Week 6!! It's almost over. I don't know whether to be happy or sad. I'm a bit of both.
Monday = more paperwork. 2 PADP applications. Reading other PADP applications to get an idea of what needs to be written. It's interesting how you have to spin it so that the client is in the worst possible situation so that it's more likely they get approved for funding.
It's also amazing that the client pays $100 and the rest is paid by the government. It could be $20,000 worth of equipment but all you pay is $100. It's a really great scheme. If only there could be a way of speeding up the process.
I rigged up a text book behind my computer so that if i shove it up against it hard enough it holds the plug in so it can charge. Just have to make sure I don't move it at all. Annoying! But at least I have a computer!!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Dubbo: Week 5;4
DUBBO WEEKEND!
By myself :(
The weekend consisted of both my car and computer calling it quits!
I attempted to go for a drive to see some of the outside world and I didn't get very far befor my car started lurching and doing other strange things. So back to the cell I went. Car parked and not to be touched!
Computer decided that it will no longer charge unless I hold the plug in really tight. Handy!
Did some crafts to keep me from going nuts.
The weekend was loooooong and not very enjoyable.
I was looking forward to going back to work on Monday!
By myself :(
The weekend consisted of both my car and computer calling it quits!
I attempted to go for a drive to see some of the outside world and I didn't get very far befor my car started lurching and doing other strange things. So back to the cell I went. Car parked and not to be touched!
Computer decided that it will no longer charge unless I hold the plug in really tight. Handy!
Did some crafts to keep me from going nuts.
The weekend was loooooong and not very enjoyable.
I was looking forward to going back to work on Monday!
Dubbo: Week 5;3
Wednesday = Mudgee = 10.5 hour day.
3 initials
1 Electic Wheelchair trial
2 wheelchair adjustments
Endless paperwork
Thursday, Friday = completing said paperwork
Thursday I had some education on lymphoedema with the lymphoedema OT and some lymphoedema clients. Went through the lymph system and how it works and what happens when lymph nodes are removed. Then into what some of the treatments are for lymphoedema. Extremely interesting! And the OT made it SO easy to understand. I got to have a look at some client's lymphoedema and compare affected and non-affected limbs. I found it really amazing and would definitely like to learn more!
3 initials
1 Electic Wheelchair trial
2 wheelchair adjustments
Endless paperwork
Thursday, Friday = completing said paperwork
Thursday I had some education on lymphoedema with the lymphoedema OT and some lymphoedema clients. Went through the lymph system and how it works and what happens when lymph nodes are removed. Then into what some of the treatments are for lymphoedema. Extremely interesting! And the OT made it SO easy to understand. I got to have a look at some client's lymphoedema and compare affected and non-affected limbs. I found it really amazing and would definitely like to learn more!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Dubbo: Week 5;2
Sunshine and warmth yesterday.
Cold and pouring rain today.
MORE PAPERWORK.
Got to sit in on 2 lymphoedema clients. Good to see something different. Everyone's trying to get me out of the office and away from the computer.
Things are getting pretty stressful because my supervisor has to get everything finished before she goes on maternity leave a week after I finish. So she's trying not to start too many new things and I'm getting my things done and then we have to go to Mudgee 3 times in the next 3 weeks which means NEW CLIENTS. MORE PAPERWORK. LESS TIME TO GET EVERYTHING ELSE DONE.
So the pressure is on. Which makes it a bit hard. But I'll do what I can.
Mudgee tomorrow. 3 new clients. Hoping for simple mods and no Enable applications but that probably won't happen now!!
Long day tomorrow. Need sleep. Blah.
Cold and pouring rain today.
MORE PAPERWORK.
Got to sit in on 2 lymphoedema clients. Good to see something different. Everyone's trying to get me out of the office and away from the computer.
Things are getting pretty stressful because my supervisor has to get everything finished before she goes on maternity leave a week after I finish. So she's trying not to start too many new things and I'm getting my things done and then we have to go to Mudgee 3 times in the next 3 weeks which means NEW CLIENTS. MORE PAPERWORK. LESS TIME TO GET EVERYTHING ELSE DONE.
So the pressure is on. Which makes it a bit hard. But I'll do what I can.
Mudgee tomorrow. 3 new clients. Hoping for simple mods and no Enable applications but that probably won't happen now!!
Long day tomorrow. Need sleep. Blah.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Dubbo: Week 5;1
WEEK 5!! Can hardly believe it.
Not much time left in Dubbo now.
Good or bad?
A bit of both I think.
Absoutley loved the weekend. Had a great time playig in Dad's vegie garden, did a lot of weeding and put up some wire for the peas to climb. Picked lettuce and tomatoes, spinach and chillis. The best thing ever. Can't wait to have a garden of my own.
