tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356224132024-03-14T00:10:36.253-05:00if you can't fix it with duct tape- you haven't used enough~ "What you get by reaching your goals is not nearly as important as what you become by reaching them." ~Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-74176975068739836952018-11-25T08:54:00.001-05:002018-11-25T08:54:27.054-05:00I don't believe my eyes! <a href="http://control.manasascreations.com" class="">http://control.manasascreations.com</a><font size="4" color="#919191" class=""><i class=""><br class=""></i></font><div class=""> <div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Patti Henk</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><br class=""></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class=""><br class=""></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"> </div> <br class="">Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-13918913691601956832018-08-24T15:41:00.000-05:002018-08-24T16:07:14.127-05:00Re:<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://issue.lifealertclassaction.com">http://issue.lifealertclassaction.com</a><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:115%'>Patti Henk<span class=MsoSubtleEmphasis><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=MsoSubtleEmphasis><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=MsoSubtleEmphasis><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-57044953301001544012018-07-24T03:56:00.000-05:002018-07-24T04:27:51.003-05:00Re:<div class=WordSection1><h2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://hope.allwayscookin.com">http://hope.allwayscookin.com</a></p><h2><span class=MsoSubtleReference><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>Patti Henk<o:p></o:p></p><h2><span class=MsoSubtleReference><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></h2><h2><o:p> </o:p></h2></div>Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-80121471060217650672018-03-12T07:12:00.000-05:002018-03-12T07:35:11.143-05:00<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoSubtitle style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://into.batuserai.com">http://into.batuserai.com</a></p><p class=MsoSubtitle style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%'><sup><span style='font-size:8.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></sup></p><p class=MsoSubtitle style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><sup><o:p> </o:p></sup></p><p class=MsoNormal>Patti Henk<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoSubtitle style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p></div>Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-38859701008146118872016-11-04T06:56:00.000-05:002016-11-05T03:57:37.138-05:00Can you imagine it?<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I was amazed! This<i><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> </span></i><a href="http://location.deanfregoso.com/exactly-what-I-wanted">http://location.deanfregoso.com/exactly-what-I-wanted</a><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> </span>really works!<b><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> </span></b>I can't believe!<span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Patti Henk<i><o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-32121501430054320522015-05-26T20:20:00.000-05:002015-05-27T07:20:10.294-05:00from: Patti Henk<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hi! How are you? </span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span><div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Have you seen this </span><a href="http://thebrandnu.com/spoke.php" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">http://thebrandnu.com/spoke.php</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">before? </span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Oprah had been using it for over a year! </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Patti Henk <br><a href="https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS">Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone</a> </span></div></div></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-1523802724446989412015-02-28T20:40:00.000-05:002015-03-01T07:40:47.443-05:00from: Patti Henk<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="top"><div id='yahoo__compose_area' style="background-color:white; display:block; font-family:HelveticaNeue-Regular,Helvetica;"><font face="Times" size="3"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hi! How are you?</span></font><div><font face="Times" size="3"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Have you seen this before? <a href="http://tastebuddies.in/strength.php" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="link" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0">http://tastebuddies.in/strength.php</a> Oprah had been using it for over a year! </span></font></div><div><font face="Times" size="3"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Times" size="3"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Times" size="3"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Patti Henk</span></font></div><div><font face="Times" size="3"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><a href="https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS">Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone</a></span></font></div></div><div id='yahoo__original_message'></div></html></td></tr></table> Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-80243510092577167862008-10-06T11:35:00.001-05:002008-10-06T11:36:32.677-05:00Happy Second Anniversary to my blog!Test in an hour... ah!Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-90937416507190349672008-10-03T13:44:00.002-05:002008-10-03T13:46:28.233-05:00on and on and on we goI wish time would slow down a little bit, just to give me a chance to catch up. Life is good and busy... Here's the rundown....<br /><br />FIELDWORK:<br /> Just finished week 3/10. This was the best week ever!! I went in early and watched surgeries!!! I was literally a foot away from the surgeon. I watched the patient walk onto the operating room, lay on the table, get knocked out with anesthesia, prepped for surgery, get a hand operation, wake up and get rolled to recovery. It was unreal! I watched a pin removal (which literally took 5 minutes), a trigger finger release, a carpal tunnel release, and a scaphoid fx ORIF (which took like 2 hours). After 5 hours of that my legs were numb from standing, but it was worth it. The surgeon actually took time during the surgeries to give me a brief anatomy lesson and show me the exact tendons/nerves/bones he was working on. I never expected that! After the surgeries, I went back to the clinic and observed a patient with horrible RSD (from an injury at work). My CI's last patients canceled, so we spent the rest of the evening fabricating splints. I'm familiar with melting and cutting thermoplastic and making hand paddles from my rehab tech job, but this was my first time making a split from scratch. My CI taught me how to make a carpal tunnel splint. It wasn't so hard to make and it was pretty fun! I can't wait to take my splinting class next semester. My little sister has been wearing it around the house today... ; )<br /><br />ADULT INTERVENTION/EVALUATION:<br /> I'm not going to talk about all my classes today because that would take forever, but these two apply most directly to me and the population I'll work with immediately after graduation. We're learning about AROM, PROM, joint measurements, edema and scar management, transfers (chair->bed), bed mobility, managing wheelchairs, and different dx we'll be working with such as MS, Parkinsons and SCI. I made a blog for an advocacy project which can be found here: http://advocacydisability.blogspot.com/ . <br /><br />GRAD ASSISTANT:<br /> As I mentioned previously, the biggest part of my GA work has been my involvement with the autism social skills research and weekly groups. Here are some pictures from the presentation at the NJOTA conference...<br /><a href="http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/?action=view¤t=Presentation_NJOTA.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/Presentation_NJOTA.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><br />There's tons more to share, but I'm out of time!<br />Till next week!<br /><br />PattiPatti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-74026321624611706082008-09-25T15:57:00.001-05:002008-09-25T15:57:48.089-05:00I love hands.<br /><br />They are more complicated than I could have imagined, though. I understand now why you need to be practicing for at least 5 years before you can even consider becoming a Certified Hand Therapist. You basically have to be a rocket scientist and know every muscle, tendon, origin, insertion, surgical procedure, rehab protocol and contraindication before you can touch the client.<br /><br />During my second day of fieldwork I was able to go through a tendon gliding routine with a patient, and assess a patient's grip strength with the dynamometer. Next week I'll spend half of the day sitting in on surgeries! Awesome! <br /><br />~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ <br /><br />Presenting at the NJOTA conference was incredible too. I had horrible dreams the night before that I freaked out and didn't show up at it. haha. It really was a lot of fun, and once I got up to talk, it all came out fine.<br /><br />The conference was great for networking and learning. It's funny to talk to random people, and when you mention a place you've worked or had a fieldwork placement, people will always name someone they know. The OT world is really small, it amazes me. <br /><br />I attended two lecture sessions, one was about contracture management and one was about the aging eye which gave an overview of natural changes that occur and common pathologies, as well as compensatory strategies and devices we can use.<br /><br />~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~<br /><br />School is starting to pick up, and I'm almost at the overwhelmed point, but it's nothing like my first year. It's probably the same amount of work, but my coping/time management skills are improving. I'm taking 5 classes...