Sheila, I agree with you. It is fine colleagues such as yourself that keep
explaining OT "until you are blue in the face" that have kept the profession
going. I include all those wonderful practitioners who have engaged in
research, improved delivery of OT services at their facilty or and have taken
each opportunity in their busy days to explain OT at what ever level is
appropriate. I thank you and every one who has done their best to promote
understanding of our profession.
Unfortuantely, a few efforts do not go as far as a collective effort by a group
of committeed practitioners.
Just a few days ago I started in a class (graduate, as a student) and as the
class went around introducing themselves, I was surprised to learn there was
another OT in the class. This class was totally unrelated to OT. THe professor
said "I don't know much about OT, but my daughter in law is a PT. Aren't they
very similiar?" to which my class mate replied "we pretty much do the same
thing". I was appalled...when my turn came around I was in a difficult spot...I
didn't want to make my classmate look like a fool, but I wanted to definitley
let the word out that I as an OT DID NOT do the same things as a PT. I don't
remember exactly what I said, but I tried my best in 20 seconds to undo some of
the damage. I wasn't expecting a dissertation from the other OT, but I also
wasn't expecting a total cop out either.
I have noticed too that the students we send out on fieldwork are coming back
disallusioned at times with their supervisors... supervisors who are asking them
why they went into OT anyway, supervisors who are also at times taking the easy
way out with their patients and clients when it comes to explaing what OT is.
One of the assignments I have my students do while they are out on field work is
to describe how their supervisors are explaining OT and to bring any patient
education materials, etc back to the class at the midway meeting. I would say
that most of what I see is not good or it is nonexistent...once in awhile there
is something fabulous, and I share it with my students so they can see good
examples.
It is things like this, situations that I am STILL running into at this point in
time, that lead me to make the remarks I did regarding my concerns about the
historical and often current complacency of this profession. So Sheila, keep up
the great work. It is practitioners like you who repeatedly, day in and day
out, explain the profession and try to put it into context for your
patients/clients that will carry this profession forward.
Terrianne
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