(B)e(LO)n(G), OT

Preventing healthcare acquired infections like MRSA...

2009-12-15T22:23:00.001-06:00

Barbara
Barbara Dunn has been e-mailing me about preventable infections - I need to check out the website for more information as it looks pretty interesting. One thing I always wonder about is the clipboards that get carried around everywhere! Check it out. :)

I'd like to inform you and the readers of Occupational Therapy Students (B)e(LO)n(G) about how to protect patients and healthcare workers from the huge number of preventable infections people are catching in hospitals and other medical care facilities.

I've created a useful site that you're welcome to check out and take any resources from you like:

http://haiwatchnews.com

That site is a summary of a bigger effort by Kimberly-Clark Healthcare called "Not on My Watch" which is aimed at eliminating completely preventable healthcare acquired infections like MRSA and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Complete information about the "Not on My Watch" campaign can be found at www.haiwatch.com.

Please let me know if there are any questions I can answer for you.
--
Barbara Dunn
barbara@haiwatchnews.com
www.haiwatch.com

OT

2009-11-30T19:42:00.001-06:00

My classmate Dori....(well one class below me) is doing an internship here....we were representin' at a sushi restaurant or Thai or something I think.

It KILLS ME KILLS KILLS ME KILLS ME I can't share specific stories....today I have some stories I'd really like to share!! ARGH!!! It hurts!! I guess I can say this much....I like to use rest breaks productively....for patients who are into self-expression I encourage them to bring in their stories, poems, pictures, scrapbooks, whatever it is they want to share about their life.... (this is especially interesting when working with victims of trauma) - so that during a rest break they can share...

My other goal is that the patient goes home and makes their family jealous of therapy because it's so awesome, haha. I don't have that hard of a time doing that with younger patients who need global training (like lots of deficits to work on). But when it's a patient with just a hand injury or something I find it harder to make it awesome even though I know, I know, a good OT would have no problems making that work. I wish I had an unlimited budget for craft supplies and stuff. Hmmm.

As a new occupational therapist (um I started Sept 1st so 3 months now!) it's so easy to feel utterly incompetent...but I'm sitting here doing adult outpatient physical dysfunction iin another state, whipping out 700s and learning more about the CRAPPINESS of insurance companies lol, and if I had been a student I would just now be done....so...I guess I need to be patient. I keep being told it takes a year, or five, ahaha, to feel okay.....

Hmmm
Better go prep for tomorrow...
I hope y'all had a nice Thanksgiving
PS I have 152 new mails to look at and over 200 to review/respond to, so um....yah :(
PS2 I need art ideas :)

Martha Stewart blew my mind today, oh and Glee's handicapped episode

2009-11-25T22:24:00.001-06:00

So this has nothing to do with OT but it struck me as really ironic.

I follow Martha Stewart on Twitter along with a bunch of other random peeps, and my Twitter came up and she had a few Tweets up and they all had no grammar, ie did not capitalize "i", no periods, commas, etc. I was like.....Really? Am I the only one who finds that hilarious, considering she is known for her attention to detail???

Oh but by the way, to make this vaguely OT related, I am listening to "Defying Gravity" - I just watched my first episode of Glee, called "Wheels", after I think it was announced in AOTA's minute or something. It was relatively well done, having all the glee club have to use wheelchairs for a few hours a day to know what one of their members had to go through daily - they used the term "handicapable" which I haven't seen before. And I loved the song Defying Gravity. So I downloaded it on iTunes. I recommend the show or at least that episode....I know there is probably some talk over on OT Connections about what people did and did not like about the show.

Happy Thanksgiving!

booo

2009-11-25T05:41:00.001-06:00

dang spambots with all their ads....gonna have to go back to moderating comments cuz of them! booo.

I'll try to post today!