<br />Adult Intervention<br />Adult Evaluation<br />Research<br />OT Skills III (UE)<br />Clinical Neuroscience<br /><br />Time to get some work done.<br />Nap first. ;)Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-17459688300834962642008-09-17T22:55:00.000-05:002008-09-17T22:56:44.438-05:00So it begins!Year 2 has begun!<br /> <br />Today was my first day of adult fieldwork Level I. I am at an outpatient hand surgery and rehab hospital. It's incredible, fast-pasted, and exciting. The morning started out with an inservice about iontophoresis (read more about it here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iontophoresis). I was able to try on a patch (saline solution rather than dextro or other meds)... Anyway, it's sort of a combo of a portable TENS that delivers medication trans-dermally. It's used for a variety of purposes, ie- contractures, pain and scars. Very interesting! <br /> <br />I saw a variety of modalities today including ultrasound, heat, contrast bath, fluidotherapy, iontophoresis, vibration, etc... I was also able to assist a patient with his BTE program, which was awesome! Their BTE is computerized and customized for each client. I saw quite a few dx's today including carpal tunnel release, ulnar nerve translocation and a variety of fractures/ ORIF's. In a few weeks I'll probably get to observe a surgery! <br /> <br />~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ <br /> <br />I'm also elected the secretary of our Student OT Association. Woo!<br /> <br /> <br />~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ <br /> <br />This weekend I'm presenting at the NJOTA (New Jersey Occupational Therapy Association) conference. I'll be discussing the benefits of a social skills group for pre-school children with autism. We're discussing the research we've done about social skills, and the structure of our program so that other people can run it. This year I'm running three autism groups in three different towns, and it's really incredible how fast we're expanding. We're in the process of publishing a manual.<br /> <br />That's it for now..... things are good and busy. : )Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-68315653364501752232008-07-14T22:43:00.001-05:002008-07-14T22:43:47.074-05:00I'm still here!<a href="http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/?action=view¤t=ADLcat.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/ADLcat.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-46165819170264937122008-05-09T00:39:00.004-05:002008-05-09T01:00:01.712-05:00I'm officially a second year MSOT student! I can't believe how fast this year went. I start a two week Assistive Technology class next week, and I'm also taking a one day serial casting course! In two weeks, I'll have my first "client", whom I'll be co-treating with a speech therapy student, and I'm also working on a manual that will be published for my autism group. We put in a proposal to present our autism research at the NJOTA conference in September. This summer I'm doing a 2 credit GA and working at the rehab hospital again... and hopefully relaxing as much as possible. :)<br /><br />Here are some pics of my first year... <br /><br /><br />No, we're not studying here... we're looking at a book of henna tattoos. <br /><a href="http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/?action=view¤t=Blog1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/Blog1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Here we're painting birdhouses that we built.<br /><a href="http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/?action=view¤t=Blog1a-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/Blog1a-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Here's my roommate, Alli, and Michele painting their birdhouse. School really isn't this fun generally. ;) These pics are deceiving. <br /><a href="http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/?action=view¤t=Blog3-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/Blog3-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />I forget what I'm doing here..... stereo vision? <br /><a href="http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/?action=view¤t=Blog2a.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/Blog2a.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Laura and Alanna teaching us some adaptive dressing skills.<br /><a href="http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/?action=view¤t=Blog2-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l160/Patti198/Blog2-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-85847233662378964682008-04-25T20:52:00.001-05:002008-04-25T20:52:18.875-05:00Fieldwork AdviceAnother post today.....<br />I had received an email a while back from a student who wanted advice about the Level I Pediatrics Fieldwork experience. I wanted to wait to answer that because I wanted to finish the 10 weeks before I summed it up.