The past two weeks have been quiet at the hospital where I'm working. That is a good thing in one sense because it means most people in the area are staying healthy. On the other hand, it isn't the best thing for my education since fewer patients mean fewer opportunities to learn. There were 10 people on the inpatient rehab unit when I arrived, each needing 2 occupational therapy sessions a day. On Thursday this past week we were down to 1 patient. Thankfully for the therapists, 3 new patients came onto the unit on Friday so there will be more things to do this week. One of these patients is still recovering from the effects of a neurological condition that began last May. He is eager to improve so he can finally return to his own home. I look forward to the challenge of helping him progress.
Last week I experienced one of the frustrations of working as an OT (and in all of health care). I arrived at work one morning and looked at the list of patients in the hospital and recognized two of the names from their stay on the rehab floor. My thought was, "They just left. What happened?!" Then a few days later, a patient who had been on the medical floor for 3 weeks was back after less than a week at home. The reasons vary but it is hard to see people who were doing well and making progress return even if it is for a short stay. I'd like to see them go home and stay healthy.
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