Back in Dubbo now and getting stuck in to my last couple of weeks.
Had my halfway evaluation last week and passed with a few key things for me to improve on so that's good.
That's all for now. BED
Not much time left in Dubbo now.
Good or bad?
A bit of both I think.
Absoutley loved the weekend. Had a great time playig in Dad's vegie garden, did a lot of weeding and put up some wire for the peas to climb. Picked lettuce and tomatoes, spinach and chillis. The best thing ever. Can't wait to have a garden of my own.
Back in Dubbo now and getting stuck in to my last couple of weeks.
Had my halfway evaluation last week and passed with a few key things for me to improve on so that's good.
That's all for now. BED
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Dubbo: Week 4;4
So it seems I write nothing for days then WRITE A THOUSAND WORDS THAT OVERPOWER AND OVERWHELM... and pssible bore.
My bad.
I hope someone is enjoying it :)
My bad.
I hope someone is enjoying it :)
Dubbo: Week 4;3
So where I am they are currently building a new hospital. BRAND SPANKING NEW.
They've been laying slabs and all sorts of fun stuff. Expecting to move in there in Feb 2011.
We had and OT meeting on Tuesday where one of the bosses showed us the drawings and went through what goes where and how things will be operating. Pretty interesting stuff. Pretty stressful for those organising and planning it. It would be really interesting to see it when it's done.
So there are a few jobs for the OTs to do before the final plans are made. The builders are going to set up a mock room and they have to work with the OTs to determine the height of the toilet so that over toilet frames and commode chairs can go over them with enough clearance to save catching dangly bits and also that they can go over the toilet enough that the commode pan is over the bowl. The level at which the toilets are embedded into the floor can have a huge impact on whether or not they end up being functional.
Apparently one time a company had to pull out 90 toilets because the equipment didn't fit right over them.
The OTs are also going to be involved in designing the garden area so that in incorporates different terrains, surfaces and areas to negotiate as part of a community access assessment. So there would be ramps, curbs, steps, gutters, grass, concrete, gravel etc. All so that some assessment can be done on site. It would be pretty interesting to be involved in. I'm just sad that I won't be here to see the rest of it happen. I like the designing part of it!! I'm interested in architecture!! I want to be involved!!
But the amount of pressure that rests on those that make the final decisions is pretty daunting!! Imagine designing all this and it being built and then thing are wrong.
Still, I'm definitely interested in it!
4.5 hour day tomorrow. Finishing early and having Friday off. Love it. Very short week. Have to take my time-in-lieu becaue there's 3 trips to Mudgee in the next 3 weeks so there'll be MORE time-in-lieu.
To Queanbeyan tomorrow. To Narooma Friday
YAAAAAAAAAY!!
Side Note: Cheesymite scrolls must be eaten in a particular way. You can't just bite into them like any bread roll, you must eat them like you are unwinding them. YOU MUST.
Dubbo Baker's Delight make crappy Cheesymites.
The end.
They've been laying slabs and all sorts of fun stuff. Expecting to move in there in Feb 2011.
We had and OT meeting on Tuesday where one of the bosses showed us the drawings and went through what goes where and how things will be operating. Pretty interesting stuff. Pretty stressful for those organising and planning it. It would be really interesting to see it when it's done.
So there are a few jobs for the OTs to do before the final plans are made. The builders are going to set up a mock room and they have to work with the OTs to determine the height of the toilet so that over toilet frames and commode chairs can go over them with enough clearance to save catching dangly bits and also that they can go over the toilet enough that the commode pan is over the bowl. The level at which the toilets are embedded into the floor can have a huge impact on whether or not they end up being functional.
Apparently one time a company had to pull out 90 toilets because the equipment didn't fit right over them.
The OTs are also going to be involved in designing the garden area so that in incorporates different terrains, surfaces and areas to negotiate as part of a community access assessment. So there would be ramps, curbs, steps, gutters, grass, concrete, gravel etc. All so that some assessment can be done on site. It would be pretty interesting to be involved in. I'm just sad that I won't be here to see the rest of it happen. I like the designing part of it!! I'm interested in architecture!! I want to be involved!!
But the amount of pressure that rests on those that make the final decisions is pretty daunting!! Imagine designing all this and it being built and then thing are wrong.
Still, I'm definitely interested in it!
4.5 hour day tomorrow. Finishing early and having Friday off. Love it. Very short week. Have to take my time-in-lieu becaue there's 3 trips to Mudgee in the next 3 weeks so there'll be MORE time-in-lieu.
To Queanbeyan tomorrow. To Narooma Friday
YAAAAAAAAAY!!
