Posts

Imposter Syndrome

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I had never heard of imposter phenomenon when I first entered OT school. Nonetheless, I had definitely experienced it before and would continue to throughout my graduate school journey. One instance of imposter phenomenon occurred in the summer before I came to UTHSC. I had taken a job as a tech at a developmental preschool back home. I was fresh out of college and was anxiously awaiting the results of my OTCAS application. In addition to my daily duties at the preschool, I was asked to serve as the volunteer coordinator of the facility's hippotherapy program on Tuesday nights. I jumped at the opportunity for overtime pay and exposure to such a unique form of OT and PT. At the same time, I had never even heard of this hippotherapy program and had no idea how it worked. The first assignment I was given involved creating an Excel sheet outlining the dimensions of the whiteboard I would use to write volunteer assignments on for each riding session. As a psychology major, SPSS was the ...
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Code of Ethics - Two Practical Takeaways

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One of my professional development goals this term was to read the entire AOTA Code of Ethics and blog about two practical ways that the Code can be implemented into clinical practice. However, I recognize that there are countless ways that the principles and standards of conduct in the document apply to occupational therapy practice. Because we have spent much of our Healthcare Management and Policy course dissecting the principles (beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, justice, veracity, and fidelity), I chose to focus more on the standards of conduct in this reflection. Standard of conduct 3D states, "Do not follow arbitrary objectives that compromise the rights or well-being of others, including unrealistic productivity expectations, fabrications, falsification, plagiarism of documentation, or inaccurate coding" (AOTA, p. 5). One practical way to abide by this standard in practice is to be completely honest about the time you spend with the patient during documentation. ...
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Locus of Control

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 Locus of control--  a fancy term, yet a concept that is simply foundational to how humans view their own circumstances and life choices. A person's locus of control falls on a spectrum between internal and external. Those with a high internal locus of control feel utterly responsible for everything that happens in life, while those with a high external locus of control feel utterly at the will of the world forces around them. I believe that both viewpoints have a place in a balanced life. I personally was a 10 on a 23 point scale (0 being extremely internal and 23 being extremely external). For the most part, I have a deep sense of responsibility for what happens in my daily life: if I eat healthy, get adequate rest, put in ample study time for that test, I assume I will get desirable outcomes. On the other hand, some things, no matter how hard I try, simply don't turn out as I planned. In those instances, I believe it's best to have a sense of humor about life. To make th...
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Media Project Reflection

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I decided to create “Pick a Stick” because it incorporates energy conservation ideas, facilitates meaningful conversation about who and what is most important to the client, and mimics some of the client’s desired occupations—all while improving fine motor skills. Fine motor skills would be used in many of Jane's typical daily activities such as, documenting at work, inserting needles, bandaging wounds, tying her scrub pants, cooking a meal, pulling weeds, making pottery, and so many more. "Pick a Stick" helps the client plan, prioritize, and pace important tasks throughout the week and encourages social participation to help ward off feelings of depression and isolation. Jane reported having many close friends in her area, making that particular aspect of this intervention possible. The task can be performed in various settings (such as the hospital, an in-patient facility, or the client’s home), and is very inexpensive. It could also be performed either sitting at a ta...
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Debilitating, Not Defeating

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For my final Neuro Note assignment, I chose to dive deeper into Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) by watching the testimony of Andrew Franek. Andrew battled GBS for nearly one year. Before his diagnosis, Andrew enjoyed hunting, going to the gym, playing guitar, boating, and being a firefighter. After becoming sick with a high fever, weakness, and severe rash, Andrew was diagnosed with strep. However, in the weeks that followed, Andrew would become paralyzed below the neck, spend days on a ventilator, and require a tracheostomy and peg tube for basic life support. While the illness (GBS) progressed rapidly, recovery did not—a team approach to therapy and Andrew’s grit helped him to overcome the illness after ten  long  months of fighting. I chose to learn more about Andrew’s experience to help me design an intervention for a young woman with GBS as a part of my upcoming media project. I recommend Andrew’s testimonial video to others who would like a closer look at GBS and the rehab...
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Deny, Cope, or Thrive: Living with MS

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For my  fourth Neuro Note assignment, I dove deeper into the topic of multiple sclerosis (MS) by watching a TedTalk by Stephanie Buxhoeveden. I chose to watch this talk in hopes of improving my understanding of such a complex disease. Stephanie was diagnosed with MS when she was only 25 years old, a young nurse working her way through a highly selective nurse anesthetist graduate program. Stephanie was planning a wedding and lifted weights in her small amount of free time. Upon receiving her diagnosis, Stephanie was at a crossroads: she could deny her diagnosis, cope with it, or thrive in spite of it. I recommend her TedTalk to anyone hoping to better understand MS and to those suffering from a neurological disorder who are in need of a little inspiration. Stephanie's symptoms of MS first emerged as a tingling sensation in her foot during a routine workout. Like any young, healthy person would, she chalked this feeling up to a pinched nerve or other sports-related injury. However, ...
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"Your legs stop, but your life doesn't."

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     For my Neuro Note assignment, I chose to watch a short documentary about Sophia Malthus, a twenty-year-old woman who suffered a C4-C5 spinal cord injury after being thrown from her horse. I chose to learn more about Sophia's journey to deepen my understanding of SCI, but also because she seemed relatable to me as a young woman. Before her accident, Sophia aspired to be a jockey and worked tirelessly with horses. Before coming to OT school, I worked for one year in hippo therapy, and met many volunteers who loved horses and many clients who benefitted from therapeutic riding. Below are some of my take-aways from this inspirational video and the resource and link that can be used for others to watch as well.  After her injury, Sophia was categorized as a level A on the ASIA Impairment Scale, the most devastating rating that someone with an SCI can receive. Sophia also experienced complete tetraplegia below her injury-site, causing all neuronal messaging below her ...
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