Evidence Based Practice
My first level 1 fieldwork experience took place at UMC hospital in the PICU and NICU. I was grateful to be granted the opportunity to have a fieldwork educator with a wide range of knowledge from newborns through young adults. Each patient chart would be filled with abbreviations and unfamiliar diagnoses that I later researched to learn more about. Occupational therapy interventions and treatments varied from patient to patient, showing the in depth level of knowledge you have to have to be an effective occupational therapist in an acute pediatric setting. Each week I would read physician notes and watch the therapist interact with the patient during therapy sessions. After each patient, my fieldwork educator instructed me develop short term goals and fill out appropriate forms per evaluation and treatment session. The following week we would discuss my homework and she would provide me feedback for any areas of revision. This fieldwork experience showed me the importance of evidence based articles with supporting artifacts to prove goals and interventions for specific conditions. It allowed me to observe the differences within the pediatric population, learning the need for occupational therapy for various conditions.
After completing my first level 1 fieldwork, I furthered my knowledge to find a quantitative study on prevention of shaken baby syndrome and trauma to an infant. This was in relation to a case seen in the PICU involving two 10 month old twins physically abused by their parents. It broke my heart to see these innocent twin brothers crying in pain from these injuries, allowing me to want to expand my knowledge and understand thoughts of parent prevention programs. Occupational therapists partake in various roles within the NICU, working with an interdisciplinary team to meet the needs of the child. If parents acknowledge the proper care their baby needs and use standard precautions for safety, infants will less likely be admitted for treatment. This assignment granted me the opportunity to not only read this evidence based article to accomplish this assignment, but to read several articles throughout my search. I feel that I have grown as an occupational therapy student from first semester to second acknowledging the importance of research as I continue to progress through my journey to become an occupational therapist.
After completing my first level 1 fieldwork, I furthered my knowledge to find a quantitative study on prevention of shaken baby syndrome and trauma to an infant. This was in relation to a case seen in the PICU involving two 10 month old twins physically abused by their parents. It broke my heart to see these innocent twin brothers crying in pain from these injuries, allowing me to want to expand my knowledge and understand thoughts of parent prevention programs. Occupational therapists partake in various roles within the NICU, working with an interdisciplinary team to meet the needs of the child. If parents acknowledge the proper care their baby needs and use standard precautions for safety, infants will less likely be admitted for treatment. This assignment granted me the opportunity to not only read this evidence based article to accomplish this assignment, but to read several articles throughout my search. I feel that I have grown as an occupational therapy student from first semester to second acknowledging the importance of research as I continue to progress through my journey to become an occupational therapist.