OT Pumpkin a little late

2009-11-17T20:15:00.003-06:00

Flashback to a few Halloweens ago..my friend Kerri indulged me in making an OT pumpkin. YAY OT!!!

electrical modalities in Georgia, Orlando FL AOTA Conference, and a cornocupia I can't spell

2009-11-17T20:10:00.001-06:00

wow its been way too long since I last blogged. I am still struggling with the fact that I am almost daily going to face things I haven't seen before seeing as how I'm new!!I am trying to be evidence-based, occupation-based, learn all the basics....for example if I know I am going to get a patient with a hand diagnosis like trigger finger, then I can prepare for it by reading about it in a hand book, looking in an anatomy book to see what exactly it affects, looking in my OT book for ideas on how to treat it, determine my preliminary base of attack (ie pre-evaluation) which would include activity modification/education, modalities, extensor strengthening, range of motion, etc. I can also search online for evidence on what typically happens with the diagnosis and treatment, and even read first hand patient accounts on message boards or blogs, as well as see what is being said in the medical profession re surgical treatment, blah blah blah. So a lot of research and studying.

I got some magnetic poetry for a large metal cabinet in the clinic - you can get clients who enjoy self-expression to work on standing activity tolerance, or visual scanning, or fine motor coordination, while composing their own poetry. Or get window markers or dry erase markers and stand them at the mirror and let them trace themselves/draw themselves....in the case of children with autism, I've found that placing fingerpaint ON their face (like a red streak) will often get them to look straight into the mirror at themselves....and if you have one of those play tunnels that are manipulable, if for example the child is in the ball pit and you place part of the tunnel in the ball pit, they love to look into the tunnel... and you take the other half up and put it to your face...they will look you in the face more consistently and for longer periods of time. I dunno, just stuff that seemed true for me at least.

Um.....what else....I still haven't fenced with any of my patients.......one thing I think I wrote about on a previous blog entry is doing the american sign language alphabet with a lot of clients to work on praxis, fine motor coordination, etc...

I have a 139 NEW mails in my box that I havent even looked at.....it hurts me to delete them without reading them as most are AOTA listservs....but still have a lot of old mails to respond to including blog posts and comments I mean to do something with. I do have more stable Internet now so no real excuse beyond that I find the real world quite exhausting. I love OT, but I'd much rather do it on a part-time basis so that there was lots more time for sleep, my favorite activity ever......unfortunately I can't work part-time unless I find me a rich man....any takers? JUST KIDDING. Oh and loan repayment is so not cool. Which reminds me. I better go pay that bill. Oh crap.

So I am thinking about going to Orlando FL for AOTA conference this year..April I believe. I saw APTA is having theirs in February in San Diego, I wanna go so I can go home, but I don't think that would go over too well with my work, haha...OT at PT conf...haha...ludicrous...haha....anyway.

I am trying to find an electrical modalities course....or a thermal/electrical modalities course if need be....so that I can get certified in Georgia to do modalities. Soo important. But there don't seem to be any classes until this Spring and it's killing me yo. Any thoughts??!!

Um.......um......okay I think I've procrastinated enough. I love seeing OT students and OTs update their status on Facebook ....pretty interesting to see what other programs are up to.....
I better check out OT Connections.......oh wait....no more procrastination.....and oh yeah!! I did apply to the Emerging Leaders program, it worked out!! Now just cross fingers...

OKAY FOR REALS NO MORE PROCRASTINATION GOOD NIGHT.

I saw this somewhere...it cracked me up...

2009-11-08T21:35:00.001-06:00

"Medicaid guidelines are like the bible: how you follow them depends on how you interpret them."

Help AOTA members HELP

2009-11-06T13:19:00.001-06:00

So I filled out the three page essay for the Emerging Leaders program only to discover I hadnt seen the second part of it.....(slightly edited) "Applications require a letter of reference from an AOTA member who has been impacted by your leadership. Should address character, leadership qualities and leadership potential, and your ability to successfully complete the proposed program."

