Mock Interview

     On September 09, 2020 I had the chance to do a mock interview with my school. I interviewed for a full time OTR position at a nursing and rehab center. Below is my reflection on how I thought the interview went.

 How do you feel the interview went overall? 

    I personally feel like it went well. I was a little nervous before beginning, but once I got in there my nerves went away. I tend to make myself nervous, but once I start I am reassured that I will do great if I just be myself. I think considered it was my first zoom interview it went well. 

How did you prepare for the interview?

    Honestly, I thought about a few questions I may ask the interviewer, but other than that I did not really prepare. I have had a job interview in the past and knew that some of the questions would involve asking about my strengths, weaknesses, and some personal experiences. I had in my mind what I wanted to say, but I do best when I think on the spot. 

What, if anything, went differently than you expected

I was not prepared for the question related to FW. I think it made me stop and think for a little because both of my most recent ones were online. I just had to stop gather my thoughts and answer the question to the best of my ability. I feel like I adapted well and answered the question honestly. This was a good question to ask though to prepare me.

What's something you would change if you could go through this process again (or something you'll do differently when you're in a real-life interview situation)?

     If I do this again, I will be more prepared when it comes to answering questions about FW. Another thing I may change would be when asked to tell a little about myself I was very short, and I think I could have done a little more explaining to let the person know more about me than what was on the paper. 

What's something you learned during this process that may be helpful to you as you prepare to enter the workforce as an OT practitioner?

    That smiling and making a mistake is normal we are all humans. That being open to criticism and letting people know that I have good personal skills and can use humor in a situation to lighten the mood could make my transition into a new facility easier. I need to prepare questions and again just be myself. If they hire someone, they thought was someone else it could make transitioning into work more difficult with other co-workers. Be open and always be ready to think on your toes. 

A Glyph on Leadership

January 2019

July 2020

The image to the left is when I first started OT school. And the image below is a current image. As you can tell the shape of the head changed from a square to a triangle. Which indicates that since starting school I have determined that leadership is most likely an inborn trait instead of stemming from nature. Also, the shape of the eyes have changed from circles to squares indicating that there is an equal mixtures of leaders versus non-leaders. I feel like this has changed for me because I had the opportunity to work with many different individuals in groups and see those who were leaders. The nose though remained the same resembling that someone can be a leader without seeing themself as a leader. As you can tell I placed freckles on the second image showing that through school self awareness is important to be an effective leader. If you are not self aware this can hinder the abilities to be an effective leader. As you can tell from the mouth I have and still have many leaders in my life whom left a positive impact on me. The ears in the second picture show that technology is not what is important to becoming an effective leader. A good leader is one who can use any resources and their own knowledge and advice to make an impact.  The hair remained the same as well demonstrating that a good leader is someone who can be both organized and creative to be a good leader. The length also demonstrates that even though an individual can be an introvert they can also be an effective leader if the initiative is taken. I still placed glasses and earring on both pictures which demonstrates that I see myself as a leader and have had many leadership roles. Lastly my name was signed different, the cursive symbolizes my goal to serve a leadership role in the future, especially when I become a practitioner. I think I have grown even more into a  leader since school and gained all the resources necessary to be an effective leader.  

Locus of Control

There are two different types of locus of controls, internal or external. Internal locus of control is when one believes they are responsible for their future.  External factors may occur, but they can make a decision on how to handle/respond to the event. When someone has an external locus of control, they believe things will happen to them and there is no preventing those events from occurring. 

After taking Rotters Locus of Control Scale I scored a total of 10, which represents an internal locus of control. I personally think this fits me so well. I normally am someone who follows by the rules and do not get influenced based on other opinions or decisions. I have always worked hard for what I have and still continue to work for great grades all throughout my current master’s degree. I take responsibility for my actions and even sometimes the actions of others which can be a downfall. I feel like I have always been able to handle whatever comes my way especially since I have learned to use humor to make the most of any situation. 

I can say that sometimes I do feel as if I have an external locus of control, because some things just cannot be in my control. I try to be as optimistic as possible and know that whatever actions/ efforts I put forth will impact the outcome. I have a strong sense of self-efficacy and like to take leadership roles. I am not the type to sit back and let others lead the way. I am determined to try to figure things out on my own and doing so has helped increase my independence in life.

This test has reassured me that I am in control of myself and my actions. I know I have the capabilities to be successful not only in school but as a future practitioner.  

