Here's what I've done so far:
- Work with residents (aka. patients) in long-term care... (re)assessments, treat, place consults
- Work with residents in hospice care (one passed away a month ago... losing my first resident was hard, but I dealt with it well)
- Train residents on using assistive devices, motorized wheelchairs
- Inservice: Yoga, Prosthetics for Amputees, Adaptive Sports, C-Leg Brace, Palliative & Hospice Care
- Observed OTs in Outpatient and Spinal Cord Injury clinics
- Observed total knee replacement procedure!
- Co-led a physical activity group... did presentations
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20 Tips on Surviving Fieldwork!
1. Before fieldwork begins, meet with your prospective supervisor to learn what expectations are and how you can prepare. Make sure all health forms/paperwork/computer-based training are completed!!
2. Arrive on time... or early! That means giving yourself enough time to commute.
3. Wear a watch. It doesn't look very professional to be constantly checking your phone at work. However, check with your supervisor. She may ask you to have it on you to keep in touch during the day.
4. Adhere to their dress code (i.e., casual, business casual, no jeans, etc.).
I wish some fieldwork sites would allow us to wear jeans, at least dark ones.
5. Do use and check out available resources at your fieldwork site. You may place useful materials in a binder for your reference.
6. Take notes (just make sure to leave out patient identifiers: name, date of birth, etc.) to keep track of patients/clients you work with.
7. When in doubt or have concerns (i.e., ethics), ask!
8. If you don't understand something (jargon, abbreviation, etc.), look it up or ask your supervisor/staff.
9. Show initiative by doing additional research... and share your ideas! You may have an opportunity to give a presentation, which is a great way to share what you know/learned with your colleagues!
10. Adhere to all policy guidelines and safety regulations. Many hospital settings require you to complete HIPAA or related training. Please keep in mind that it's very important to respect the patient's privacy rights.
11. During midterm evaluations, keep in mind that constructive criticism is for your own professional growth. If you learn and work diligently on areas that need improvement, then sky's the limit!
12. Build a rapport with your patients/clients and communicate with staff who are involved in their care. You are part of the health care team!
13. Familiarize yourself with assessments you are expected to administer to patients. It is important to be consistent and timely when documenting results.
Yes, this is one of my areas I'm working on to improve.
14. Use your clinical reasoning skills and evidenced-based interventions. Before carrying out a news intervention, consider how it will help the patient achieve his goal(s). Make sure your supervisor okays it.
15. Learn to be flexible... you may need to modify goals, treatment plan, or interventions.
Yes, I'm working on this skill!
16. Make the most of your fieldwork experience if the site offers you the opportunity to attend meetings/rounds, observe other settings, participate in inservice, etc.
17. Do your best to complete your work (i.e. submitting progress notes) on a timely basis. The work starts to pour on you're behind on notes.
18. If issues should arise during fieldwork, try to resolve them ASAP. Also, report any serious issues to your supervisor and/or proper staff.
19. Take a break when you need to and make sure you're fueled up to get through the day.
20. When you leave, don't forget to leave feedback on how the fieldwork experience can be improved in the future.
21! ***Show your enthusiasm and show everyone what OT is all about!***
I hope you have an enjoyable and fulfilling fieldwork experience!!