Side Note: Cheesymite scrolls must be eaten in a particular way. You can't just bite into them like any bread roll, you must eat them like you are unwinding them. YOU MUST.
Dubbo Baker's Delight make crappy Cheesymites.
The end.
Dubbo: Week 4;2
So it's pretty much been the same thing at work. Finishing up all the reports from last week.
Have MOST DEFINITELY conquered my fear of the phone and have even returned some phone calls that weren't specifically for me but I thought I could help out by returning them AND I SUCCEEDED!! WOO!! The phone is not as scary as I thought it was. Big personal achievement for me.
Went on a home visit to meet with a builder to discuss mods. The family have just bought a house and there are a lot of things that need to be changed to accommodate for the father who's in a powered wheelchair. It's pretty major mods like redoing a bathroom, widening doorways and putting in ramps. So the man is in hospital looking at discharge but he can't be discharged until. But the major mods could take 12 months to approve and complete. So we had to look at minor things that could get him home to start with and then the rest could be done later. But if the first mods are functional for the client, will they approve the rest of the mods? They might see the rest of them as unnecessary and not approve them.
It's also hard working with a million people with different opinions. The clients know what they want. The builder knows what's practically possible with the building. The OTs know what needs to happen to maximise safety and independence.
There are recommendations from a private OT who knows the client but hasn't seen the house and recommendations from the OTs here that have seen the house but don't know the client. Then another OT who prescribed the seating equipment for the client. And another OT who is organising his adaptive equipment such as environmental control unit and voice activated computer and phones.
The application gets written up and goes to a committee. They approve the mods, the mods get done, the client moves in... sounds simple... it's not.
Have to go out again in the mornin and meet with another builder.
Front accesses have to be to Australian Standards as they are pubic accesses. Interiors can be slightly modified as they are not public.
AS 1428.1
New guidelines.
Front door: 1 door, inward opening = certain dimensions for landing
If they want a security door, which would be outward opening, the landing has to be larger to accommodate the swinging door.
COMPLEX!!
There are no specific requirements for OTs prescribing major home mods. A new grad could do it. The company here has a policy that you have to be a level 3. But if there's no policy at a specific workplace it could be done by anyone. I know I wouldn't be confident doing major mods! Too many things to consider and without experience you could get so many things wrong! Hand rails I can handle!
Andrew Hansen is very talented.
Avagard general hand and body wash smells like crap.
Have MOST DEFINITELY conquered my fear of the phone and have even returned some phone calls that weren't specifically for me but I thought I could help out by returning them AND I SUCCEEDED!! WOO!! The phone is not as scary as I thought it was. Big personal achievement for me.
Went on a home visit to meet with a builder to discuss mods. The family have just bought a house and there are a lot of things that need to be changed to accommodate for the father who's in a powered wheelchair. It's pretty major mods like redoing a bathroom, widening doorways and putting in ramps. So the man is in hospital looking at discharge but he can't be discharged until. But the major mods could take 12 months to approve and complete. So we had to look at minor things that could get him home to start with and then the rest could be done later. But if the first mods are functional for the client, will they approve the rest of the mods? They might see the rest of them as unnecessary and not approve them.
It's also hard working with a million people with different opinions. The clients know what they want. The builder knows what's practically possible with the building. The OTs know what needs to happen to maximise safety and independence.
There are recommendations from a private OT who knows the client but hasn't seen the house and recommendations from the OTs here that have seen the house but don't know the client. Then another OT who prescribed the seating equipment for the client. And another OT who is organising his adaptive equipment such as environmental control unit and voice activated computer and phones.
The application gets written up and goes to a committee. They approve the mods, the mods get done, the client moves in... sounds simple... it's not.
Have to go out again in the mornin and meet with another builder.
Front accesses have to be to Australian Standards as they are pubic accesses. Interiors can be slightly modified as they are not public.
AS 1428.1
New guidelines.
Front door: 1 door, inward opening = certain dimensions for landing
If they want a security door, which would be outward opening, the landing has to be larger to accommodate the swinging door.
COMPLEX!!
There are no specific requirements for OTs prescribing major home mods. A new grad could do it. The company here has a policy that you have to be a level 3. But if there's no policy at a specific workplace it could be done by anyone. I know I wouldn't be confident doing major mods! Too many things to consider and without experience you could get so many things wrong! Hand rails I can handle!
Andrew Hansen is very talented.
Avagard general hand and body wash smells like crap.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Dubbo: Week 4;1
WEEK 4 BITCHES
I want lizards, frogs, stick insects and a dog. Yes I do.
Also one of these, because they're really cute:
Yeah that's what I'm about today... very informative hey!!
