a typical day as OT now…I need ideas.
First, to OTs/PTs/SLPs out there: I'm doing inpatient rehab – typical stuff like TBI, SCI, CVA, etc – if you have any cool treatment ideas please share!:)
Sorry for the quiet. I am so limited in what I write right now since I haven't checked in with employees yet to see what all is kosher.
I can say some things though!
I'm half-way through my first full week as an OTR/L. (Only had Thursday/Friday of last week). It's been a little chaotic because of some unusual circumstances, so I've definitely had to step up and do things earlier than expected. But all the staff – OTs, PTs, SLPs, techs, etc, are all sooo helpful and smart and awesome and supportive, so it's worked out well. I had two patients on Monday, 3 patients Tuesday, two patients today…mostly different patients each day! If you have 3 patients that means you see them in the morning for 45 minutes and in the afternoon for 45 minutes – so each person gets their hour and a half of OT a day required. So you see people 45 minutes x 6 if you have 3 patients. So that's a lot of treatment, not to mention all the documentation. Maybe that's actually nothing – but as a new grad with limited experience in this setting, it seems like a lot. The most common things seen in this inpatient rehab hospital – are pretty typical – traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, debilitation, hip/bilateral knee replacement, strokes of varying severity…a lot of them have comorbidities or low vision so that all adds to it!
I've gotten experience with bathroom transfers requiring 3 people and lots of adaptive equipment (bedside commode with drop arm, sliding board, gait belt, etc)…picking up tricks from the experienced therapists on how to fasten adult diapers on a person while sitting on the toilet (attaching it like underwear) rather than waiting until they stand up, if they are pretty dependent….how to set up wheelchair to toilet or mat or bed most effectively and how to hold the person best…how to use an airsplint…etc etc.
I have heard people talk about imposter syndrome and it's true…every day I'm like AUGH I'm such an imposter! I have my license, did everything I'm supposed to, but I still don't know much!! But maybe I know more than I think…nobody has any complaints at least and I'm told I'm doing well!
I got to see a therapy dog in action….pets really can make amazing differences!
The best part of all this is living on campus…walking out my door for 3 minutes to work….and then after work going 3 minutes the other way to the recreation center….the gym, the track, nature trails, ping pong, pool, weight room, etc….been going every night with few exceptions….I think I've gone about 6x a week the last few weeks! I go with another PT student, Tana, who lives down the road in a student cottage (her sister was an OT student here 10 years ago who now works with my former classmate Becca in Chattanooga – small world) or the SLP roommate, Jamie, or by myself!
Today at the gym after work a lady came in to do elliptical and she hadn't done it before (we were chatting) and I totally instinctively like guarded her as she got on, I was like sorry it's the therapist in me coming out! LOL.
Um…this is long but I'm trying to write a lot to give all the info and make up for lost time! I'm about to shower/eat dinner then go study for about an hour….brainstorm tomorrow treatment ideas etc.
Okay so a typical day…
Get up 640am fully prepared for day so can be out of house by 720….walk in by 730….check schedule…
start ADLs with someone up anytime until 9am…
9am to 945, 945 to 1030, 1030 to 1115 is treatment times…
then documentation time….
lunch 12 to 1230….if time lol.
1230 to 1- documentation
1 to 145, 230, 315, treatment time…
315 to 400pm, documentation….ideally leave by 4pm to not have overtime.
430ish or 5ish to 6ish or 7ish…go to gym…or walk on trails or whatever…
8pmish to 9pmish…study…
Chill in between those times…
Go to bed by 10 30pmish….soooo tired!
It's hard being a new OT and everything being new!! I'm on high alert all day and it exhausts me! I just want to try to sleep away the afternoon/evenings but I know that's the worst thing I could do so I do so much time at gym! It's been good for me. I'm typically high-strung with new situations like this but I think all that time at the gym has really helped me handle things.
I kind of get nervous/scared when I head into work in the sense that, well, duh, I'm freaked out about not knowing everything or even close…but I need to remember how much I've learned just in 5 days there…so…hopefully can continue!
ANYWAY….wow this is long.
It's cool living with a PT and SLP too…and having a PT student friend…etc…
Um….
Okay I'd better get hopping. I might share some of my treatment ideas here soon!!
Sep 09, 2009 | Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 5