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.