Maintains professional behavior, regardless of problem or situation
While I was on my first fieldwork rotation at the skilled nursing facility, I acquired a newfound appreciation for older adults and have come to the realization that I really enjoy working with this population. I believe that I learned a lot of practical knowledge from working with these individuals, one example of which was to consistently maintain professional behavior. I feel this was an important competency to meet because I realize that many of my clients may have viewed me as someone along the same lines as one of their grandchildren or great-grandchildren. With this outlook, it may have potentially affected their ability to see me as a professional occupational therapy student and, therefore, may have resulted in being less inclined to take me seriously when I was working with them.
For instance, I had one client who viewed me more as a friend than as a healthcare professional. I learned this when she'd introduce me to her son and daughter-in-law as her OT "friend" or even call out to me in the hallways, "hi friend!" as I passed by. I interpreted it as a term of endearment that older adults bestow on someone they feel that they have become friends with. I worked with her 3-4 times a week for 8 weeks and we had gotten to know each other pretty well. I asked questions about her interests and experiences to develop therapeutic rapport and better understand her values as my client. She shared stories that appeared to be ones shared with a friend. To ensure I maintained professional behavior, I acknowledged these stories in a professional manner. Towards the end of my fieldwork rotation, my client had learned that she was moving away because she could no longer afford to live at the facility. She wanted to keep in touch with me after she left and asked me to provide my home address and phone number. While I didn't want to offend her by rejecting her outright, I also knew that it would be unprofessional to share those personal details with any of my clients. When I told her this, she seemed sad but also verbalized understanding.
For instance, I had one client who viewed me more as a friend than as a healthcare professional. I learned this when she'd introduce me to her son and daughter-in-law as her OT "friend" or even call out to me in the hallways, "hi friend!" as I passed by. I interpreted it as a term of endearment that older adults bestow on someone they feel that they have become friends with. I worked with her 3-4 times a week for 8 weeks and we had gotten to know each other pretty well. I asked questions about her interests and experiences to develop therapeutic rapport and better understand her values as my client. She shared stories that appeared to be ones shared with a friend. To ensure I maintained professional behavior, I acknowledged these stories in a professional manner. Towards the end of my fieldwork rotation, my client had learned that she was moving away because she could no longer afford to live at the facility. She wanted to keep in touch with me after she left and asked me to provide my home address and phone number. While I didn't want to offend her by rejecting her outright, I also knew that it would be unprofessional to share those personal details with any of my clients. When I told her this, she seemed sad but also verbalized understanding.