OT practicum: term one, week one

last night i had some major gi issues which is how i am blogging right now instead of being at the hospital for my practicum (since i need to be symptom-free for 48 hours before going back). i won't go into anymore detail on the gastrointestinal front because it is and was gross, haha.

what do i think of my practicum? so far, i'm loving it! i'm doing 3-weeks at an acute-care hospital on their in-patient rehabilitation floor, primarily working in geriatrics. my day starts at 8 and literally goes non-stop until 4 aside from a lunch break from 12-1. there's always something to do, patients to see, charts to read, assessments to review, and many things to observe and learn, so i never feel unsure of what to do even if i'm on my own while my preceptor does her documentation. it's weird, but good, in that i don't have any desire to check my e-mail or surf the internet during the day, haha. anyway, to date i feel like i've already learned a lot just going through patient charts with a medical dictionary to figure out what is going on in there, and observing my preceptor in the way she interacts with patients, so it's been a really good experience thus far. i've also learned a ton about wheelchairs, different foot rests that fit on different wheelchairs, elevated articulated foot rests, and the different types of wheelchair cushions and when you would use them. obviously i still have a long way to go in terms of the things i need/want to learn so sometimes it's overwhelming, but that's ok because i know that someday i'll get there.

bottom line is that i'm really liking my placement! it has been so cool.

so cool that last night when i realized i wouldn't be able to go in today, i was actually disappointed. imagine that, disappointed to not be able to go into work! i've never had that before - even throughout my music therapy internship, i was always kind of relieved to not have to go in.

this is just another reason why i think going back to school was one of my best decisions ever. :)