Well, it's a little late now as I waited until today - the deadline - to write that 3 page essay. Total bummer that it's not valid. Any AOTA members out there feel like writing me a reference letter on this lovely Friday afternoon? LOL. Hmmm.

Karen

Trucking on

2009-11-03T18:33:00.001-06:00

Lately I've gotten a lot of really supportive and sweet comments from people that let me know they are gaining something from my blog. That means a LOT to me, so thank you for taking the time to write. My roommate just got Internet, so I'm going to be able to write a little more....but not much more lol. I do want to write about some of the better treatment sessions I've had....like having hand patients do the American Sign Language Alphabet and Numbers 1-10 as part of their home exercise program to improve their fine motor/coordination....or having a hip patient (past precautions!!) do some stuff from a belly dancing DVD....or having a pt working on balance, endurance, etc, do some fencing with foam swords....or doing yoga poses for balance, endurance, etc....I think I do really well with younger pts (ie 20s or below) who need higher level work on things like balance and cognition....it's when you hand me someone who needs ranging and goniometry that I am like IS THIS PARALLEL TO THE LONGITITUDE AND IS THIS THE ANGLE AND DOES THIS LINE UP WITH THE THIRD METACARPAL AND HELP HOW DO I MEASURE CMC MOVEMENT AND AUGH.

But....I'm learning. In a typical day I may have patients with post polio syndrome (a lot of that here in comparison to other places!), a hand injury pt, an arthritis patient, muscular dystrophy patient, etc....except pretend I said that in person first language cuz I totally meant to. Ok I better go shower - just got back from a walk- then I'll come back to maybe blog in more depth or answer some reader emails or who knows what. I still need to complete the application for being an emerging leader through AOTA, that looks neat. And I couldnt take the PAMPCA course because its way overfilled :::sobs::: it makes me cry so much. Its hard to be an outpatient therapist and not be certified in modalities. Grrr.

Ok. Yeah. So. Thanks again for helpful and inspiring comments and I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH IN A NOT CREEPY WAY CONSIDERING I DONT KNOW ANY OF YOU IN REALITY....the end.

hmmm

2009-10-29T21:48:00.001-05:00

Gonna bring my foam fencing swords and a belly dancing DVD to use with some of my patients...also maybe the cymbals....

we had an outpatient patient write a letter to her inpatient therapists letting them know how she was....I initiated things and speech therapist finished it off and i think it was an awesome collaboration and very occupation based :) yay.

lots of cones and clothespins and dowel rods have been in my past.....and will be in my future too, I know this....but I brainstorm every day and research every day hoping to continue to expand reportoire.....so lets hope I can one day be a cones free therapist ;)

COULD THIS BE A POST? By a new occupational therapist?

2009-10-28T11:25:00.001-05:00

Well this is a lunch blogging entry. I decided I didn't have enough time to run to the gas station and to buy a frozen pie crust, so I'll quickly blog, only take a 30 minute lunch so I can get out of here earlier! I'm having to get used to the whole getting-paid-to-work-exactly-40 hours thing....have to juggle time! It's not the end of the world to get overtime, but I'd much rather just work exactly 40 hours because um, well, even fun work is work! Considering the majority of people I now interact with are either physical speech or occupational therapists and/or interns in those fields, there is a lot of shop talk outside work anyway. My speech therapy roomie and I talk a lot about cognitive therapy like when working on executive function. We share some patients who need work on high level skills so it's great to bounce ideas off each other.

I am trying hard to be a good and knowledgeable therapist - I've lately learned more about basic splints, and I am in LOOOOOVE with this book called Therapeutic Exercises, written by PTs, and I think it should be a mandatory book. LOVE it. For phys dys that is. Not that phys dys is my love. But I have a passion to learn even if it's not my love since I want my patients to have highest quality care possible!

