Day 3/10 of Adult Phys Dys Level I Fieldwork

Today was a tiring day! It started at 7am with the ADL rounds…helping people get up, brush their teeth, hair, bathe, etc. I saw more private parts this morning than I think I've seen in my entire life! It seemed like many of our patients were anxious/depressed/agitated today. It really hurts my heart to not be able to help with the cause of their agitation, because typically it is not something alleviated by occupational therapy! In fact, it is often something that can't be helped, period.

Today I got to help with transporting patients, swapping out oxygen tanks, and standing by as patients did their therapeutic exercises! I also got to see a Modified Barium Swallow Test (the SLP invited me)! It was pretty cool watching food go down a throat in real-time! The SLP and I talked about how school always makes things sound like there is always a black & white answer to ethical/moral dilemnas, when really there is almost always shades of gray!! Rarely is life black and white.

I made an old lady cry today, although it wasn't really my fault. She was pretty crazy and dramatic and I did something minor that caused her to burst into tears. I rubbed her back helplessly a few seconds, but that was about all I could do!!

I went into this fieldwork thinking I'd be tested on manual muscle testing on little joints like the DIPs, spinal cord injury levels, goniometry of every joint imaginable, etc. It turns out that in the real world, insurance doesn't care about such things. Insurance just wants a general idea of how strong the patient is – some muscle testing of major muscles (don't let me push your arm down!), a little bit of sensation (where am I touching you?) and proprioception testing (am I moving your arm up or down?), a little bit of history (do you live in a one-story house? Who lives with you?), bam, there is your occupational therapy evaluation!

I don't really have a lot to share about today, that doesn't possibly violate HIPAA. I know I say to be open-minded, but for me personally, I can tell already that adult phys dys will never be a passion for me! I do enjoy following my OT and I have learned a lot from her, and I am glad I am having this experience. However I'll be glad to get back to my normal school routine, I am a creature of habit.

Friday I get off at noon so I can go to TOTA Conference. I am excited! I think it will be great! I got some “business cards” today at Kinkos, just basic ones with my name, email address, school, website etc, to have handy while networking. It's such a pain to write information down repeatedly on little scraps of paper! Yes, I'm a dork.

Overall fieldwork is fine, not too hard, not too easy!

Ok it is already 9:40 and I spent several hours enjoying dinner outside with some friends, but now it means I need to hurry up and prep for tomorrow and get to bed! Gotta be up extra early!!