In order to successfully practice occupational therapy, it is critical to be able to integrate clinical skills and reasoning to understand a client’s occupation, and their performance and engagement in that occupation.  Throughout my placements and during my education, I have been able to approach clients with a holistic mindset, and integrate evidence-based practice to deliver client-centered and ethical service.

Throughout my placements, I have been able to diversify my understanding of occupational therapy.  In my first placement I was in a role emerging position that was unsupervised by an OT in a Kingston high school within a school to community classroom.  In eight weeks I was able to independently develop modules on goal setting, hygiene, sleep routines, travel routines, and time management for students aged 14-21 with varying levels of disability.  I also had the opportunity to engage with my off-site preceptor in the insurance business and developed assessment skills (MoCA-BLIND, Minesotta Cognitive Assessments, Berg Balance Test, functional assessment sessions [CPTA, TEA, MET]) to further understand how client’s occupations may be impaired.  In my second placement, I was able to work in acute care on the ICU, general surgery, and ALC floors, to engage in discharge planning to ensure that patients were returning safely to home after a hospital stay.  Additionally, I also worked with an OT completing work with Veterans Affairs, WSIB, and motor vehicle insurance companies and was able to complete reports in order to ensure an individual’s occupational needs were met in their home or workplace environments.