I don't know about the rest of you, but I always found the most difficult part of working for any company (now I privately contract and have more control over my time) was the amount of time they expected me to bill vs. my planning time for treatment sessions...gathering supplies, etc. Many times I was in a clinic that had a couple splints, cones, clothes pins, and weights. There are always the reachers, sock aids, etc. But if I wanted to really get down to my clients personalized life tasks I had to do all the planning and gathering of supplies on my own personal time because "productivity" was such a focus. After gaining a number of years of experience I started doing a little bit of PRN contract work and I noticed that I started being a little stronger in my conviction that I was going to do what was best for the patient...not necessarily what was the status quo of the facility. More clients and families started commenting and asking for me specifically because their experiences with previous OTs had been different and they didn't necessarily see the benefit of their past OT experience. Now that I only work on a PRN contract basis (there is enough work in my area that I could work 80 hours a week if I wanted) I make it very clear that I may be a different breed of OT than they are used to and after I've worked at a facility for a period of time, they are free to take my services or leave them. I've never lost a contract and most of them beg me to come on full-time (which I won't do because I have tried it too many times and been in situations where I'm being pressured to do "standard" care or up my productivity). I've been out of OT school since 1995 and I've only worked with ONE other OT who has had a similar style...he is a COTA in my area and the finest OT I've ever had the opportunity to work with. I'd clone him in an instant if I could. And he is leaving the profession! I end up spending a lot of extra time with some of my clients and much less with others (as compared with other OTs). By the way, if anyone needs a new area to move to, contact me. I live in an area with a HUGE need for OTs and I could point you in the right direction (I'm in central Nebraska). Jenny Daup
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