work is getting a bit easier as the time goes by. i am starting to get more comfortable with evaluations and treatments and continue learning about all different diagnoses. i took a day off on wednesday because i had my tooth yanked and i had a strong reaction to my pain medications. it was so nice to have a break. i was afraid that this feeling of relief was a sign that i had doubts about my profession as an OT, but i concluded that it is a normal thing for one to be relieved to have a day off work. and although i still love my job (YAY!), i take comfort knowing that one day i will be a little momsey/wifey over my own family providing me with more important and meaningful roles that will hopefully still allow me to remain involved with OT, but i suppose when that time comes, that will be my priority. although i love OT, i know that my future profession as a mother and a wife is yet to be experienced and i hope not to be stuck working forever!! not to say i wouldn't enjoy it (as i indeed do!!), but to add to my passion for working as an OT, i have a passion #2 to perform those maternal roles! heehee!
i am beginning to get a hang of the system- checking patient's charts/orders before each treatment, becoming more comfortable treatment planning and documenting daily and weekly notes, discharges and performing and documenting evaluations. i have five patients now and i am very busy.
today i started off doing a 'practice' tub transfert with a man who had a recent below the knee amputation (BKA). he did well, but was hesitant that this was too soon- i think he will do great! we then practiced putting pants on/off. we worked on weight shifting sitting on a mat and on his bed so he can get the pants over his hips in seated rather than standing. i also had him stand with his walker to take his hand off to toss a beanbag into a game. this was to work on his endurance and dynamic standing balance with his hands off- a fundamental piece to dressing and toileting and bathing (all lower body). we did some upper extremity exercises for strength.
my second patient was finishing getting washed up bed level with the CNA. me and another therapist transfered her out of bed (squat-pivot-transfer) as she has residual left hemiparesis from her stroke. we then transfered her from the wheel chair to the commode to use the toilet. i had to give her assistance with her hygiene and we transfered her back into the chair. all that took 45 minutes. i then completed my weekly progress note on her where i went and looked at her goals to see which ones she had met and which ones were ongoing or those that needed to be revised and wrote a brief paragraph as to her progress and the plan for the following week. i noticed that i had to revise her bathing and dressing goals as we hadn't worked on them still within the two weeks she has been with us, but rightly so as she is so dependent at this point, it makes sense to work on functional transfers and sitting balance for now... i hope to work on more bathing and dressing next week.
my third patient i practiced dressing upper and lower to see how her balance is doing. she has shown great improvements in her sitting/standing static balance, but her dynamic balance still needs work. i was so happy that she did well holding a railing on the wall to hold onto with one hand while using the other hand to pull her pants on/off. we then completed the toileting routine and finished off with some standing balance tasks at the table in the gym. she is making good progress, however, her insurance will be cutting her off soon, so we hope to see more improvements before then.
my 4th patient was another co-treat. we transfered her out of bed and into her wheelchair. she is really weak and needs to improve her strength, balance and endurance. we had her do 3 sit to stands from her wheelchair to her walker and she did much better today. i hope to really get her going quickly as she was completely independent before may 2007.
my last patient and i walked from his room to the gym and did some standing tolerance tasks- i had him fold towels while standing and working on his posture. we also did the toileting routine. he is a very high functioning fellow and i anticipate he won't be here too long. we are doing a shower tomorrow.
well life is grand! that's all. i have been just so busy with work and preparing for my boards that the blog has taken a back seat. but work is good.
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