Level 1 Fieldwork Reflection by Lauren Rodriguez

What factors impacted engagement in occupations most significantly?

lrodriguez428 — 2023-11-06 04:53:28 UTC

Through the work done in this fieldwork it was evident that there are many factors that impact engagement. One of the main factors I saw impacted individuals was their supporting environment. Through the occupational profile I helped set up for my interviewee, they mentioned how their family was a big part of their support and how many of the activities they participate in are because of their family and friends. It was noticeable that without social supports, many areas would not have the interviewee engaging as much as they do currently. Through the other videos we watched in part two, every client had a support system. Without this support from the therapists, and potentially others, the clients engagement might have looked different. It might have been harder for them to find the motivation to get themselves engaged with different occupations.

Connection between concepts learned and application in fieldwork

lrodriguez428 — 2023-11-06 04:55:05 UTC

Through this course we have learned about the occupational profile, which is a summary of a clients life and how they want to use occupational therapy in order to live their life. Being able to use the knowledge I have from previously learning and doing the occupational profile myself helped me comfortably present the occupational profile to my client. It was interesting to see how the things I am doing in class directly relate to what I can provide to a client in the future. In the videos we watched in part two it made me wonder if the clients the therapists had were able to fill out a type of occupational profile of their own, in order to better understand their client and see what areas specifically they need support in. Through the videos, even if they did not directly use the occupational profile they still took areas of the occupational profile such as interests and values, and priorities and desired outcomes.

How did Fieldwork activities build on existing observation skills?

lrodriguez428 — 2023-11-06 04:55:58 UTC

While participating in different areas of the fieldwork I was able to partake in attending. Attending to a client means that an individual is present and interested in what the client has to say. This can be expressed verbally or nonverbally, which can be shown through eye contact, body language, and facial expressions. I facilitated my interview for part one through a video call, so I was able to reassure the interviewee through verbal and nonverbal communication, and practice in areas I might currently find difficult or uncomfortable such as verbal communication. Through the videos in part two it was easier to pick up some of the ways the therapist was being attentive to their client. In the video with Dale, the therapist is sitting in front of him and holding his hand showing nonverbal communication of reassurance and comfort. The therapist also uses eye contact to assure the Dale he is being listened to when he is speaking.

During the interviews, what interpersonal communication skills were practiced?

lrodriguez428 — 2023-11-06 04:56:42 UTC

I conducted my interview through video call, which allowed me to take note of my interviewee and how they were reacting to the information and questions they were being asked. My interviewees body language could be noted during the interview, they were sat in a chair upright, showing that they were ready to be attentive and had limited distractions around them. I could see through nonverbal communication when I needed to explain something further or add clarification, as their brow would furrow or there was a change in their mannerisms. I did interview someone in my family which allowed for this process to be a little bit easier, as I understood this persons habits prior to the interview. I tried to also practice clear verbal communication as I facilitated questions to them, and show professional and inviting nonverbal communication by not showing any nodding along to what they were saying, smiling or frowning, and keep my eyes focused on the screen to assure them they had my full attention.

What other areas of professional behavior were practiced on this fieldwork?

lrodriguez428 — 2023-11-06 04:57:20 UTC

A professional behavior I was able to work on during this fieldwork experience was creating a safe space for my interviewee and having an open mind. The person I interviewed had very limited knowledge on occupational therapy or what the purpose of the occupational profile was. This allowed me to create a space for both the interviewee and myself to have a conversation and learn from each other, rather than me pushing information at them. Understanding that not every person has the same understanding of occupational therapy and the occupational profile allows me to learn how to facilitate something like this in the future, and how to speak about it in a way that makes sense for the client. Through this understanding I took it upon myself to facilitate the questions from the interest checklist and the occupational profile to the interviewee rather than having them fill it out themselves. I thought it might be confusing for the interviewee, and in order to optimize time and efficiency, I chose this option. This also allowed me to work on the professional behavior of critical thinking and problem solving.