<br /><br /><br />What I've learned is that every fieldwork site is different. Everyone in my class pretty much went to different places, some went to public schools, hospitals, outpatient clinics, etc. I was at a special services school. Also, everyone saw different ages. Some worked with babies, preschoolers, or elementary aged. I worked primarily with 14-21 year olds, although I got to observe younger children, also. Finally, all fieldwork clinical instructors have different expectations. Some people in my class did nothing but strictly observe, while others actually got to "treat" kids and run groups. Personally, my CI had pretty high expectations but I didn't get a lot of hands-on experience (although toward the end she did give me a few opportunities, which was awesome!). She challenged me from the very first day, and had me write pseudo-goals, progress notes, and threw a few A&P pop quiz questions at me. It was great that our personalities meshed well, and I felt comfortable pretty much instantly. Some people never got that comfortable. So basically, I can't tell anyone what their experience will be like. There are 20 people in my class, and we each had 20 entirely different experiences. <br /><br />As to not be entirely useless in my advice-giving, here's some things to keep in mind...<br /><br />Be open-minded about the experience. You'll hear this from your Fieldwork professor, but seriously... You won't know for certain if you DO or DO NOT want to work in a setting until you experience it firsthand. I had no intention of considering pediatrics post-graduation, but now I see that it is definitely something I can (and might want to!) do eventually. Okay I know some people swear they will never work with a certain population... but you still have to do fieldwork in pediatrics, adults, and geriatrics and possibly mental health. It's not a choice, so suck it up for 10 weeks and learn something. <br /><br />Bring a notebook. I was SHOCKED when my fieldwork CI told me she's had students who didn't even write anything down during the day. If you have a photographic memory, good for you, but your fieldwork supervisor is going to think you're lazy. I didn't want to ask too many questions when my CI was treating, so I wrote down my Q's and asked her between patients or after treatment was over. Also, I'd write progress notes for some of the students as she was treating, and at the end of the day I'd ask her to read a few of them to see if I was on the right track or if I was missing vital info.<br /><br />Be honest. Your CI won't think you're a horrible student because you don't know the answers to his/her questions. As a level I, you're there to learn, and your CI is there to teach you. Don't say you know something when you don't and never do something with a kid that you're not trained and comfortable with doing. With that in mind, you're also educated and have spent tons of money on courses and textbooks, so bring that knowledge with you so you have some solid questions to ask and interventions to suggest. <br /><br />Finally, <br />The first time your CI allows you to put your hands on your first "client", the feeling will be intense. You might have a minor heart attack for a second, but once it passes, the feeling is awesome! Enjoy the experience!<br /><br />PattiPatti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-33279794422035346002008-04-25T19:49:00.001-05:002008-04-25T19:51:33.212-05:00One-ish more week to go!There's a lot of books I'd like to read. I wish they weren't so expensive.<br /> <br />This one caught my eye and it's probably worth investing in once I start making money. http://www.amazon.com/Therapeutic-Exercise-Foundations-Techniques/dp/0803615841/ref=pd_sim_b_title_6<br /> <br />My first year of grad school is coming to an end. The program is half over and I still remember my interview like it was yesterday. I promise I'll write something deep one of these days, but I need to reserve my remaining brain cells for 1 more presentation, a baby lab, and 2 final exams.<br /> <br />So anyway, if you're an OTS, you'll understand this list I created.<br /> <br />Things I've learned as an Occupational Therapy Student.. . . . <br /> <br />... I have sensory issues and I'm probably in need of SI, or at least a trampoline.<br />... Throughout any given day I can fluctuate between a level 6 to a level 1 on Allen's Cognitive Scale.<br />... I sound like a robot when I administer the MVPT. <br />... I can knit, and so can you! But don't bother... go to Target and buy a scarf. <br />...You'll paint a birdhouse in one class, and in the next you'll perform a phase-effect analysis determining the autocorrelation of a nomothetic nonrandomized sample with issues you know nothing about. <br />... Suddenly everything seems more fun than getting your case studies done (ie, cleaning, shopping, root canal, etc). <br />... God invented the Dollar Store for OT students. <br />Feel free to add on! :)Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-86747269161478931942008-04-15T23:59:00.001-05:002008-04-16T00:01:05.965-05:003 weeks left.....I am so stressed out & I want to scream.<br /><br />I still love school, but my brain is numb.<br /><br />Tomorrow is my last Level I Peds Fieldwork! :(Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-4770168142968693252008-03-15T11:24:00.001-05:002008-03-15T11:24:57.373-05:00Spring BreakYAY for SPRING lack-of-BREAK!!! My break consists of going to fieldwork, working on presentations on the COPM and the MVPT-3, and working on an evidence-based article review project. Regardless, it's still nice to do things at my own pace and catch up on some sleep and laundry.Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-80457069943928192072008-03-05T23:23:00.001-05:002008-03-05T23:23:22.140-05:00Two weeks till spring break!!!I haven't had time to update in a while. So much has been going on lately... good, bad, and everything in between. But for the most part, things are good. : )<br /><br />The first exciting news is that I moved (part-time) down to Ocean City with a classmate. My commute is cut in half, and she is just awesome to live with. We work on assignments together, take mental health breaks together, we joined a local gym so we can motivate each other. We threw a wine and cheese party last week and half of the class came. Pictures will probably be uploaded eventually on our class Facebook @ http://stockton.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7756246723&ref=mf. (There's lots of other pics too, so check it out).<br /><br />Today was week 4/10 of fieldwork and I still absolutely LOVE it. We went on an outing to the mall with a class, and mostly stayed with one student. We worked on functional tasks such as navigating through the mall, finding elevators, asking for directions or assistance as needed, purchasing and managing change, etc. It was definitely a test on my patience today & I realize I need to just let things happen sometimes, as slow as it may occur. My FW supervisor Angie is just fantastic and she is the Einstein of SI and ped OT altogether. I'm very lucky to have such a dedicated teacher. I'm coming out of my shell more and more and I feel 75% comfortable now. There are behavioral issues I'm still not used to, but I guess I'll get over it with experience. <br /><br />I gave a presentation this week about the TVPS (Test of Visual Perceptual Skills). My group and I had to discuss it's purpose and background, then we showed a video demonstrating the visual discrimination subtest which we used on my little sister, and then we showed the class how to score it and discussed other psychometric properties of the test. If you don't know what this test is, it's for ages 4-19. The test assesses visual-perceptual strengths and weaknesses; using non-motor visual perceptual testing. This includes testing the following visual-perceptual categories: discrimination, memory, spatial-relationships, form-constancy, sequential-memory, figure-ground and visual closure. It was relatively easy to administer and score. Oh, and in fieldwork today Angie administered a VMI on a child and let me score it... that one is complicated to score, in my opinion... well, this student made it complicated. Anyway, she didn't administer it to exact standardization, so it won't be used as a valid assessment.<br /><br />One of my favorite classes right now is OT Skills II, which is an activity analysis class. We do lots of craft projects and then discuss grading as well as adaptation. We look at the component areas and the physical demands of the activity and all other aspects (cognitive, social, cultural, environmental, etc) involved with the activity. Last week I learned how to KNIT! It was definitely more complicated for me because I'm left-handed so my teacher had to teach the 3 of us the backwards method to knitting. I was frustrated for the most part and had no desire to continue my project after class ended. I need to turn in a sample by the end of the semester, so I drove over to the craft shop and bought myself some SUPER SOFT and pretty yarn which totally inspired me and feels so good, so now my motivation is back...hmm, Sensory Integration?, More stimulating tactile input?, or the desire to pass the class? Take your pick.Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-41117985018764929342008-02-13T23:04:00.002-05:002008-02-13T23:07:22.081-05:00Fieldwork Week 2Today was Week 2 of 10 for Level I FW.<br /><br />I love it so much I wish I was there every day instead of in class!!!<br />I'm actually considering working with kids..... ::gasp!:::<br />It rocks. It's draining, fast, and awesome.<br /><br />Goodnight!Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-35850343842319565612008-02-08T22:47:00.001-05:002008-02-08T22:47:50.711-05:00Week #3I have a lot going on right now..... I'll make subheadings for your/my convenience... <br /><br />Level I Fieldwork- Week 1 <br /><br /> On Wednesday I began my first Level I fieldwork placement. I'm at a special needs school with children ages 3-21. The school is absolutely enormous and provides services for children diagnosed with autism, CP, PDD, and multiple disabilities. Ethically and legally I can't give a lot of detail about the kids I saw, but it was an incredible first experience. <br /> My clinical instructor, Angie, is just fantastic. It's easy to see that she loves her job & she knows how to help these kids. During my first day, I pretty much observed her in action, sat in on her treatment groups, as well as an IEP meeting, took lots of notes and asked questions. My CI works in the transitional area, which is adolescents ages 13-21, I'm not sure how hands-on I'll be getting during Level I, but hopefully