Observation In St. Anne's Nursing Home

In St. Anne’s nursing home has two therapy gyms. The gym on the first floor is large and provides both, occupational and physical therapy. The gym on the second floor is smaller and is used more for patients who cannot tolerate much distraction. This room is usually used more for individual treatment sessions. The patient that I got to observe was seen on the first floor of the skilled nursing home. The room has bright lighting and plenty of space to provide therapy for multiple patients at a time. The room has two large beds that have curtains for the patient’s privacy. The room is equipped with a verity of tools and materials, such as walkers, gait belts, theraband, grippers, dumbbells, cuff weights, balance pads and balls, bicycle pedals

The patient my fieldwork educator was treating is an 85 years old male who was hospitalize for having an upper GI bleed, severe anemia, and hypernatremia. He has a history of dehydration, gastritis, HTN, CAD, glaucoma, and had a CVA 10 years ago. Due to the CVA, the patient’s domain hand is now his left hand. He requires assistance with all of his ADLs and transfers. The patient also has limited ROM, impaired strength, reduce endurance, impaired balance, incoordination, poor dynamic sitting balance, static standing, and dynamic standing. The patient uses an electric wheelchair to move from place to place. During the evaluation that was performed, he reported that his goal for therapy is to get stronger.

The long term goals that were written for him are to address improving dressing, toileting, and toilet transfers to min assist. The short term goals were for self-feeding to stand by assist, dressing to mod assist, toileting to mod assist, and toilet transfers to mod assist. The patient before was max assist with upper and lower dressing, along with bathing, toileting and toilet transfer. The goal for my fieldwork educator, as his occupational therapist, is help him return to his prior level of

The therapist encourage the patients with words like “You did great” or phrases like “You were able to use both hands, that’s awesome”. During one of the activity, the patient could not get the last balls from the container and the therapist helped him by bending down on the floor and putting the container at an angle in order for him to bend his trunk just enough and not be at risk of falling out of his chair. She wiped all equipment being used to promote a clean environment for the patient and provided him with hand sanitizer at the end of the session. She also reminded his next therapy treatment was and the time. I was both, an observer and a student during the treatment session. I was able to assist him a few of the activity he performed during the treatment session.

The day flow at a normal pace, it was neither to fast nor to slow. After the treatment session, the therapist completed her notes in her office. Therapist must complete their documentation the same day they provide the services to the patient. Since he was her only patient that day, I given the opportunity to observe other occupational therapist and occupational therapist assistant. Since my fieldwork educator is also the manager of the therapy gym, her daily treatment sessions and evaluations are not consistent. Some days she can