One of the good things about being an OT is that around here we're desperately needed. I've talked about this before.
Never did I realize this so much as today.
(Sitting on exam table while PT looks at my leg)
PT (getting confused because my form is filled out in therapist-ese and I'm talking it as well and he hasn't looked at my chart (big mistake)): So what do you do?
Me: I'm an OT.
PT: Oh. WOW. (Talk shop for a while)
Another PT that I know walks by, comes over, and chats with me for a couple minutes. He asks if I want a job, I laugh, he tells me he's serious, they need someone badly. I say that I'm actually watching for nearer positions, so maybe. Everyone got serious then. I got a tour of their OT facilities and everything.
Emilijie, I totally know what you like OP so much. Quiet. Decreased stimuli. Space. It was the antithesis of what I've always known.
The assistant was even more excited that I'm experienced, until I admitted it's not at all outpatient. Outpatient is so far from 7 years of geriatrics I wouldn't even attempt it without a lot of refresher training (and initial teaching; when I went to school there was this little veer away from teaching OTs modalities that has been undone in the last few years, but I can't officially do them except the easy ones.)
Nonetheless, it was kind of funny.
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The laws regarding modalities vary by state. I took one intro continuing ed course, and then learned the rest from PT's. I do want to take further coursework in modalities, things like using stim for wound healing and edema. But I really think OT's have put ourselves at a very big disadvantage by not learning modalities. And I think we do a diservice to our patients by not having this in our "tool kit." Even in inpatient- I did lots of NMES for stroke rehab.
We don't have a law saying we can't do modalities, and I have actually done some when I had a PT I trusted to supervise me and help me learn (I knew it was done right). But I won't do it without being trained just in case something legal ever happens.
Plus way back before I even wanted to be a therapist I had a PT who did ultrasound on my knee. The anatomy of my knee is very altered and I don't think he took that into consideration. I kept complaining of the ultrasound hurting/aching/feeling weird. He told me it shouldn't. The end. Years later I figured out that he was assuming the anatomy was normal and ultrasounding right on bone. (I have had surgically severed tendons).
In geriatrics modalities don't come up all that often. Mainly I want to use ultrasound for shoulders and necks. I have had training in anodyne and very successfully treated contractures with it. I'd love to have that available, but it's not common.
Oh well. Supper calls.
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