Occupational Therapy
5
Oct
2009
hmmm
Still outpatient…..Tuesday and Wednesday will be challenging for me but I CAN HANDLE IT YO.
just sayin'.
I only got a few hours sleep last night for various reasons so I am too sleepy to blog much even though I'm on blessedly beautiful fast Internet for once. Oh well. Sorry guys.
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 1
1
Oct
2009
Outpatient
Finished third day outpatient, definitely learning a lot every day. Frustrated today because due to miscommunication – no one's fault – I ended up doing multiple forms for single evaluation when only one was needed – based on insurance. IE you do a Medicare 700 form (get used to that term) or you do a private insurance form. I was like ALL THIS DUPLICITY KILL ME NOW so I was relieved to discover it was accidental I did that and not something I'd have to keep doing!
I am enjoying all the learning….trying to get down the phrases about low load long duration stretch, increasing normalization of tone, increasing facilitation to X, inhibiting Y, and all the little things you have to write/do/say to make it very clear the services provided are SKILLED and not just like “He did some theraband, yo, it was awesome'. So I'm learned to be skilled. Can't wait for physical agent modalities course.
By the way, my friend Cookie Gimp wrote me to say he was confused as I said I wasn't certified, but according to him (meaning I didn't go google it or anything since I trust him) I said on my blog I was certified in 2007. If I said that I was confused – I took a several day COURSE in thermal modalities for certification, but never took the hours to receive actual certification (it was a required part of my school program and very generous and good – but I never got the hours in because I was never spending time in phys dys locations that did a lot of modalities). I know I was confused about how that worked originally.
Outpatient and inpatient really are two very different beasts….I like them both but I have a lot lot lot to learn for outpatient – like learning the names and how to do provocation tests for example. And it's not necessarily important I ALWAYS remember, so long as for example if I have a patient with bicipital tendonitis, I look up how to deal with it, how to treat it, the tests for it, etc so that I can treat better and diagnose better.
And – all my professors will roll over in their live graves – I did some minor evidence-based research yesterday, looking at articles in AJOT about sensorimotor versus therapeutic practice for best handwriting treatment as well as what type of underlying problems that slow handwriters tended to have.
I need to sign up for PAMCA which involves a ton of paperwork since I work for the state department of labor, I need to put in request for a day off to make up for the Labor Holiday I worked, I need to fill out a housing request application (I want to try and get pet-friendly housing), I need to continue doing lots and lots of studying for outpatient….like reviewing the ulnar nerve distribution as to how it starts in the C8/T1 portion of brachial plexus….goes down the arm and into pinkie/ring finger etc….and being reminded of how pain versus paresthesias are in different spinal tracts so need to not lump them together as I tend to think of paresthesias (ie numbness, tingling) as pain.
Learned some median and ulnar nerve gliding exercises today….learned about bicipital tendonitis and rotator cuff pathologies, about “milking” massage to remove edema from hand, learned ways to prevent people from compensating while doing external rotation exercises (force them to hold a rolled up towel under arm so have to keep elbow by side), etc.
Today was kind of an “off” day in sense I had that frustrating day of repetitive paperwork and then I came home and vegged out/napped instead of working out/being productive….and I made conscious choice when leaving work today to not take any stuff home to study tonight…..my roommate Christy, a PT, made delicious veggie quesadillas and corn/black bean salsa for me and Jamie SLP and her friend Derrick so that was a nice dinner but also “off” since we don't normally eat dinner together….basically everything about today was abnormal.
Tomorrow will be semi- abnormal as well as after work we are going to a “Taste of Newnan” which is some kind of barbecue or chili cook off, I keep hearing conflicting reports, but sounds fun. Newnan is town about 40 minutes away closer to Atlanta. By “we” I mean like half of Warm Springs population, hahaha. It will be the first time in over a month that I've gone two days in a row without working out :O Maybe if I get off early (I have some overtime so if I can leave early I will to avoid that), I'll work out first…..Ive discovered daily exercise is by FAR the most important way I can handle days with less stress, more energy.
Tomorrow I get in at 730 to finish writing up an eval, hopefully I learned all my important lessons today (ICD-9 CODES ARE EVIL) so that it won't be such a frustrating exercise. We have patients most of morning and afternoon….
I do love being an occupational therapist…getting to say I am a therapist….getting a paycheck!….wearing a name badge and being part of an awesome institution….writing OTR/L…..getting to help people feel better in diverse ways….being surrounded by fun healthcare workers…..oooh the outpatient techs CRACK ME UP. Love them.
Blah blah blah. If you read this all you must be really bored. I'm waiting to jump in shower after someone's laundry done. Good night!!
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none
29
Sep
2009
First day shadowing outpatient…
I am totally applying, I'm excited at the possible opportunity. 🙂
Today was shadowing outpatient – one to two weeks there and then start with my own case load across town. Reviewed and saw modalities (need to sign up for a PAMCA course asap in Atlanta so I can be certified in thermal modalities myself), scar massage, PNF patterns, leuko-tape, median gliding exercises, an eval, goniometry….lots to review!
