My inspiration to study Occupational Therapy stemmed from my participation in a residential summer school at Teesside University. This course enabled me to gain an insight into the theoretical and practical applications of an occupational therapist in a range of work based scenarios. I particularly enjoyed discovering how to apply knowledge and understanding of occupational therapy to real world situations in a contemporary practice. I also enjoyed deepening my knowledge of the challenges patients face and how occupational therapy can improve a patient’s mind-set to improve their outcomes. I also considered the importance of the setting and environment of patients to enhance the wellbeing of those who are facing physical, mental and social challenges in their everyday lives. Attending this course has furthered my practical and theoretical …show more content…
This involved working in High Tide Kayak School which provided help and support for individuals from all around the world. The centre focused on adaptive courses for people with varied physical disability. I thoroughly enjoyed participating in these courses while observing their practical applications. I was able to support a various groups, providing help and support to those who needed to improve their confidence and improve their skills. This also helped me to improve my communication skills. I particularly enjoyed kayaking for the first time which encouraged me to discover how much I enjoy learning new skills.
In addition to my work experience, I have completed a 14 day trip to Malaysian Borneo to carry out aid work. This involved helping the local community to build clean water tanks and refurbish their homes. I was able to build relationships with members of the team to reach our common goal. This gave me a positive belief in my own ability while operating in an unfamiliar environment. This experience also helped me to foster my ambition to help
Becoming an Occupational Therapy Assistant has been an ambition of mine for several years now. After researching, job shadowing, and talking to professionals, I have decided to make Occupation Therapy my career. My passion is to help patients by participating and assisting them in their recovery from injuries and disabilities. My compassionate and caring attitude will be vital assets in pursuing this career. After training in Occupational Therapy, it is motivating for me to know that I will be a part of assisting patients to gain back their independence. Helping others is something that I am passionate about in my career and in my spare time. I have been on several mission trips to Haiti and other places which I have provided care for others in a medical setting.
This article discusses the basic understanding of what occupational therapy is and what it the Occupation is defined as “activites of everyday life, names, organized and given meaning by individuals and a culture” (Association, 2006). This article also discusses the historical aspects of occupational therapy. Occupational therapy was founded by many different professionals with different backgrounds, that came together to share the same idea about how occupational therapy should be and the importance of activites for a person. This article also talks about different types of services that occupational therapy offers. Occupational therapists and assistances can work in many different settings.
My immediate goals after obtaining an Occupational Therapy degree include gaining clinical expertise through a practice of my choice and motivating as many people as I can to achieve their goals. I plan to participate in evidence-based research in order to improve patient outcomes while spreading this knowledge through community education and prevention programs. After establishing myself in the field and gaining the necessary resources, I intend to collaborate with a team of like-minded
Growing up around a nurse, I have known from a young age that I wanted to work within healthcare and after researching occupational therapy I was sure that it was the career I am suited for. Helping to improve a person’s quality of life and their independence, along with the diverse nature of the work is very exciting to me.
I find occupational therapy to pique my drive to teach people valuable life skills as well as learn from those people and their experiences. Being an occupational therapist would allow me to have one-on-one interactions with patients and establish meaningful relationships over the course of time. It would also give me the dutiful privilege and responsibility of instilling confidence in others and helping them realize their full potential in self-suffiency. All of my personal experiences, challenges, educational backgrounds, and professional interactions have guided me toward pursuing my goals of gaining experience working in all populations, enabling patients to thrive in their daily lifestyle, and spread public awareness of what OT has
A., de Rijk, A., Van Hoof, E., & Donceel, P. 2011). The therapist has to assess the patient to see if they have a need for splints or supports which may benefit the patient and then step in to help design the specific assistive devices needed. It is the job of the occupational therapist to come up with plans to overcome the inconvenient limitations while still helping the patient to reduce strain and prevent further damage by teaching them techniques that will conserve their energy. There are a variety of different ways to make daily living much easier. The most crucial part of therapy is assessing the patient's environment. All the people, cultural conditions and physical objects that are around them, create their environment. The behavior and development of people is a direct result of the interaction between them and their surroundings. A patient's behavior is greatly affected when they are mismatched with their environment. A person's environment match is present when the person's level of competence matches the demands of the environment. Full participation by the patient is required to make it practicable. “The science and practice of occupational therapy are well suited to develop, refine, and test approaches to translate therapeutic gains into
During recent observation hours, I heard some of the most influential words of advice from an occupational therapist which was “Occupational therapy is fun.” It is a simple thought, yet it is so true. Occupational Therapy is not a healthcare field where you just prescribe medications. It is a career where you help older adults enjoy the activities they love again. It is a career where you help children be attentive at school and confident at the dinner table. It is a career where you dedicate time to understanding and encouraging patients in ways that are specific to their needs and goals. With occupational therapy, you create an individualistic approach to a patient’s plan of care. It is a career where you make a real difference, and because I want to create change and help others, I want to be an occupational therapist. I am so excited by the diverse and meaningful nature of the work, and I cannot wait to begin this journey.