The other day I had to quickly measure like a bazillion big, medium, and little joints of BUE with goniometers of varying sizes....including all the finger joints. I was a little frazzled. lol.
I do get overwhelmed some days, feeling like I don't know enough or have too much on my plate, but really I don't....just don't like not feeling like I have control and know everything. I study a lot on the diagnoses my patients have, and I am a big fan of educational hand-outs even though I know a lot of people don't read them. I'm NOT a big fan of home exercise programs - HEP - although I do give them, with instruction to incorporate into day (ie lean over kitchen counter to do shoulder pendulum exercises while waiting for oven to pre-heat).

Rural Georgia is cracking me up.....one of the techs calls me Kay-ar-en and it's not to be funny, she just has a thick accent. I love it. And I bring things like hummus or dried mangos with chile and they are like WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT OMG and I am like AHAHAHAHAHA wow.

Karma just got me cuz I just lost a chip in a sea of hummus. I mourn thee little chip. Rest in soggy peace.

I went to lagrange symphony orchestra yesterday - very fun.

Enjoying Georgia, enjoying job, but wish I could start feeling like a therapist and not a student or imposter! But I'm getting there. Slowly.
Sorry for lack of posts lately - internet so slow in Warm Springs that I rarely get on. This is a rare treat to post. lol.

So........more soon I hope.
PS yeah I need to change my header since i'm no longer a student! :O

hmm

2009-10-18T15:24:00.001-05:00

so it ocurred to me that unlike FW i havent been coming home and writing about my experiences each day....because i cant share them. for me, sharing them is my biggest motivation - writing things down for only my eyes is no fun to me as i feel its a waste in some ways - always better to share reflections so that others can bounce off their own thoughts, ideas, etc....maybe ill try to start writing about my day and sending it to myself....but then in a while going back and modifying details/events so i can post them later on in some form or anther. i dunno. my memory is poor and my need for reflection is great....so when i dont write my life down it almost feels like i never even lived it. hmm.

wow

2009-10-18T15:12:00.001-05:00

I am cleaning out mailbox while sitting in an atlanta bread company in columbus GA with an OT intern Emily and PT intern Tana, and one of the things I am just now about to archive is from June 10th and its from when I found out the devastating news about dream job not going to work out for really painful (but legitimate) reasons....I cannot believe it has been almost 5 months now. Seems like a lifetime ago now that I am living in Warm Springs GA.....amazing how things change.....am sure it all happened for good reason....good for me to be in Warm Springs in this calm peaceful living environment ....anyway...just had to share that wow, its been 5 months. A lot of growth has been taking place. Wow. Just kinda stunned. 5 months. Wow.

work work work

2009-10-18T14:14:00.003-05:00

Haven't been posting a lot. Time flies away and with slow to no internet access at times, um, blogging gets left behind. I'm starting as the only OT at a satellite clinic tomorrow. I'm nervous but my time in inpatient and outpatient and vocational rehab has all helped me grow. Plus I'll be working with a very experienced physical therapist who can help me out with some of the things I am not sure about. I really like the diversity and complexity of things you might see outpatient - but thats also what scares me, lol. Vocational rehab has been interesting, I've really been intrigued by the students there - they tend to be people with congenital issues like spina bifida, cerebral palsy, myasthenia gravis, etc.......some people with aquired issues. Anyways it seems like many of the students in OT have similar personalities in some ways, regardless of type of disability, which I find interesting.

Ummm......I wish I had a lot more resources.....like lots more books....I love reading about stuff and then seeing it in real life and applying that knowledge. So much to learn. Like right now I want to go research retrograde massage for hand edema. I remember vaguely once reading that massage should be really really really gentle and light as it otherwise causes microvascular damage. But then in general most therapists are relatively firm with their massage on the edema. So I am confused and need to research further.

hmmm

2009-10-05T18:14:00.001-05:00

Still outpatient.....Tuesday and Wednesday will be challenging for me but I CAN HANDLE IT YO.

just sayin'.

I only got a few hours sleep last night for various reasons so I am too sleepy to blog much even though I'm on blessedly beautiful fast Internet for once. Oh well. Sorry guys.

