Week one, here we go... (a week behind so let's pretend today is September 25th)
On September 12th and the 14th, I went to the Veterans Care Program at Parkwood Hospital for my observation placement. I had no idea what to expect. I guess I'm still trying to figure out what it means to be an Occupational Therapist (OT), and what kind of responsibilities that title holds.
Before my visit to Parkwood Hospital, I had some expectations as to what I would be seeing. I expected the schedule of the OT to be like a doctor's. I imagined that the OT had a million things to complete on a "check list", and expected to run about various parts of the hospital, moving from client to client, with little time to interact with the client at a personal level. I guess I was so focused on the professional relationship between the OT and the client, that I forgot how important it was for the OT to view the client as a unique individual, not a patient. I mean, none of the health care professionals I had interacted with in the past really went past a casual, "how are you doing today?" I just assumed professionalism meant talking only about relevant information to make me feel better (eg. where it hurts, how it hurts, why it hurts, etc). I guess before this experience I only really saw clients as people who needed help.
It wasn't until I saw the way my supervising OT communicating with her clients that I realized how important communication was in this type of a relationship. How could an OT enact "client-centred" practice without knowing the client at a deeper level? You really can't.
The interaction between the OT and the clients was the one thing that resonated with me the most from the experience. Their relationship seemed so normal. They talked about family, problems with the pool at the OT's home, and even shared jokes. The clients seemed so happy and comfortable when they were talking with the OT. They seemed so excited when they talked about their interests and their families back home. This made me realize that they have goals and interests separate from their impairments. OT's weren't just there to provide services, but were there to guide clients in achieving their personal interests and goals. The clients were no different from myself. I have interests. I have goals. This experience helped me to realize the importance of empathy. In my future practice as in OT, I will work hard to build successful therapeutic relationships with my clients by taking the time to communicate, get to know, and relate to the individuals outside of the professional context.
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