Occupational Therapy Student

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the role of a certified driver rehabilitation specialist from our guest lecturer today and the process of assessing clients to determine whether they are safe to drive or not.   I knew occupational therapists contributed to driving screenings and helped clients make modifications to their cars to be able to drive after an injury such as a spinal cord injury or as a disease progresses such as muscular dystrophy, but I did not what the assessment process entailed or treatment sessions involved.   I understand now that driving specialists use a variety of screens such as vision screens, cognitive screens such as the MoCA and Trailmaking A and B, sensation screens, and strength screens to assess a client’s ability to perform tasks necessary to drive safely.   I learned many ways occupational therapists can incorporate driving interventions into their sessions from today’s lecture.   One intervention that could be used ...

I thoroughly enjoyed making glyphs and comparing the glyph I drew at the beginning of occupational therapy school with the one I drew towards the end of our didactic education.   Overall many characteristics of what I think defines a leader have not changed.   I still believe that leadership stems predominantly from nurture over nature.   I believe people can be equipped and trained to be leaders, and they are not necessarily born leaders.   I still believe that all OTs are leaders as well.   Occupational therapists lead their clients, occupational therapy assistants and technicians, and can be managers and hold leadership positions within their practice settings.   The only aspect of my glyph that has changed over the course of OT school is my most recent glyph has a hat indicating that my approach to leadership has changed since the start of OT school.   While the foundational aspects of what I believe defines a leader have not ...

One of my favorite things about occupational therapy is that therapists look at the whole person and all of the activities a person does on a daily basis.   Nutrition and ensuring that someone receives the food and calories they need every day is an important activity for many people in the hospital and the ICU especially.   The guest speaker was fantastic today, and I learned a great amount about the role of registered dieticians in hospital settings and the ways occupational therapists can address nutrition through our interventions.   One of the most important takeaway points for me today was understanding the increased calorie and protein needs many older adults have after they have been in a recumbent position for several days.   Their body can be in a hypermetabolic or hypercatabolic state as they recover from illnesses or injuries causing their body to break down protein resulting in muscle atrophy and generalized weakness. They need a si...