettable:
I was surprised at how emotionally charged the whole weekend was going to be. Seeing how resilient the people with aphasia are and how strong the bonds are in their relationships with their partners and friends was awe-inspiring. One thing I will never forget was being one of the lucky students who got to sit in during a group session for the couples to work on intimate re-connection. They opened up about who they were pre-injury, what barriers the aphasia and related sequalae had not only on their romantic relationships but with their friends and family and spoke to how they have learned to overcome those barriers in ways that work for them. I also deeply felt the love in the room when John led them through some basic intimacy building exercises that did not require verbal communication such as staring into each other’s eyes, holding hands, and laughing together for a few minutes. It was all just such a beautiful and moving experience and likely not something I would ever get to see in a more clinical setting.
Adventist Home Health
This was my first level 2 experience getting to do the actual occupational therapy work in a home based setting in addressing physical disabilities. I was very excited to have this experience to be able to effect change in people’s lives in their natural environments, an option not available during inpatient stays. I learned a lot about adaptive equipment and home modifications, as well as fall prevention and energy conservation strategies to keep clients safe and thriving in their own homes. I gained valuable knowledge on the application of the OT process in home care settings and special considerations for billing. Additionally, I had to opportunity to gain hands on experience working and problem solving interventions with multiple conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s, joint replacement, dementia, and typical aging related issues that home health clients face.
Here’s a neat video talking about the power of home health occupational therapy!
Oregon State Hospital
I learned so much during my second fieldwork experience pulling knowledge from school and my other experiences in the field. It was interesting to see how OT looks different in a mental health setting but also to see similarities. It tested and strengthened my personal growth areas around therapeutic use of self, professional boundary setting, and especially in documentation writing! I was surprised how much sensory theories and interventions played a role in this setting. It is worth noting that this fieldwork experience occurred during the Covid19 pandemic and the landscape of care delivery and services looked a lot different than it has for previous and future students. Groups were limited and small and impacts of having different (in some cases less) opportunities for treatment options for patients is unknown. Further, this placement was in a locked unit due not only to Covid19 but for medical needs of the patients so getting access to more populations, programs, and assessment opportunities were limited. Overall, it was a good, useful, and quality educational experience.
The Social Games and Activities Group development plan:
Social-Skills-Games-and-Activities-Group-Program-PlanPresentation on Group Development Plan and Student Project:
Social-Games-and-Activities-Project-Presentation