—————
AOTA Announces Leadership Development Program for New Practitioners
The announcement calling for New Practitioner Applicants:
http://www.aota.org/News/AOTANews/New-Practitioners.aspx
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none
27
Sep
2009
OT Advocacy
Was very impressed to see a great article called “Blogging for Advocacy” by Alece Kaplan in the July 27th, 2009 issue of OT Practice, www.otadvocacy.com. Alece wrote about how she used her blog to advocate for OT (getting redundant here I guess lol) and some of the experiences she had and the people she reached! It was very informative and I was impressed with her descriptions of blogging for a cause. Great job Alece 🙂
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none
26
Sep
2009
OT student life….lo
Hahaha it's funny because it's true…good post Kimberly (who is doing great in OT school!) Congrats. (And congrats to Wendy, Liberty, Carina, Kacey, and several others I'm blanking on, as they continue on their OT student journey…)
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 2
25
Sep
2009
Life as an OTR/L is fun here in Warm Springs…
Well I continue to learn new things every day about evaluations, discharges, treatment ideas…tons of treatment ideas I've been writing down. Need to share, perhaps this weekend. Learning more about manual muscle testing, PROM, AROM, adaptive equipment, durable medical equipment, and so forth. Tomorrow is my last day inpatient – next week I start outpatient training, then week after that different (final placement) outpatient, but I'm guessing I'll still be around in various areas as needed for a while, I dunno. I love being an occupational therapist but I still feel very much like a student. I hang out with the students too.
Tonight I went over two cottages to the student cottage where several OT students, PT students, rec students, and me the sole employee, lol, watched Grays Anatomy season premiere. We were all either texting or on laptops throughout – I've historically spent so much time hanging out with older people than I am always amused to spend time with my own age group and see how similar we are in some ways. There was some sugar-free fudgesicle eating + some light adult beverages…interesting combo right? Then Tana, PT student/pseudo mother, made chocolate chip banana bread which she let us all try….it was meant for work but the stupid student cottage oven doesn't do so well so maybe some (more) of it will end up in my tummy. my tummy cries for sweets and can you blame it?
I've been semi stressed out on and off – sometimes REALLY – and had one really bad day where I cried a lot after work – but overall it's usually pretty fun and interesting. I love spending time with my patients and I really enjoy it when I get to spend one on one time with them. I love seeing little miracles, love seeing progressions of people coming in max assist and leaving a few FIM scores higher….lol…I learn a lot from my patients. I think OT schools should include some BASIC courses on motivation and listening, hope, grief, etc – like when patients are having a hard day and feel bitter or depressed, how to best handle that…
It's neat signing OTR/L….neat getting to refer to myself as a therapist…and I'm definitely loving living on this rehab campus with a 2 minute walk to work and 2 minute walk to gym and a 1 second walk to many friends/coworkers in healthcare who live here as well.
I do miss Memphis though, I still don't feel like I live here….that will take time. I moved here August 23rd so my one month anniversary was yesterday.
Welcome to Georgia Karen….
PS: I'm sure you guys have noticed erratic blogging blizzards….basically my computer is super slow on campus so I rarely post much as I can't get on much or easily here compared to my previous Memphis internet levels…..but when I go to coffee shop that I started visiting this week, its normal-fast so I can try to whip out everything I'm behind on. Still a long way to go but did manage to deal with about 70 e-mails this week…only 100+ more to go….
This weekend will hopefully be nice. In prep for starting outpatient OT I am going to be reading up on orthopedic upper extremity injuries such as Colles fractures…things like transverse myelitis, medicare guidelines, etc etc…
Oh….and I've gotten some very neat treatment suggestions from a friend regarding “manly” treatments like stuff involving cars instead of, fluffy kittens. Hoping for more from people on treatment ideas in general…
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 2
22
Sep
2009
OT schools similar, regardless of price?
Wrote a post on this recently, too lazy to relink, but here is another comment on it that came from a cross-post I did on OT Connections
A Comment has been posted to Transitioning from student to practitioner…: Opinion: Are all OT schools pretty similar? Cheap or expensive?:
I currently go to a fairly large university that is “moderately expensive”. What I mean by that is I have heard stories from former students whose total tuition topped out at like $80,000 and others who said they paid $22,000. I am not finished with school yet but have came to the conclusion after all my calculations that my tuition total after I graduate is about $37,000. I believe that most schools, expensive or not are the same. I mean, they all teach you the basic entry-level skills needed to pass the NBCOT and gain employment out in the field. So why bother with the $80,000 school when you can gain a similiar education at another school for $40,000 less? Just some food for thought. :o)
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 1
22
Sep
2009
I'm not the only imposter syndrome poster child, haha
Jo says:
Hi
I still get that imposter feeling from time to time and I've been qualified 5 years. So does one of my nurse friends. We are waiting to be found out by our superiors that we don't know what we are doing. We do really know what we are doing but I think it's perfectly natural to doubt every now and then. It just means that you're developing and questioning how you do things.
Good luck with your new life in Warm Springs as an OT. I'm enjoying hearing all about it.
Jo (Community mental health OT, Northumberland, UK)
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 1
22
Sep
2009
OT blog blizzard temporarily complete
I posted a bunch of posts today…the easiest ones I could….went to coffee shop with fast internet for first time since move….of course its 7 miles away and only open until 8pm..lol.better than nothing….went from 163 emails to deal with to about 115….hope to go back within next week and cross out another 30-40….didnt necessarily deal with them chronologically so much as how quickly i could deal with it/how much thinking was involved….so blog readers/commenters….have hope, I still have a bunch more to go. Most recent, a few much older ones 😡
Still have quite a few posts brewing ….am wishing I could post more about work but staying safe. I do start shadowing in long-term acute care tomorrow….I have enjoyed inpatient rehab but I think I'm more of an acute person when given the choice! Better than obtuse, right? Haha…
Anyway. yeah. More soon. Yay for all you recently-starting OT students….let me know how things are going…I'm guessing overwhelming…but I promise you can get through it! If you need a pep talk/morale booster really bad, e-mail me or comment…I can be a good cheerleader. IT WILL BE OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alright I'm up way past bedtime. Gotta be up in six hours. Good night.
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none
22
Sep
2009
i like this advice from a friend
“Here's my best advice in regard to dealing with loose ends – tie a knot and hang on!”
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none