1. Invests in the acquisition of evidence through participation in workshops, continued education, and pursuit of additional degrees.
During my Level II A rotation in the pediatric outpatient setting, I had many in-services/workshops that I could attend during my lunch break. Some of the in-services would be taught by occupational therapists, while others were taught by physical therapists or speech therapists. My favorite one was taught by an occupational therapist who had been working in the pediatric for many years and had an obvious passion for children. She talked about the connection between trauma and sensory processing in children. There was so much useful information including the types of interventions I was able to implement with clients. I learned that childhood trauma has a significant impact on shaping one’s self-concept and view of relationships and can also affect sensory processing, causing a child to have difficulty regulating their internal systems. There is still so much research to be done on this topic so we can better understand how to work with children who have experienced trauma. The session was extremely beneficial for me, because I worked with so many children with sensory processing issues and was able to learn about some specific interventions that might be useful to regulate. Learning more about the connection between trauma and sensory processing allowed me to educate clients and family members who were had questions about sensory integration. I have included an article that we discussed throughout the in-service as well as an educational website that I researched following the presentation.
Yochman, A., & Pat-Horenczyk, R. (2019). Sensory Modulation in Children Exposed to Continuous Traumatic Stress. Journal of child & adolescent trauma, 13(1), 93–102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-019-00254-4
Trauma & Sensory Integration: The Egg & The Chicken. The ACT Group. (2022, August 9). Retrieved April 6, 2023, from https://theactgroup.com.au/trauma-sensory-integration-the-egg-the-chicken/
During my Level II A rotation in the pediatric outpatient setting, I had many in-services/workshops that I could attend during my lunch break. Some of the in-services would be taught by occupational therapists, while others were taught by physical therapists or speech therapists. My favorite one was taught by an occupational therapist who had been working in the pediatric for many years and had an obvious passion for children. She talked about the connection between trauma and sensory processing in children. There was so much useful information including the types of interventions I was able to implement with clients. I learned that childhood trauma has a significant impact on shaping one’s self-concept and view of relationships and can also affect sensory processing, causing a child to have difficulty regulating their internal systems. There is still so much research to be done on this topic so we can better understand how to work with children who have experienced trauma. The session was extremely beneficial for me, because I worked with so many children with sensory processing issues and was able to learn about some specific interventions that might be useful to regulate. Learning more about the connection between trauma and sensory processing allowed me to educate clients and family members who were had questions about sensory integration. I have included an article that we discussed throughout the in-service as well as an educational website that I researched following the presentation.
Yochman, A., & Pat-Horenczyk, R. (2019). Sensory Modulation in Children Exposed to Continuous Traumatic Stress. Journal of child & adolescent trauma, 13(1), 93–102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-019-00254-4
Trauma & Sensory Integration: The Egg & The Chicken. The ACT Group. (2022, August 9). Retrieved April 6, 2023, from https://theactgroup.com.au/trauma-sensory-integration-the-egg-the-chicken/
2. Is a knowledgeable consumer of global research related to occupational therapy and utilizes an evidence-based approach to practice
Throughout my Level II A Fieldwork rotation in the pediatric outpatient setting, I read many evidence-based articles that were related to different diagnoses from which I was unfamiliar. One child had an extremely rare condition called neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) which is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system. Researching these diagnoses allowed me to become more familiar with his condition and have a better idea of ways to treat during each therapy session. There are a few other diagnoses that I have researched to learn more about, and it has been extremely helpful in better understanding the children and what I can do as an OT to help them receive the best care.
I also utilized an evidence-based approach during my Level II B rotation in the acute care setting while working with stroke patients. Occupational therapists at the hospital prioritize stroke orders and make sure to see or attempt these patients as soon as possible. Below is a discussion post about the research that I completed for stroke patients in the acute care setting. There are many steps that need to be taken in order to effectively evaluate and treat these patients so they may receive the best plan of care and optimize their recovery. This includes completing a thorough chart review, evaluation, and discharge plan. It is also important to collaborate and communicate with other health professionals the make sure the patient is safe and receives the highest level of care.
