The end of fieldwork…

Well, I've finished my last rotation EVER…and turned in all my projects and PDEs….so while graduation isn't until May, I pretty much have my master's. Pretty exciting, a little scary too.

My last day had some great ups because of the staff although overall, it otherwise would have been a pretty crappy day. There were around 10 on the unit but only 3 of them were really mine…would be 4 but one was on hold for agressive behaviors. Of those three, only one was REALLY okay for OT…the other two were both obsessed with going home and so anxious about that that they weren't much for OT. Of course I don't blame them, but it makes it hard to be productive when you've only got one patient willing to cooperate.

The day started out with me getting to watch my OT do a craniosacral session on a lady with bad TMJ, pretty interesting. Also so relaxing I had trouble staying awake.
Then I went up to the unit and I could hear the screams before I even walked in. It was one of those days – like Thursday – where you really felt like you were in an insane asylum because several of the patients were nonstop screamers/yellers/criers. And any time you have a paranoid schizophrenic on the unit, you know it. Groups were a struggles since like I said, I only had one high-functioning patient. Also, I watched yet another patient throw her cup of ice water into the face/clothes of a staff member, this time a housekeeper. Poor lady. So two days in a row I watched this happen. Nothing you can do but shrug it off.

The rehab director (?) and my OT took me to a Thai restaurant for lunch which was so kind of them. They blocked off two sessions so we could do so. I enjoyed it a lot. I also got a card from the director, and the OT's husband (I've enjoyed getting to chat with him, a very nice guy!). Came back for a while longer on the unit. One of my favorite nurses walked in with cupcakes she had baked herself, for my departure!! A nurse and tech that weren't on my unit came down to say goodbye and the nurse gave me a card with several peoples writing in it. I also got a card from other nurses with signatures from nurses, the social worker, and even a case worker I didn't even know knew who I was, praising me. One of the phlebotomists and the housekeeper also came and hugged me and said goodbye, so I felt really loved to have gotten four cards, a lunch, and cupcakes, and tons of hugs and kind words. My OT said that the director had never taken any other student out for lunch and that the nurses/techs had never done something for an OT student before, so that made me really happy. She commented that I have a way of connecting with people. And yep, I have a LOT LOT LOT LOT LOT of flaws and I may not be so hot at OT, but my gift is (sometimes) connecting with people, which makes up for  a lot of my flaws. If my OT classmates read this most of them would probably laugh since I'm not alway so great at connecting with my own age group, they'll be like wha-wha-WHAT.

Oh! And the husband of one of the ladies with severe dementia, who I've spent some time with daily for the last few days during visiting hours, giving him handouts and stuff on caregiver stress, tips, etc, and even just sitting with him. He almost cried saying goodbye today, saying that even though he hadn't known me long I had made a big difference to him and that while he may not see me on this Earth again (he knows I'm maybe moving away), he knows he'll see me in Heaven. It sounds so GOOEY and DRAMATIC when I write it here, but it was sincere and sweet.

ANYWAY……….I was really pleased with how kind everyone was on my last day, and I was glad I didn't have to worry about units so much, I spent over an hour just chillin' with my highest functioning patient, she and I have become quite close over the last 3 weeks (most don't stay that long).

I got a comment recently from “BuckEyeBrit” that pointed out something I hadn't thought about. I had written about how a lot of patients see me as a granddaughter and hug me, are affectionate, etc, in ways they aren't with other staff. She pointed out that is a good use of therapeutic use of self – while a lot of times older patients see younger therapists as not possibly having a lot to offer due to lack of experience, coming across as a granddaughter fills them with some love and patience, lol.  Woo!

I really came to love my rotation…even when things were tough or stressful or a wee-bit scary…it turned into a wonderful experience. I learned a lot about mental health OT, a lot of assessments/evaluations, a lot about myself, a lot about interacting with all sorts of different people, etc. I stayed really late yesterday on my final day because I had procrastinated so much I still needed to finish a few things. I got there at 745am and left around 610pm. I got home with kind of an achey feeling. Glad to be done with school and fieldwork as it is a rite of passage, but sad to leave that place with all its wonderful people. I told them I have abandonment issues and would stay in touch, though, LOL.

I didn't end up going out dancing last night because I was so tired.. .it was my friend's ten year anniversary of her husband dying, and her current husband had a really hard day at work, so all 3 of us were sort of in a funk…a blah night. Oh well.

I'm just chillin' today…slept in late of course, did a tiny bit of errands…hanging on the sofa with my kitty now. I definitely feel like doing SOMETHING tonight, so maybe depending on their plans I'll go dancing tonight instead, or who knows what.

I need to get some stuff in preparation for going to a wedding Saturday of an OT classmate (congrats Kim) and also for being a bridesmaid in an upcoming OT classmates wedding (yay Allison)…and prep for some upcoming mini trips, looking at where I may end up…..who knows.

This got long so quickly, oops. Oh well. Anyway……….school as I know it is over….time to face boards, interviews, a real job, etc.

THE REAL WORLD BECKONS!!!

Mar 28, 2009 | Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 2