Advocates for clients who have been neglected or underrepresented in the system I became an advocate for a client on my mental health rotation. She had a tough exterior and it was difficult to break through her shell during our one on one session that covered anger management issues and coping skills. After the session I went to my fieldwork educator and asked for guidance on how to get through to this client. My educator broke down the cognitive process so clearly to me that I was ready for another session with the patient because I so desperately wanted to help her. My educator’s advice worked. While discussing anger management strategies I slowly uncovered that my patient was being physically and emotionally abused. She had overdosed on drugs to remove herself from the situation but immediately regretted her choice and called 911. I asked her if social work knew about the abuse, she responded by saying she had not disclosed that information to them. We discussed her situation farther and then I asked if we could include social work in the rest of our conversation. She agreed, and I immediately included her social worker. This changed the approach of her social worker on finding the patient somewhere to stay. She was now eligible for a private program that helped abused and battered woman start a new life. I am thankful I broke through this patient’s shell to ensure her a safe place to go.
Fulfills commitments to the professional community While at Baptist Memorial Hospital I was able to fulfill my commitment to the OT professional community by attending an educational seminar held by the OT and PT’s in inpatient rehab. Each year they have a short educational seminar held for all therapists to ensure a basic educational level on specific diagnosis or protocols. I was not required to attend the seminar, but to further my own education I went once I finished my treatment sessions. I was educated on CVAs and the common approaches to treatment. Although, I was not required by my facility to attend this session, I wanted to take full advantage of my time at this facility, so that in the future I can give my patients the best treatment and show them the benefits of occupational therapy.
Represents the unique perspective of occupational therapy when participating in inter-professional situations Each week at Baptist Memorial Hospital, the inpatient rehab holds a conference with one member of each discipline to discuss patient progress and make recommendations for adaptive equipment and discharge date. This included OT, PT, SLP, nursing, social work, and the physician. I attended my first conference with my fieldwork educator and listened as she reported on clients and made recommendations for each. After midterm I was sent to conference to represent OT. I read my report on each client and made recommendations based on their diagnosis and FIM scores. On occasion recommendations were questioned by other disciplines, so I had to be prepared to explain why OT was recommending that specific adaptive equipment or discharge date. It was a good confidence booster as I was the professional representing occupational therapy and our scope of practice.
Assumes responsibility for professional behavior and growth, in accordance with AOTA standards During my time in inpatient rehab the professional behavior, dignity, kept coming to mind. Each morning I would go into a patient’s room to help them with their ADLs. This is a very intimate job at times due to helping with transfers in and out of the shower, helping patients on the toilet, and helping patients with their dressing skills. I became familiar wirh my patients very quickly. As awkward as it was for me, I imagined how uncomfortable it would be if I were the one needing assistance with these tasks. One day I went into a new patient’s room to conduct her evaluation. I could tell she was very modest and was not too keen on being in inpatient rehab. I helped her complete all of her ADLs and made casual conversation along the way showing an interest in her. At the end of my evaluation I thanked the patient for allowing me to work with her that morning and told her I would see her later that day for a short treatment session. Before I left she stopped me and said “I want to thank you for being so kind to me. I was afraid getting in the shower was going to be so awkward and I truly dreaded it, but you made it seem like no big and I appreciate you making me feel comfortable in an uncomfortable situation.” This meant so much to me because with all of my patients I tried my best to uphold their dignity especially when some patients feel so helpless. file:///C:/Users/Shani/Downloads/6913410030p1.pdf
Functions autonomously and effectively in a broad array of service models I have had the opportunity to work in 3 different fieldwork settings, psychosocial, inpatient rehab, and pediatrics. I have attached the different evaluations used in each setting as evidence that I can effectively function in a broad array of service models. I enjoyed my time at each facility and had a new and different level of learning at each one. I experienced personal and professional growth at each facility as I was given my own caseload and trusted to use my sound clinical and ethical judgement to treat these patients. all_evals_.pdf
Upholds the AOTA Code of Ethics in practice According to each of my fieldwork educators I have met and/or exceeded the standards for upholding the AOTA Code of Ethics within each setting I have practiced. Upholding the code of ethics is crucial to the profession of occupational therapy because it is the basis of what we stand for in making sound, rational decisions for the good and safety of our clients. Being ethically grounded is a strong personal value I hold for myself as well, so having proof that others can see that within me and by my actions is a proud feeling. ethics_.pdf
Serves as a role model for honesty, integrity, and morally grounded decision making During my time at Baptist Health Hospital in the Behavioral Health unit I met a young teenage girl that had been admitted due to substance abuse. She was there for a detox and she was also pregnant. I tried over and over again to get her to have a one on one conversation with me. She refused. Finally, after a few days she agreed. We began our conversation with healthy coping strategies to replace to the drugs. She politely sat there and listened as I made several suggestions for alternatives. Then she looked at me and told me that she would say whatever she had to and do whatever she had to do, to get herself out of the facility. Her plan was to have her boyfriend (her enabler) pick her up one day and then she would call her mother the next day and have her come pick her up from the hospital to act like she had not seen her boyfriend. I let the client know that if she told me any information that could cause harm to her or anyone else I had the responsibility to report it. I was honest with this client and let her know that she needed to start making the best choices for her baby and then questioned if that was the best decision for her baby. I was honest with her about how the decisions she makes now will forever affect her unborn child who is helpless within her. If she continued to do drugs, then that baby would be born and then taken from her if drugs were found in the baby’s system. I had to hold to my moral standards and values by letting the client know that this information would be documented and passed along to the proper authorities. I documented the information in my treatment note and discussed the information with her social worker. The social worker assured me she would contact the client’s mother since she was a juvenile. This was a tough situation as I had to be honest with the client about the repercussions of her choices and my ethical duty to report this information since she would be putting her unborn baby at risk. healthy_coping_strategies_.pdf