1. Why do you want to pursue occupational therapy?

There are many rewards and many challenges when being an occupational therapist.
Occupational therapists must have a great deal of patience to deal with patients who may be
difficult to get along with. I have had experience with kids with disabilities while working as a
summer camp counselor. In that experience, I learned that every kid is different and different
techniques work with some people that do not work for others. On the same note, in occupational
therapy, patients have all come from different backgrounds so I realize and need to be
understanding and figure out what works best for them as long as we are still making progress
towards their goals. I am confident that I can accomplish my daily tasks as an occupational
therapist with patience and perseverance. I am a compassionate and truly want people to make
improvements to have the best quality of life. I will be consistent in encouraging and motivating
even the most difficult of patients. I understand that under the anger and frustration, there is a
real person who is hurting and wants to learn what it takes to get back to normal. Also being a
kinesiology major, I realize how important it is to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors. In
occupational therapy, I will be able to educate patients about ways to improve their lifestyle as
well.
2. What do you do as an occupational therapist?
As an OTR, I will have to document paperwork on each patient daily, perform evaluation
assessments and supervise my occupational therapy assistants. I will be helping patients to
improve on their activities of daily living (ADLs) in some cases. Activities of daily living
include transfers, showering, dressing, eating, etc. I will be creating and implementing a therapy
program for the patients to perform so that they can improve their quality of life despite the
setback from their illness or injury. In other cases, I will make a therapy program for someone
who has bone or nerve damage in the upper extremity. I would have them in a therapy program
that we focus on muscular strength or endurance. For example, I would have patients perform a
task like opening a jar to increase their grip strength. Depending on the type of patient, I will
have to modify their treatment plan. For example, if a patient was already physically active
before their illness, I know that I can start them on a more strenuous plan that a patient who was
sedentary. People who have experienced a stroke or any other illness or injury are also patients
that occupational therapists work with. I would have to know what part of their body was
affected. If they have speech impairment or memory loss, we could play different games to try to
improve in those areas.
3. How do you give therapy?
As an occupational therapist, I have to allow the patient to do tasks for themselves so that they
can reach their goals. In the hospitals, nurses bathe the patients, transfer them, etc. Occupational
therapists make the patients perform those tasks independently or with little help to allow the
patient to become more independent. My objective is to lead the patient to reaching his or her

goals. I have to be stern with the patient at times when they want me to complete the task for
them. I remind them that they will not have me at home to help them so that it is in their best
interest to complete the task independently (or as much as they can). Upon taking on a new
patient, I look at their background before I meet with them. When I meet them, I ask them to tell
me about themselves, I want to get to know their personality so that I can adjust my approach to
therapy with them. The American Occupational Association states that the patient is a very
important part of the therapy team (AOTA). It is important to take into account each patients
goals, likes, dislikes and background before working with them. For example, one patient may
love to color and another patient cannot stand coloring. The patient who does not like to color
has different interests. In order to make therapy more pleasant, their likes need to be taken into
account.
4. How do you measure your effectiveness as an occupational therapist?
My effectiveness will be measured by patient success. As a registered occupational therapist, I
will evaluate the patient on different tasks including grip strength and different measurements
depending on the reason for treatment. After they have been in therapy for a certain amount of
time, the patient is reevaluated to look at improvements. If the patient has improved, that means
that therapy has helped. I will be able to identify that the patient has improved if they remember
something that they always forget or if a task becomes second-nature when previously it had to
be a conscious thought. There is another measurement called FEM score which is used to rate the
patient on their activities of daily living. The FEM score looks at how independent the patient
each time the therapist tests them on that activity. If the score improves and the patient has
become more independent, that means that therapy has been effective. My personal effectiveness
as an occupational therapy will be noted by my supervisor or boss. Just as I will evaluate each of
my occupational therapy assistants since they are practicing under my name, my boss will
evaluate me to make sure that my practice is effective.
5. How do you demonstrate your faith as an occupational therapist?
I will be a light to co-workers, administration and patients as an occupational therapist. I will
share my joy that comes from the Lord even when working with difficult patients. I will have a
positive attitude especially since most of the patients are beat down by their health conditions
and do not have much hope. I will make sure that I praise them for even the smallest of
accomplishments so that they realize that they are progressing towards their goals. The patients
often are angry, but I will respond with grace because I cannot imagine being in their position.
Through observation, I have noticed that although patients say mean things or behave in a way
that seems like they really dislike the therapist, they are so thankful after therapy is completed. In
the case of a little girl who was hospitalized, her parents raised money for the hospital to show
gratitude for the treatment of their daughter (Corso). So, I will push the patients even if they hate
me for a short time in order to make them stronger and more independent in the long run. This is
just like the way that God puts us through struggles to make us stronger. I will trust in the Lord

that even when these people are in such pain, that it is all for a reason. I know that it will be
because they were supposed to come in contact with me so I can show them Gods love or
because they are supposed to teach me something like perseverance and determination even
when their health is failing. In a press release for USC, students in the occupational therapy
program traveled to Ghana and helped people with disabilities learn to improve their quality of
life through small changes (Wethrbe). I plan on somehow using my career to lead me to help
those around the world. I do not know what God has planned for me, but I have had this thought
for a while and it excites me.
Works Cited
"About Occupational Therapy." - AOTA. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.
Corso, Kathleen. "Cooper City Family Shows Gratitude for Hospital by Hosting Fundraiser."
Local10. N.p., 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.
Wetherbe, Jamie. "Ten Years of Occupational Therapy in Africa." Ten Years of Occupational
Therapy in Africa. N.p., 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.