:O

Today started out as a bummer as always because I didn't want to start the week. But the day got better.

I did a chart review, then an evaluation with supervision…we did the LACLS on a lady with SI “suicidal ideations” and she got frustrated with the lacing task (after the 2nd demonstration of the whipstitch) and she said “Please don't make me upset” in a wavering voice, so we stopped. By then we had her score anyways.

My OT ran groups today – I've told her several times I still feel the need to observe how she handles problem behaviors. She did one on roles/self-awareness, and one on logical thinking/sequencing, through a functional task – ie planning dream vacations.

The paranoid schizophrenic lady was not in a good mood this morning but then a switch flipped and she was pleasant and I was able to do an ADM placemat with her and she did a horrible job but enjoyed the process. I think she would definitely enjoy little arts and crafts activities.

Another man who is low functioning compared to the rest of the unit, and has aphasia, was having a rough day today. He can normally feed himself after set-up, but today he kept his eyes closed most of the time, kept using an imaginary fork instead of the real one, missing his plate, missing his mouth, etc. The aide was sitting with him and I was observing because I was going to do a few things with him. Finally the aide was like, he isn't normally like this, I guess I'm going to have to feed him. I was like how about I take over, so I could do a feeding ADL unit with him by helping him feed himself. That's an intimate act when you're providing a lot of help.  Later on, he put his head down on the table and wept. He cries a lot. I felt so sorry for him. I rubbed his back awhile. While being mindful of his arms in case he decided to fling his arms out in anger, as he tends to get agitated.

On another man, I did the ADM tile trivet task, and he didn't particularly have interest in it, but he described his approach as that of a job. Pretty good attitude and insight for someone who functions at a relatively low level.

Hmmm…one thing I'm encountering is how to make it clear OT is awesome…at times. I don't feel particularly awesome sitting there watching someone place tiles. And the aide who was watching was like, not impressed, thinking, OTs make so much more money and they just sit there and watch a person place tiles? I showed her some of the paperwork/explanations of the ACL/ADM because I *promise* you she was thinking OTs had the easiest job in the world. And maybe sometimes we do. I think aides have a much harder job than therapists…paid very little to deal with a lot of crap, literally and figuratively.

And the same for rec therapy – I try to explain to the rec therapy students, when they asked, about OT groups etc, and they seem to think I'm basically doing the same thing as them. And maybe I kind of am – there is some overlap at times – but OT has much more of a focus on functional outcome….I dunno. It's not that I want to feel superior to aides or rec therapy students because they all serve vital functions and I admire them – but OT is ideally much much much more than the little bits they see me doing, and I hate for them to get their opinion of OT by watching me sit by a dude placing tiles.

Okay, I can't think of anything else to say now. Oh yeah, it snowed a lot of the morning. Only four more days left of Week 3…lol

Jan 20, 2009 | Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none