I want lizards, frogs, stick insects and a dog. Yes I do.
Also one of these, because they're really cute:
Yeah that's what I'm about today... very informative hey!!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Dubbo: Week 3;2
So where was I up to?
I think I have a whole week to report on.
A very full-on, busy week.
Spinal seating clinic this week run by some people from Sydney. Looking at seating and positioning for spinal cord injury. Manual and powered wheelchairs. Very interesting. And good to see something different. Got to show off my vast experience in using hoists.
Thursday was another trip to Mudgee. 12 hour day. Left at 7am and got back just before 7pm.
4 home visits in the morning.
1 x scooter assessment. I got to carry out a Mini-Mental.
1 person who wanted a ramp and refused to let us look at the rest of the house.
1 gentleman who wanted a wheelchair for 'just in case'. Lovely man who I could have spent all day talking to.
Going back in a fortnight to trial the scooter and wheelchair. Will be interesting to see the PADP/Enable application writing process.
Saw one person who told us how smoking pot helps relax his spasms and that he was working on a way to put the oil into capsules because apparently if you swallow it, you get the relaxing properties but not the high, and it doesn't hurt your brain. Go figure.
Afternoon was delivering the wheelchairs, fitting them properly and teaching the users how to operate them. Was amusing watching people hit the wrong controls and sometimes frustrating at the time it took for them to get the hang of it. But it was very satisfying to see how happy they were to get their new chairs.
The 3rd wheelchair we delivered was a different story. The wheelchair delivery man had gone ahead of us and when we got there we found quite a scene. For starters there was no one at the house, when we were assured they would be there. Second... it had been raining and pouring for the past 48 hours and we were on a property so everything was muddy and slippery. Steve had walked over the mud to make sure it was solid enough to drive the wheelchair over and had no problems. Then drove the wheelchair into the mud where it became bogged. And I mean seriously stuck. Brand new wheelchair. Now stuck and muddy. Steve had to find some planks of wood to put under the tyres and do a lot of lifting to get it out. When it was eventually free, it got a hosing and a note was left for the recipient.
It was entertaining.
Friday I got to start writing reports for the 3 new people we saw, and I will continue to do so during the week.
I'm now totally awesome at using the phone. If I'm not sure about anything I just say that I'm a student and everyone apologises for bothering me!!
Halfway evaluation this week!
I can't believe it's half over, but I also can't believe I stil have 4 weeks to go... weird.
I think I have a whole week to report on.
A very full-on, busy week.
Spinal seating clinic this week run by some people from Sydney. Looking at seating and positioning for spinal cord injury. Manual and powered wheelchairs. Very interesting. And good to see something different. Got to show off my vast experience in using hoists.
Thursday was another trip to Mudgee. 12 hour day. Left at 7am and got back just before 7pm.
4 home visits in the morning.
1 x scooter assessment. I got to carry out a Mini-Mental.
1 person who wanted a ramp and refused to let us look at the rest of the house.
1 gentleman who wanted a wheelchair for 'just in case'. Lovely man who I could have spent all day talking to.
Going back in a fortnight to trial the scooter and wheelchair. Will be interesting to see the PADP/Enable application writing process.
Saw one person who told us how smoking pot helps relax his spasms and that he was working on a way to put the oil into capsules because apparently if you swallow it, you get the relaxing properties but not the high, and it doesn't hurt your brain. Go figure.
Afternoon was delivering the wheelchairs, fitting them properly and teaching the users how to operate them. Was amusing watching people hit the wrong controls and sometimes frustrating at the time it took for them to get the hang of it. But it was very satisfying to see how happy they were to get their new chairs.
The 3rd wheelchair we delivered was a different story. The wheelchair delivery man had gone ahead of us and when we got there we found quite a scene. For starters there was no one at the house, when we were assured they would be there. Second... it had been raining and pouring for the past 48 hours and we were on a property so everything was muddy and slippery. Steve had walked over the mud to make sure it was solid enough to drive the wheelchair over and had no problems. Then drove the wheelchair into the mud where it became bogged. And I mean seriously stuck. Brand new wheelchair. Now stuck and muddy. Steve had to find some planks of wood to put under the tyres and do a lot of lifting to get it out. When it was eventually free, it got a hosing and a note was left for the recipient.
It was entertaining.
Friday I got to start writing reports for the 3 new people we saw, and I will continue to do so during the week.
I'm now totally awesome at using the phone. If I'm not sure about anything I just say that I'm a student and everyone apologises for bothering me!!
Halfway evaluation this week!
I can't believe it's half over, but I also can't believe I stil have 4 weeks to go... weird.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)