I'll get a little taste of what it'd be like working in that setting. <br /> I was a little anxious before starting, but I felt comfortable by the end of the day. It was a little emotionally overwhelming for me (maybe I was overstimulated?), it can be difficult for me to separate myself emotionally sometimes and I went home my head was spinning for a while. <br /> I'm going to make the most of this experience though. I really enjoyed the kids and I can almost see myself working in this type of setting. . . I just don't know yet. <br /><br />Psych<br /><br /> Yesterday I went on a tour of a psychiatric hospital and I sat in on an art treatment class. I was not able to observe an OT treatment session because they work with more severe cases, which may have been unsafe for us students to observe. That's scary.<br /> I had an image of what a psychiatric hospital would look like before I went there, and it was exactly what I expected. <br /> Again, I can't give too much detail, but what I learned is that I am not interested in working in that type of setting. I am definitely interested in mental health and mental illness, heck, I have a degree in psychology! I just would not want to work in this type of place, it was more of a prison than a hospital to me.<br /> In the art therapy class I joined, we made heart valentines with stick-on foam hearts, letters, etc. The leader (art therapist?) was asking them questions about what the experience reminded them of during their childhood.... It was interesting to say the least. <br /><br />Circle of Friends<br /><br /> Tomorrow I re-start my group with my little friends who have autism! Yay!<br /><br />Classes<br /><br /> OT In Mental Health: This is a continuation of my class last semester, Psychosocial clinical conditions. In this class we are doing qualitative and quantitative article reviews, we are learning MANY assessment tools and how to administer them, and we are running groups for adults with mental illness to teach them many skills so that they can return to occupations they find important. <br /> Research Methods: This is the first research class out of 3 we'll be having. We're critiquing research articles, and by the end of the semester we'll be writing our own research proposal which we'll be implementing in the subsequent semesters. We're learning statistical analysis, validity measurements, confounds, etc. <br /> Pediatric Assessment: This is pediatric semester, so there are 2 ped classes. This one is obviously about the evaluations and assessments we'll be performing as clinicians. We're learning OT/OTA role differences, typical vs. atypical development (physical, cognitive, social, etc), as well as standardized evaluations we'll be performing. We're also learning how we can assess specific skills using everyday objects and toys. <br /> Pediatric Intervention: Right now in this class we're learning about age appropriate skills and the therapeutic activities we can do to facilitate the development of these skills. We're learning activity analysis, as well as grading and adaptation to make activities more functional for pediatrics.<br /> OT Skills II: This years skill class focuses on activity analysis. This week we made birdhouses out of wood and painted them. Afterward, we looked at the activity to analyze all of the component parts involved and what client factors need to be considered when doing this activity. For example, could a person with one arm be able to do this? How would we modify it for a person with poor fine motor control? <br /><br />Graduate Assistantship<br /> <br /> This semester I'm doing 8 credits for my GA. Along with running my group on Saturdays I am trying to implement a mentoring program for first year incoming OT students. I'm not sure how that's going to turn out, but I'm working on it. <br /><br />Work<br /><br /> I'm still working at the hospital every other Sunday for right now.<br /><br />So that's it for me right now! I'm busy...... but it's time to sleep!<br /><br />PattiPatti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-52250832205066503442008-01-30T00:01:00.000-05:002008-01-30T00:07:14.438-05:00AHHHHI compiled all of my syllabi into one list of assignments that are due and I figured I'd share it. Is your workload anything like mine? More/less? I think this is insane. But in more exciting news I start fieldwork next week!!! YAY!<br /><br /><br />.<br /><br />February:<br />Monday 4th- Ped Evaluation: Item Eval Due <br />Tuesday 5th- Research Methods: Quantitative Proposal<br />Wednesday 6th- FIELDWORK 1 *LOG*<br />Monday 11th- Ped. Evaluation: QUIZ 1<br />Wednesday 13th- FIELDWORK 2 *LOG*<br />Thursday 14th- OT Skills II: Genogram Assignment<br />Friday 15th- Ped. OT Intervention: QUIZ 1<br />Tuesday 19th- Mental Health: Log #1 Due<br />Tuesday 19th- Research Methods: Quantitative Critique Due<br />Wednesday 20th- FIELDWORK 3 *LOG*<br />Tuesday 26th- Mental Health: EBP review of Eklund article due.