Outpatient

2009-09-30T20:33:00.001-05:00

Finished third day outpatient, definitely learning a lot every day. Frustrated today because due to miscommunication - no one's fault - I ended up doing multiple forms for single evaluation when only one was needed - based on insurance. IE you do a Medicare 700 form (get used to that term) or you do a private insurance form. I was like ALL THIS DUPLICITY KILL ME NOW so I was relieved to discover it was accidental I did that and not something I'd have to keep doing!

I am enjoying all the learning....trying to get down the phrases about low load long duration stretch, increasing normalization of tone, increasing facilitation to X, inhibiting Y, and all the little things you have to write/do/say to make it very clear the services provided are SKILLED and not just like "He did some theraband, yo, it was awesome'. So I'm learned to be skilled. Can't wait for physical agent modalities course.

By the way, my friend Cookie Gimp wrote me to say he was confused as I said I wasn't certified, but according to him (meaning I didn't go google it or anything since I trust him) I said on my blog I was certified in 2007. If I said that I was confused - I took a several day COURSE in thermal modalities for certification, but never took the hours to receive actual certification (it was a required part of my school program and very generous and good - but I never got the hours in because I was never spending time in phys dys locations that did a lot of modalities). I know I was confused about how that worked originally.

Outpatient and inpatient really are two very different beasts....I like them both but I have a lot lot lot to learn for outpatient - like learning the names and how to do provocation tests for example. And it's not necessarily important I ALWAYS remember, so long as for example if I have a patient with bicipital tendonitis, I look up how to deal with it, how to treat it, the tests for it, etc so that I can treat better and diagnose better.

And - all my professors will roll over in their live graves - I did some minor evidence-based research yesterday, looking at articles in AJOT about sensorimotor versus therapeutic practice for best handwriting treatment as well as what type of underlying problems that slow handwriters tended to have.

I need to sign up for PAMCA which involves a ton of paperwork since I work for the state department of labor, I need to put in request for a day off to make up for the Labor Holiday I worked, I need to fill out a housing request application (I want to try and get pet-friendly housing), I need to continue doing lots and lots of studying for outpatient....like reviewing the ulnar nerve distribution as to how it starts in the C8/T1 portion of brachial plexus....goes down the arm and into pinkie/ring finger etc....and being reminded of how pain versus paresthesias are in different spinal tracts so need to not lump them together as I tend to think of paresthesias (ie numbness, tingling) as pain.

Learned some median and ulnar nerve gliding exercises today....learned about bicipital tendonitis and rotator cuff pathologies, about "milking" massage to remove edema from hand, learned ways to prevent people from compensating while doing external rotation exercises (force them to hold a rolled up towel under arm so have to keep elbow by side), etc.

Today was kind of an "off" day in sense I had that frustrating day of repetitive paperwork and then I came home and vegged out/napped instead of working out/being productive....and I made conscious choice when leaving work today to not take any stuff home to study tonight.....my roommate Christy, a PT, made delicious veggie quesadillas and corn/black bean salsa for me and Jamie SLP and her friend Derrick so that was a nice dinner but also "off" since we don't normally eat dinner together....basically everything about today was abnormal.

Tomorrow will be semi- abnormal as well as after work we are going to a "Taste of Newnan" which is some kind of barbecue or chili cook off, I keep hearing conflicting reports, but sounds fun. Newnan is town about 40 minutes away closer to Atlanta. By "we" I mean like half of Warm Springs population, hahaha. It will be the first time in over a month that I've gone two days in a row without working out :O Maybe if I get off early (I have some overtime so if I can leave early I will to avoid that), I'll work out first.....Ive discovered daily exercise is by FAR the most important way I can handle days with less stress, more energy.

Tomorrow I get in at 730 to finish writing up an eval, hopefully I learned all my important lessons today (ICD-9 CODES ARE EVIL) so that it won't be such a frustrating exercise. We have patients most of morning and afternoon....

