In class last week, we began to learn about documentation in
the world of occupational therapy. While completing my observation hours prior to
applying to school, I always dreaded this part of the day. I would even
sometimes struggle to keep my eyes open as I watched the therapist document
her therapy sessions. As a future OT, I have developed more of an appreciation for documentation. My professor made a point in
class that proper documentation can even be a way to promote the field of occupational
therapy. This idea seemed questionable at first, but then I thought more about
it. Some doctors still do not even have a clear understanding of what we do or why we do it. If we take the time to properly document and represent our profession, we will begin to build a greater name for occupational therapy in the medical field. Sure, paperwork isn’t the
most exciting part of our day, but we owe
it to our field and our clients to properly document our sessions. So go rock those docs!
Pat Summitt is well-known for being an exceptional basketball coach for the Lady Vols at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, as well as being a coach for the women's USA olympic team. In 2010, Pat began showing subtle signs of dementia, but she ignored the signs for another year. In 2011, she was diagnosed at age 59 with early-onset dementia. She went to Mayo Clinic when she began experiencing symptoms including showing up to a game while leaving her car running and calling the wrong terms during the game. She also reported signs such as feeling disoriented when waking up in the morning. She reported that numbers were especially difficult to understand and deal with at this point. After her diagnosis, Pat was determined to continue coaching at UTK; however, after about a year she was encouraged to retire from her position as head coach. She then started the Pat Summitt Foundation to raise money and awareness for research about early-onset dementia. During the middle stages of de...
It seems like every OT's least favorite thing about working is documentation. I was like you when I did my observation hours; I began to dread documentation and I hadn't even gotten into OT school yet! I like your optimistic attitude about documentation. Hopefully I will develop an appreciation for it when I practice!
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