<br />Tuesday 26th- Research Methods: MIDTERM<br />Tuesday 26th- Research Methods: Qualitative Proposal<br />Wednesday 27th- FIELDWORK 4 *LOG*<br />Friday 29th- Ped OT Intervention: Autism Reading Assignment <br /><br />March:<br />Monday 3rd- Ped Evaluation: QUIZ 2 <br />Monday 3rd- Ped Evaluation: Teach/Learn Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills<br />Thursday 6th- OT Skills II: Health Fair/ Community Assignment<br />Tuesday 11th- Mental Health: EBP review of Lee article<br />Tuesday 11th- Research Methods: Qualitative Critique Due<br />Tuesday 4th- Mental Health: MIDTERM EXAM<br />Tuesday 4th- Mental Health: Log #2 Due <br />Wednesday 5th- FIELDWORK 5 *LOG*<br />Friday. 7th- Ped OT Intervention: QUIZ 2 <br />Wednesday 12th- FIELDWORK 6 *LOG*<br />Monday 24th- Ped Evaluation: MVPT Assessment Tool Due<br />Monday. 24th- *PBA Due*<br />Tuesday 25th- Mental Health: Evaluation Presentation COPM<br />Tuesday 25th- Mental Health: Log #3 Due<br />Wednesday 26th- FIELDWORK 7 *LOG*<br />Friday 28th- Ped OT Intervention: EBP Assignment Due <br />Monday 31st- Ped Evaluation: QUIZ 3<br /><br />April:<br />Tuesday 1st- EBP review of Schindler article due. <br />Wednesday 2nd - FIELDWORK 8 *LOG*<br />Friday 4th- Ped. OT Intervention: QUIZ 3<br />Tuesday 8th- Mental Health: Log #4 Due (put in mailbox).<br />Tuesday 8th- Research Methods: Draft Proposal Due<br />Wednesday 9th- FIELDWORK 9 *LOG*<br />Tuesday 15th- OT Skills II: Activity Presentation???<br />Tuesday 15th- Research Methods: FINAL EXAM<br />Wednesday 16th- FIELDWORK 10 *LOG*<br />Thursday 17th- Mental Health: EBP review of Liu article.<br />Thursday 17th- Mental Health: ICE- Group Leader! Resumes/Apps.<br />Friday 18th- Ped. OT Intervention: QUIZ 4<br />Friday 18th- Ped OT Intervention: Case Study Intervention Plan Due <br />Tuesday 22nd- Mental Health: Log #5 Due<br />Tuesday 22nd- Mental Health: Case Study Paper Due!!!<br />Friday 25th- Ped OT Intervention/Evaluation: BABY LAB<br />Monday 28th- Ped Evaluation: QUIZ 4<br />Tuesday 29th- Mental Health: FINAL EXAM<br />Tuesday 29th- Research Methods: Final Proposal Due and Presentation<br /><br />May: <br />Monday 5th- Ped OT Intervention/Evaluation FINAL DUE by 9am.Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-50039243346108651572008-01-24T14:23:00.000-05:002008-01-24T14:26:42.099-05:00Week 1I am so overwhelmed. . . Have I said that before?<br /><br />It's really awesome and exciting to be back & it's great seeing everyone again.<br /><br />But I am so overwhelmed.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I'll write something more productive by next week. ; )Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-21113069723688517542008-01-16T15:06:00.001-05:002008-01-16T15:06:50.422-05:00Semester 2School starts again next Tuesday. I'm ready to see everyone again and get my focus back, but I'm not ready to be chronically overwhelmed again. Over the break I worked part time at the rehab hospital, and being there made me so excited to know I'll actually BE a therapist by the end of next year. It's a cool, but nerve-wracking feeling. <br /><br />I've been bogged down with things lately, but I need to give a few shout outs to some awesome people who have contacted me recently. <br /><br />First and foremost is <a href="http://otstudents.blogspot.com/"><b>Karen.</b></a>. Karen's been my friend for over 10 years and our lives have gone the same direction career-wise. She's running in the AOTA elections for the OT-Vice Chair Person of the Assembly of Student delegates, so if you're an AOTA member... you need to vote for her! : )<br /><br />I'd like to thank <a href=http://college.rehabcare.com><b>Justin.</b></a>, the Campus Relations Manager from RehabCare for my cool Blogspot t-shirt and for posting my journal on the RehabCare Blog! OT/PT students, you should definitely check out their site.<br /><br />Next I'd like to thank <a href=http://college.rehabcare.com><b>Anita Hamilton</b></a> for checking out my site. She's an OT educator from the University of Alberta in Canada. Her blog is dedicated to the use of technology in OT and education. It's awesome!<br /><br />Time to get myself organized... I've already gotten my first week of reading assignments, as well as my assistantship assignment to get started on.<br /><br />4 months till summer vacation... ; )Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-89676997643964402192008-01-01T23:33:00.000-05:002008-01-01T23:35:03.083-05:002008 : )Merry Christmas / Kwanzaa/ Hanukkah / Festivus : ) and Happy New Year! It's incredible how much can happen in life in just one short year. 2007 gave me so many new experiences, and brought some awesome new people in my life. I am truly blessed and thankful for the people in my life that continue to support and encourage me. I could not ask for more. <br /><br />I'm on a much-needed vacation from Occupational Therapy school. I've been enjoying just relaxing, reading, playing my guitar, working at the hospital, going to the gym and being with my friends and family. I miss my OTS family, though and I'm psyched to start my next semester. <br /><br />January 22nd starts my pediatric and mental health semester. I'm also starting Level I FIELDWORK already! I'll be working at a school with people between the ages of 3-21 with multiple disabilities, autism or other PDD's. I can't wait to write about my experiences (although I'll have to change many details, names, ages, etc as per HIPAA and all that fun legal stuff...). <br /><br />I will also be a graduate assistant again this semester and I'll continue my weekend program for the children with Autism. I really enjoyed the experience last year and I feel so much more comfortable with the kids. They are so cool and they really look forward to coming to the group. <br /><br />Oh and I can officially say that I'll be graduating next year....