Occupational therapy (OT) theory offers valuable contribution to support professionalization since possessing a unique body of knowledge is essential to define a profession (Cooper, 2012). To utilize theory effectively, it is essential to differentiate between generic and specific theory as knowledge of the core theory helps to form OT identity and action as a practicing practitioner. In this essay, OT theory refers only to philosophy and OT specific models. Frame of references (FOR) will not be included since it can be shared with the other professions (Boniface & Seymour, 2012).
...e-based knowledge to inform the therapy practice. It also assists with furthering the therapist’s knowledge of humans as occupational beings as well as the relationship between occupation and health.(Yexer ,1993) introduced occupational science as a fundamental science supporting occupational therapy, with an aim to refocus the provision of therapy back to occupation. Hence, occupational science provides the therapists with support, justifies the meaning and uniqueness of the profession and distinguishes occupational therapy from other professions. In addition (Wilcock, 2001), also emphasises that occupational science might be another way to avoid the possible failure of the occupational therapy as a practice. With a strong research background, occupational therapists could make a contribution to medical science, which may challenge it from a different standpoint.
For my externship I worked at Heshima, a center takeing care of physically and mentally challenged children, for 20 hours. The highlights of my experience were; successfully getting into the organization blindly, being able to work alongside the Heshima employees and watching Nelly, the headmistress’s way of doing things. She, being the head of the school used a method of leadership I had not seen before.
witnessed first-hand the impact occupational therapy can make in people’s lives, watching the delight of a
I interned a cardiologist where I got to see the life of a physician as he went about his daily routine. I achieved getting my Certified Nursing Assistant license after assisting patients at a nursing home. I became a camp counselor for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, where I took care of a 10-year-old child during a summer camp. Through these experiences, I gained confidence in my character and purposefulness. Furthermore, I went on a mission trip to Kenya where I experienced life in a third world country. It was here where my eyes were opened to see a world that is in dire need of help. These people are malnourished, living in detrimental conditions without accessible health care. The experiences I had in Kenya reminded me to never take anything for granted. My engagement acting on all these opportunities fueled my perseverance to pursue my career in health
The career as an occupational therapist (OT) became not only my goal, but my passion after I was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus in 2010. Suddenly, the disease temporarily took over my mobility and I had to receive physical therapy. My experience with a team of rehabilitation therapist was incredibly positive and successful. Instantly, I knew what I wanted, for my future and the future of injured and disabled patients. Soon after my recovery, I began shadowing at a pediatric outpatient rehabilitation clinic. I was a witness to an impactful treatment that was both creative and beneficial for the patients, a branch of healthcare known as occupational therapy. I was immediately inspired to help, managing my illness has given me the background to be understanding and empathetic towards the patients, associate with their needs, and motivate them to reach toward their goals.
After working for the City of Lakewood as a lifeguard for 4 years it has helped me grow up and develop skills to provide a successful team-working environment, and has helped me find traits of myself to accomplish my goals in life.
This assignment will provide information needed to introduce a new service user to the occupational therapy service. Firstly, an overview of what occupational therapy is, the role of the occupational therapist and the occupational therapy process relating to the new service user will be discussed. The use of relevant examples and references from various sources will be encompassed. Occupational therapy is based around core concepts, values and philosophy. occupational therapy is a health care profession that aims to improve the life of an individual who may have physical, psychological or social health conditions.