I do love being an occupational therapist...getting to say I am a therapist....getting a paycheck!....wearing a name badge and being part of an awesome institution....writing OTR/L.....getting to help people feel better in diverse ways....being surrounded by fun healthcare workers.....oooh the outpatient techs CRACK ME UP. Love them.

Blah blah blah. If you read this all you must be really bored. I'm waiting to jump in shower after someone's laundry done. Good night!!

First day shadowing outpatient...

2009-09-28T20:54:00.001-05:00

I am totally applying, I'm excited at the possible opportunity. :)

Today was shadowing outpatient - one to two weeks there and then start with my own case load across town. Reviewed and saw modalities (need to sign up for a PAMCA course asap in Atlanta so I can be certified in thermal modalities myself), scar massage, PNF patterns, leuko-tape, median gliding exercises, an eval, goniometry....lots to review!

---------------

AOTA Announces Leadership Development Program for New Practitioners

The announcement calling for New Practitioner Applicants:

http://www.aota.org/News/AOTANews/New-Practitioners.aspx

OT Advocacy

2009-09-27T18:27:00.001-05:00

Was very impressed to see a great article called "Blogging for Advocacy" by Alece Kaplan in the July 27th, 2009 issue of OT Practice, www.otadvocacy.com. Alece wrote about how she used her blog to advocate for OT (getting redundant here I guess lol) and some of the experiences she had and the people she reached! It was very informative and I was impressed with her descriptions of blogging for a cause. Great job Alece :)

OT student life....lo

2009-09-26T09:46:00.001-05:00

Hahaha it's funny because it's true...good post Kimberly (who is doing great in OT school!) Congrats. (And congrats to Wendy, Liberty, Carina, Kacey, and several others I'm blanking on, as they continue on their OT student journey...)

http://myotstudentblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/otpt-instructors-master-plan.html

Life as an OTR/L is fun here in Warm Springs...

2009-09-24T22:47:00.001-05:00

Well I continue to learn new things every day about evaluations, discharges, treatment ideas...tons of treatment ideas I've been writing down. Need to share, perhaps this weekend. Learning more about manual muscle testing, PROM, AROM, adaptive equipment, durable medical equipment, and so forth. Tomorrow is my last day inpatient - next week I start outpatient training, then week after that different (final placement) outpatient, but I'm guessing I'll still be around in various areas as needed for a while, I dunno. I love being an occupational therapist but I still feel very much like a student. I hang out with the students too.

Tonight I went over two cottages to the student cottage where several OT students, PT students, rec students, and me the sole employee, lol, watched Grays Anatomy season premiere. We were all either texting or on laptops throughout - I've historically spent so much time hanging out with older people than I am always amused to spend time with my own age group and see how similar we are in some ways. There was some sugar-free fudgesicle eating + some light adult beverages...interesting combo right? Then Tana, PT student/pseudo mother, made chocolate chip banana bread which she let us all try....it was meant for work but the stupid student cottage oven doesn't do so well so maybe some (more) of it will end up in my tummy. my tummy cries for sweets and can you blame it?

I've been semi stressed out on and off - sometimes REALLY - and had one really bad day where I cried a lot after work - but overall it's usually pretty fun and interesting. I love spending time with my patients and I really enjoy it when I get to spend one on one time with them. I love seeing little miracles, love seeing progressions of people coming in max assist and leaving a few FIM scores higher....lol...I learn a lot from my patients. I think OT schools should include some BASIC courses on motivation and listening, hope, grief, etc - like when patients are having a hard day and feel bitter or depressed, how to best handle that...

It's neat signing OTR/L....neat getting to refer to myself as a therapist...and I'm definitely loving living on this rehab campus with a 2 minute walk to work and 2 minute walk to gym and a 1 second walk to many friends/coworkers in healthcare who live here as well.

