OT Observation

While preparing to apply to OT school, I had to complete several hours of observation. I had so many great observation experiences and many different types of areas I had the opportunity to learn. One in particular experience I had was with a therapist who actually graduated from the same program I am in now. He works in a inpatient skilled nursing facility, that also provides hospice. Being in the program I am in now (and after 3 months of learning) I can identify his setting as such. I can also recognize therapy techniques he used that I was really unsure of his reasoning behind them while I was observing, like preparatory activities versus therapeutic use of occupations activities or even purposeful activities. On his patients, he usually used some sort of preparatory activity, such as an arm bike or stretching, but then would lead to his bigger activities for the clients that catered to what they needed to improve on most, purposeful activities. Had I known a little more then, I would have asked way more questions as to why he would pick stretching over arm bike. Or why he would let one client lift weights while another, who seemed just as capable, would do much simpler tasks. Looking back, my time observing his interactions with his clients and his interventions for them, I can absolutely tell he graduated from my program. He focused on positive interactions and always spoke to them in ways to let them know they were being heard and understood. If he was frustrated you could never tell. And his interventions follow what our professors here have taught us about making it meaningful to our clients. I told him several times how grateful I was for all the hours he allowed me to observe, but he taught me so much more about this profession then I even realized at the time.

If he reads this, I hope you knows how thankful I am.

Sincerely,
The Young OTS