<br />Which is really almost 2 years since graduation is the end of next year. Does that make sense at all?Patti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35622413.post-39116137782194319342007-12-12T21:45:00.000-05:002007-12-12T21:48:24.165-05:00Questions...Throughout the semester I've received a bunch of emails from prospective occupational therapy students. Here are some of the Q's & A's I've compiled, hopefully it will help someone out!<br /><strong><br />So OT's the same thing as PT, right?</strong><br /> Not exactly. When people ask me what occupational therapy is, I usually start off with something like "It's a little like physical therapy...", just to get them in the right mindset. OT's take a movement and make it functional and meaningful to their client/patient. For example, a person recently had a hip replacement. This may be the first time they're using a walker and have 'hip precautions' which means certain things such as not flexing the hip past 90 degrees... so how do they maneuver around their small kitchen safely with a walker? and how do they get into their car without flexing their recovering hip? and if you can't bend over, how the heck do you get your shoes/socks/pants on? That's where occupational therapy comes in. We give people the strategies and tools necessary to adapt and compensate. <br /> That's just a simple example of OT for physical dysfunction... OTs are very much known for upper extremity rehab including splinting. OT's help people with various diseases or disabilities who would like to live independent and meaningful lives. OTs take on so many roles, I'll probably have to write a post just about the various aspects of OT. It's pretty much awesome. <br /><strong><br />Can I get into OT school with a BA in Psychology?</strong><br /> YES!!! I got my degree in Psychology with a minor in Holistic Health. Looking back I don't think I could have chosen a better major for the field. The theories of psychology, sociology, and anthropology are definitely a part of the OT field. You need to have an understanding of people, including group processes, mental illness and cognitive behavioral theory. OT is holistic, you are never treating an arm/ injury / mental illness, you are treating a person which includes every aspect of that individual. You're looking into their social, spiritual, cultural and environmental contexts as much as their physical.<br /><strong><br />Schools are competitive, what should I do before applying?</strong><br /> First of all, decide the school/s that you're applying to and get to know their prerequisites as early as possible. Some schools want the GRE, some don't. Some want physics, others don't require it. (Like mine, thank goodness!). The one thing that helped me the most was being in the field before I applied. Volunteer, observe, or get a job with occupational therapists. Really KNOW what OT is before you decide that you want to make it your career. Check out more than one setting. I worked at a rehab hospital that is primarily older adults and geriatrics and I observed in an outpatient pediatric clinic. Get to know the therapists you work with and see if one will be your mentor. I have a few and they've been my biggest supports and most valuable resource in school. <br /><br /><strong>Is school hard?</strong><br /> Er that's a tough one. I would not call it hard as much as I'd say it's an incredible test on your ability to adapt, prioritize and be flexible. I might change my mind about this one next semester when the course work becomes more intense, but as far as my first semester went, the biggest challenge is learning to keep up. There is no break. You work on a major project/presentation/paper and you don't get that "freedom" feeling, because the next huge project/presentation/paper is due in a few days. You learn to deal with it though, and everyone in your class is going through the same experience, so I definitely never felt alone. <br /> My advice is to remember that OT school is a huge priority, but it's not your only 'occupation'. If you figure out your learning style, it's still possible to go out on weekends with friends, hit the gym regularly, or pick up the guitar to just jam out and relax. Balance is the key! So are catnaps...<br /><br /><strong>Where can you work with a degree in Occupational Therapy?</strong><br /> Tons of places.<br /> Hospitals, rehab hospitals (inpatient and outpatient), nursing homes, schools, correctional facilities, mental health facilities, group homes, home health, even in client's workplaces. <br />For more info check out this site.... <br />http://www.usc.edu/schools/ihp/ot/what_is_ot/ot.html#WhatDoOccupationalTherapistsDoPatti Henkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17215132895219777075noreply@blogger.com3