Peds Sim Lab

Overall, I felt as if my sim lab went well. I think I had more positive things occur than negative. One thing that I found very comforting was the mother loved my sensory ideas on the schedule and gave me the reassurance I needed. When I explained what a sensory processing disorder was and asked her if she understood, she had no questions. So I feel like my job of explaining something that could be so complex to someone who was unfamiliar with it was accomplished. I really enjoyed this SIM lab encounter. I think having the materials before also really helped me think about how I wanted to present this information in the best, most understanding way as possible to the parent. I also have never really had the experience to talk to a "parent" so being able to put myself in their shoes was beneficial to my learning experience. 

If I could do anything different in this SIM I would have tried to not bounce around when talking to the mother. There were many times when I felt like I hadn't explained things to her. I was so focused on hitting the points I was supposed to cover, I would tell her things and then bounce back to something else. I wish I was more aware of the sequencing that I had during my conversation with the mother. I may also try not to pull emotion out of the mother. There are times when parents may not want to open up and I have learned that it is best to not pull for answers. 

There are many ways to show that you care to a client. The most important to me is by being empathetic and showing that you do care about them and their concerns. A client can also tell if you care by the way you present yourself. If you keep eye contact, listen to what they say, and respond by repeating back to them what you heard them say shows you care. When you are able to put yourself in that client/caregivers shoes they will know that you are trying to relate to what they are experiencing and that you do care and are there to help them.  

When I have the opportunity to experience something like this in the real world, I will be more prepared for what is to come. As humans we all react differently, so no scenario will be the same. This lab has helped prepare me to interact with a child's parents and know that not all parents will show the same emotions. Therefore, if they are not willing to open up to me, I do not need to keep pushing them to open up. I also will have more experience talking to and relating to the parents or even other clients when giving them new information. I think I also will be able to communicate the material in a more organized way and not bounce from topic to topic.The more labs I get to participate in, the more I am becoming aware of my communication skills and my own self awareness and the adjustments I need to make. These labs are teaching me so much to prepare myself for a real clinical setting.  

Memory Box Media Project

            I recently completed a media project for my class. It was a case report relating to a client named Susan, who was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).  Most individuals have a life expectancy of 2-5 years after diagnosis. Susan loves to scrapbook and wants to leave behind something for her two children after she passes. I was instructed to use an everyday household item and turn it into an intervention for Susan. My item was a margarine tub. We decided to turn it into a memory box that she could place pictures, quotes, cards, and even voice recordings inside of. She would have the opportunity to maintain the muscle function she has in her hand, while continuing to do what she loves to do. 

            After completing this project, the most rewarding thing I learned was that anything you have at home can be turned into a meaningful activity. Always make the best of any situation, and you can find something to meet the needs and values of the client. I knew that the values, beliefs, and needs of the client came first in any situation, but when I was challenged to use an object that wasn't the most common in intervention it was very challenging. After completing this I learned that if I think hard about what is most important to the client, I can turn any type of material or product into something that the client finds meaningful. Being challenged with what materials are available as an occupational therapist may be difficult at times, but knowing that I can make an intervention with any type of material as long as I put the client first is possible. I feel like now I can be more creative than I imagined and turn a simple intervention into something that is fun while maintaining, promoting, or even preventing health issues. 

            My hopes after completing this project is that the skills I learned will be carried over. I hope to use my creativity in clinical settings so the client can do something beneficial without it being the same boring intervention. I want them to do something they love that is rewarding or can challenge them while increasing their occupational performance. In other settings I hope it allows me to think about how to be a better therapist so each client can have a different intervention no matter the materials available. Not everyone is the same so their interventions should be tailored to them. The client is always first, and I will strive to create an innovative task to meet their needs while within their functional abilities. This media project has taught me so much about being creative and using what I have available and not using  normal intervention items. 

            

Can She Change Your Mindset?

In the Ted Talk, How My Dad’s Dementia Changed My Idea of Death Beth Malone talks about her father’s dementia. Malone’s father had frontotemporal lobe dementia which could change soemones personality, make them paranoid, or even violent at times. Her father was diagnosed with dementia over 10 years ago, but it was only three years ago when his symptoms began to worsen. His family decided to place him into a nursing home, which wasn’t the best option for him. One day he threatened everyone at the facility he was going to cut them, while also yanking curtains off the wall, and becoming very aggressive to others. 

Malone’s family found a facility for people with dementia so her dad could be in a more suitable place. She went to visit him one day and he had fallen over and was trying to take off the clothes they had placed on him. This upset her so much that she couldn’t even visit him that day and she left. She started to question, “Why should my dad have to live this life.” After visiting with therapists, psychics and support groups she knew she had to let him know she was alright and that she didn’t have to worry about him. When she went to see her dad to tell him she’d be alright without him, she had a change of heart. 