I do miss Memphis though, I still don't feel like I live here....that will take time. I moved here August 23rd so my one month anniversary was yesterday.

Welcome to Georgia Karen....

PS: I'm sure you guys have noticed erratic blogging blizzards....basically my computer is super slow on campus so I rarely post much as I can't get on much or easily here compared to my previous Memphis internet levels.....but when I go to coffee shop that I started visiting this week, its normal-fast so I can try to whip out everything I'm behind on. Still a long way to go but did manage to deal with about 70 e-mails this week...only 100+ more to go....

This weekend will hopefully be nice. In prep for starting outpatient OT I am going to be reading up on orthopedic upper extremity injuries such as Colles fractures...things like transverse myelitis, medicare guidelines, etc etc...

Oh....and I've gotten some very neat treatment suggestions from a friend regarding "manly" treatments like stuff involving cars instead of, fluffy kittens. Hoping for more from people on treatment ideas in general...

OT schools similar, regardless of price?

2009-09-22T18:49:00.001-05:00

Wrote a post on this recently, too lazy to relink, but here is another comment on it that came from a cross-post I did on OT Connections

A Comment has been posted to Transitioning from student to practitioner...: Opinion: Are all OT schools pretty similar? Cheap or expensive?:

I currently go to a fairly large university that is "moderately expensive". What I mean by that is I have heard stories from former students whose total tuition topped out at like $80,000 and others who said they paid $22,000. I am not finished with school yet but have came to the conclusion after all my calculations that my tuition total after I graduate is about $37,000. I believe that most schools, expensive or not are the same. I mean, they all teach you the basic entry-level skills needed to pass the NBCOT and gain employment out in the field. So why bother with the $80,000 school when you can gain a similiar education at another school for $40,000 less? Just some food for thought. :o)

I'm not the only imposter syndrome poster child, haha

2009-09-22T18:25:00.001-05:00

Jo says:
Hi
I still get that imposter feeling from time to time and I've been qualified 5 years. So does one of my nurse friends. We are waiting to be found out by our superiors that we don't know what we are doing. We do really know what we are doing but I think it's perfectly natural to doubt every now and then. It just means that you're developing and questioning how you do things.
Good luck with your new life in Warm Springs as an OT. I'm enjoying hearing all about it.

Jo (Community mental health OT, Northumberland, UK)

OT blog blizzard temporarily complete

2009-09-21T23:18:00.001-05:00

I posted a bunch of posts today...the easiest ones I could....went to coffee shop with fast internet for first time since move....of course its 7 miles away and only open until 8pm..lol.better than nothing....went from 163 emails to deal with to about 115....hope to go back within next week and cross out another 30-40....didnt necessarily deal with them chronologically so much as how quickly i could deal with it/how much thinking was involved....so blog readers/commenters....have hope, I still have a bunch more to go. Most recent, a few much older ones :x

Still have quite a few posts brewing ....am wishing I could post more about work but staying safe. I do start shadowing in long-term acute care tomorrow....I have enjoyed inpatient rehab but I think I'm more of an acute person when given the choice! Better than obtuse, right? Haha...

Anyway. yeah. More soon. Yay for all you recently-starting OT students....let me know how things are going...I'm guessing overwhelming...but I promise you can get through it! If you need a pep talk/morale booster really bad, e-mail me or comment...I can be a good cheerleader. IT WILL BE OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright I'm up way past bedtime. Gotta be up in six hours. Good night.

i like this advice from a friend

2009-09-21T19:13:00.001-05:00

"Here's my best advice in regard to dealing with loose ends - tie a knot and hang on!"

malaysian OTs too

2009-09-21T19:12:00.001-05:00

wow. trombly and pendretti in malaysia. lol. international.

blog comment:

pendretti u guys use this book too wow, where do you study OT.i like pendretti too ,but i like trombly as well,what year are you in now.oh im an ot student tooo, but im from malaysia.nice meeting you.