The last two weeks have been a bit of a blur. I've been rather busy adjusting to the new schedule at my second site. Instead of working 8:20am - 5:30pm, I'm working 7:30am - 3:30pm. Instead of going to bed between 10 & 11 and waking up at 6:30, I am going to bed between 8 & 9 and waking up at 4:45. Instead of driving 5 minutes to get to work, I am driving 50 minutes to get to work. Instead of working with children mostly under the age of 16, I am working with adults all over the age of 50. It's a whole different world and I'm still getting used to it!
I finished up my time at my first site on the day before Thanksgiving. We were opened the day after Thanksgiving, but all of our patient's cancelled appointments that day. I obviously "passed the course," so to say. I fulfilled all the requirements and felt very proud of the growth I made during my time at the clinic. The staff gave me a nice little card and gift when I left. It was really encouraging to hear from my CI that I had grown in skill and most importantly in confidence. I stopped back in to visit the clinic just this week to get another signature from my CI. We chatted for a bit while she worked with one of the girls that had been on my caseload. She offered some advice about where to begin my job search if I was interested in staying in this area after I graduate. She also said that she has been tossing around the idea of bringing me in for just a few hours at the end of the day as the caseload always picks up during the after school hours. I cannot say how excited that made me!!! I absolutely loved every part of my experience at my first site and would be honored to work there after I graduate!
Things are going well at my second site. I get along great with my CI which helps ease my overall hesitance in working at a long term care facility. I feel like I have already learned a TON about how to work with that population but I know I will continue to learn more and more. My CI started having me work with my first patient a week ago today. He is a great guy; easy going and very motivated to get better so he can return home. She started me with my second patient on Friday. This lady is kind and polite most of the time, but also lacks motivation and often complains about having to come to the therapy room. She told me on Friday that she enjoys doing "detail work" so we have been doing a lot of fine motor activities to increase her endurance and task tolerance. We also worked on some ADL's yesterday but the CNA's are required to do most of that work at this facility. I've learned how to use E-stim and diathermy--which is pretty easy despite the complexity of what both modalities actually do.
It's hard to believe that I'm in the last leg of my educational journey to becoming a COTA. I know I will continue learning a lot during the next 6 weeks at the nursing home. Then it will be time to study my butt off and take my national board test so I can get a real job and start making money to pay off all my schooling! Most importantly I will be in a job that I love and look forward to every day--it will be fulfilling and with that I will not be able to complain!
