Can you help us interpret this language? [for prospective occupational therapist]

aunt_bea
Wed, 02 Oct 2024 21:51:36 +0000

My sister is an OT. She didn’t know she was going to have a career in OT until she had taken a couple of classes at USC.

She knew that a large majority of her clientele would be in pediatrics. I don’t think she expected what she got later.

She loves her job, but there are a lot of surprises from her clients. She has been kicked, hit and bitten by patients with severe disabilities. Her hair has been pulled, items have been broken, her colleagues have been attacked and she’s had to restrain clients attacking other clients or staff.

I worked as a Speech Pathologist for over 35 years and I’ve had the same kinds of clients. I was thrown across a room by a student who was twice my weight and height because I had an observer (supervisor) in the room. I put myself between him and his mother to protect his mother. He later told his mother that he didn’t want any other person in the room. She explained that she had never seen him do this.
Prior to all of this, I had taken out personal insurance that is available to PTs, OT’s, and Speech Pathologists and I recommended this to my sister.

So my question to you and your child is, are you both aware that some medical conditions can exhibit violent behaviors? These patients have occupational therapy goals.

I don’t know if my colleagues on here can also relay similar experiences:
(@thumper1, @twogirls)similar to mine and my sister’s, as well as my colleagues, but that’s something you need to consider. Fortunately for us (me/sister), we grew up in the Barrio, and have some defensive tactics, but we also know how to de-escalate situations. Also, in every different job that I had, we were required to take defensive training and safe restraint training.