Throughout my Level II A Fieldwork rotation in the pediatric outpatient setting, I read many evidence-based articles that were related to different diagnoses from which I was unfamiliar. One child had an extremely rare condition called neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) which is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system. Researching these diagnoses allowed me to become more familiar with his condition and have a better idea of ways to treat during each therapy session. There are a few other diagnoses that I have researched to learn more about, and it has been extremely helpful in better understanding the children and what I can do as an OT to help them receive the best care.
I also utilized an evidence-based approach during my Level II B rotation in the acute care setting while working with stroke patients. Occupational therapists at the hospital prioritize stroke orders and make sure to see or attempt these patients as soon as possible. Below is a discussion post about the research that I completed for stroke patients in the acute care setting. There are many steps that need to be taken in order to effectively evaluate and treat these patients so they may receive the best plan of care and optimize their recovery. This includes completing a thorough chart review, evaluation, and discharge plan. It is also important to collaborate and communicate with other health professionals the make sure the patient is safe and receives the highest level of care.
3. Integrates individual clinical expertise and patient values with the best available external clinical evidence.
Integrating knowledge and experiences from different areas can be extremely beneficial and allow clients to achieve a better understanding of ways to increase their level of independence. Throughout both of my Level II Fieldwork rotations, I really tried to incorporate knowledge and various experiences from each setting while also making an effort to apply all the knowledge I gained from didactic work into the clinical setting. This included utilizing evidence-based practice when working with clients. During my Level II B rotation in the acute care setting, I evaluated multiple patients who had diagnoses that resulted in difficulty breathing, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, and asthma. These patients would often have difficulty breathing or become short of breath during exertion with a specific activity. I remember talking about breathing techniques during the didactic portion of school but thought it would be beneficial to complete more research so I could help patients during evaluations and treatments. I found an article that discusses breathing control exercises and respiratory muscle training including diaphragmatic breathing, pursed-lip breathing, relaxation techniques and body position exercises to aim to decrease breathlessness and improve the quality of life for individuals with COPD. I incorporated these breathing techniques into sessions with my patients by continuously reminding them about pursed-lip breathing and taking adequate rest breaks. This allowed many patients to improve their functional skills by having the ability to better catch their breath and relax. I have attached the article that I found below.
Borge, C. R., Hagen, K. B., Mengshoel, A. M., Omenaas, E., Moum, T., & Wahl, A. K. (2014). Effects of controlled breathing exercises and respiratory muscle training in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Results from evaluating the quality of evidence in systematic reviews. BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2466-14-184
Integrating knowledge and experiences from different areas can be extremely beneficial and allow clients to achieve a better understanding of ways to increase their level of independence. Throughout both of my Level II Fieldwork rotations, I really tried to incorporate knowledge and various experiences from each setting while also making an effort to apply all the knowledge I gained from didactic work into the clinical setting. This included utilizing evidence-based practice when working with clients. During my Level II B rotation in the acute care setting, I evaluated multiple patients who had diagnoses that resulted in difficulty breathing, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, and asthma. These patients would often have difficulty breathing or become short of breath during exertion with a specific activity. I remember talking about breathing techniques during the didactic portion of school but thought it would be beneficial to complete more research so I could help patients during evaluations and treatments. I found an article that discusses breathing control exercises and respiratory muscle training including diaphragmatic breathing, pursed-lip breathing, relaxation techniques and body position exercises to aim to decrease breathlessness and improve the quality of life for individuals with COPD. I incorporated these breathing techniques into sessions with my patients by continuously reminding them about pursed-lip breathing and taking adequate rest breaks. This allowed many patients to improve their functional skills by having the ability to better catch their breath and relax. I have attached the article that I found below.
Borge, C. R., Hagen, K. B., Mengshoel, A. M., Omenaas, E., Moum, T., & Wahl, A. K. (2014). Effects of controlled breathing exercises and respiratory muscle training in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Results from evaluating the quality of evidence in systematic reviews. BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2466-14-184
4. Applies the domain of occupational therapy in gathering, evaluating, setting goals, planning, and implementing occupational therapy.