Her father was himself again. He was laughing and told her that he missed her when she told him she missed him. She knew that day that he was somewhat himself again. She knew when she held his hands he was still there. She then knew that she couldn't change death and the story of someone’s life.

As I reflect back on this story it shows the roles that each individual can have in someone’s life. All you need to do is be there to provide support when the day may either be good or bad. I have seen this personally when my grandmother was diagnosed with dementia. Some days she was herself and other it was like you were looking into an empty tunnel. Every day was different, but as we continued our roles in her life, she was at peace and when the time came, she went home with the Lord. 

As therapist we need to remember we are there to help no matter how good or bad. Some days we may feel like we have climbed a hill trying to find the soul inside the person without reaching the top and others we feel like we are at the top. We cannot change what has happened, but we can change what will happen in the future. 

Beth Malone’s touching, heartfelt story is one to listen to for sure. We need to remember who we are, and what roles we have in someone else’s life. Support the ones we love and even though they may not be the person you remember deep down a piece of them is still there. Dementia may take their memory or cause them to act in ways that are uncommon for them, but deep down there is a piece of them still there. We just have to be patient and wait for the day to see it again, wither it be a day, weeks, or months, or even in the afterlife. 

I highly encourage everyone to watch this Ted talk, to hopefully change your idea of what perceptions you previously had no matter the situation. It will make you have a different outlook on your decision. Click on the link below to watch the Ted Talk. 

https://www.ted.com/talks/beth_malone_how_my_dad_s_dementia_changed_my_idea_of_death_and_life

 Reference: 

Malone, B. (n.d.). How my dad's dementia changed my idea of death (and life). Retrieved August 22, 2019, from https://www.ted.com/talks/beth_malone_how_my_dad_s_dementia_changed_my_idea_of_death_and_life

How Would You Respond?

What do you do when a challenge is thrown at you, or when something doesn’t go the way you planned? Do you let it bring you down or do you turn it around and make the best out of the worst situation? We have recently learned about MS and how so many individuals have this diagnosis. I wanted to hear how it had affected a driven graduate student who was successful in her life. 

            In a recent Ted Talk, Thriving in the Face of Adversity, by Stephanie Buxhoevedem she talked about how she dealt with life when a challenge came her way. She was a graduate student who loved neurology and was pursuing a career as an anesthetist. She also loved to work out but one day while she was working out her leg had become numb. She didn’t think anything about it, maybe it was just a pinched nerve. She kept preserving and the day had finally come that she had been dreaming of, after all the hard work in the classroom it was finally time to be in the surgery room to give her first anesthesia. Before she knew it, her legs were completely numb, her arm was losing sensation and her vision became blurry. She knew something was wrong, it wasn’t just nerves. She then went to the hospital where she was admitted for numerous amounts of test. After days of being in the hospital she was given the news that no one wants to hear, she was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. 

            She had to make a decision to keep pursuing what she wanted or let her MS determine her life. She was reading through some of her paperwork from the hospital, when she read that the doctor said, “she had a poor prognosis”. This led her to the decision of pursuing something new in life. She decided to become a multiple sclerosis nurse to help others with her clinical and own personal advice. She was able to help others with their diagnosis. She also started a website to help those with unanswered questions be aware of the diagnosis. 

            This Ted Talk shows that we never know the future and especially what our unknown is. Stephanie was faced with the most difficult, devasting news, but she had the choice to either deny, cope or thrive. She chose to thrive, and she said that this diagnosis has pushed her and gave her a purpose in life. As future practitioners we can take our own knowledge and help others and who knows we may even be able to give advice of our own. This story is touching because most people will want to deny and cope with their diagnosis, but as practitioners we want individuals to push through their challenges and be able to get the most out of their lives. 

            No matter the situation life will throw a challenge at you and it is up to you how that challenge is handled. The determination and support of others will have a great impact on how individuals can overcome challenges. There is no specific answer to the future, so making the best of the outcome can have a larger impact on your life and on others’ lives more than you think. So as future therapist we need to be holistic in all approaches. We need to let our patients know that we will support them and help them when they need it most. 

 Reference:

Talks, T. (2015, April 03). Thriving in the Face of Adversity | Stephanie Buxhoeveden | TEDxHerndon. Retrieved July 30, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuLOT6GsAxw