The domains of occupational therapy include occupations, contexts, performance patterns, performance skills, and client factors. As a student, I use these domains to help me gather, evaluate, create goals, plan, and implement occupational therapy using a client centered approach. I was able to use what I know about my patient’s interests and goals to create treatment plans. During my rotation in the acute care setting, I would gather information about each client’s home environment, prior level of function, supports, and personal interests. I use this information to set realistic goals and build a client-specific treatment plan to best support their return to prior level of functioning. Although I did not complete many treatments, I was able to see some clients multiple times during their stay at the hospital to treat them. During these sessions, I would create interventions that were functional and motivating to clients. Below is an excerpt from my Midterm Evaluation during my Level II A rotation regarding my evaluations.
The domains of occupational therapy include occupations, contexts, performance patterns, performance skills, and client factors. As a student, I use these domains to help me gather, evaluate, create goals, plan, and implement occupational therapy using a client centered approach. I was able to use what I know about my patient’s interests and goals to create treatment plans. During my rotation in the acute care setting, I would gather information about each client’s home environment, prior level of function, supports, and personal interests. I use this information to set realistic goals and build a client-specific treatment plan to best support their return to prior level of functioning. Although I did not complete many treatments, I was able to see some clients multiple times during their stay at the hospital to treat them. During these sessions, I would create interventions that were functional and motivating to clients. Below is an excerpt from my Midterm Evaluation during my Level II A rotation regarding my evaluations.
5. Contributes to the knowledge base of OT practice by mentoring students, performing research, publishing, presenting and/or teaching.
There are many opportunities to contribute to the knowledge base of OT practice as a future OT practitioner. I was able to work alongside Level I students during my Level II B Fieldwork rotation in the acute care setting during the last few weeks of my placement. I showed students how to work the documentation system, complete evaluations, and complete treatments.
I also had to opportunity to promote evidence-based practice during my rotation in the acute care setting by giving an in-service about Parkinson's Disease and how it may affect patients in acute care. The rehab staff which included OT, COTA, PT, PTA, and speech therapists attended the in-service where they learned about Parkinson's Disease and how it may affect clients and things to look out for when treating or evaluating. I have included a slide from the slide show I created for the presentation.
There are many opportunities to contribute to the knowledge base of OT practice as a future OT practitioner. I was able to work alongside Level I students during my Level II B Fieldwork rotation in the acute care setting during the last few weeks of my placement. I showed students how to work the documentation system, complete evaluations, and complete treatments.
I also had to opportunity to promote evidence-based practice during my rotation in the acute care setting by giving an in-service about Parkinson's Disease and how it may affect patients in acute care. The rehab staff which included OT, COTA, PT, PTA, and speech therapists attended the in-service where they learned about Parkinson's Disease and how it may affect clients and things to look out for when treating or evaluating. I have included a slide from the slide show I created for the presentation.
6. Incorporates continued education as a lifelong practice with the commitment to remain up-to-date and well-informed.
Throughout my journey in becoming an occupational therapy practitioner, I have furthered my knowledge and continued to use curiosity to research best practice techniques within our profession. I have read many journal articles and attended multiple in-services to help me stay up-to-date with new interventions and practices. I plan to keep my memberships with AOTA and TNOTA so that I may continue to have access to resources that allow me obtain CEUs and complete workshops that further my knowledge.
I have attached images of my membership cards and plan to continue to renew these as time passes so that I may be a well-rounded practitioner and provide the best practices to my clients.
Throughout my journey in becoming an occupational therapy practitioner, I have furthered my knowledge and continued to use curiosity to research best practice techniques within our profession. I have read many journal articles and attended multiple in-services to help me stay up-to-date with new interventions and practices. I plan to keep my memberships with AOTA and TNOTA so that I may continue to have access to resources that allow me obtain CEUs and complete workshops that further my knowledge.
I have attached images of my membership cards and plan to continue to renew these as time passes so that I may be a well-rounded practitioner and provide the best practices to my clients.