Student Blog
A Social Distance Challenge ⟩
April 10, 2020, by Kat
#pushupchallenge #seeajerseypostajersey #untiltomorrow
You already know I had to get in on the #dontrushchallenge with the song by Young T & Bugsey. The song has so much rhythm and swag! If you know me, you know I can’t help but dance when I hear hip hop vibes mixed with Caribbean flow. My fellow current Black OT master and doctorate students alongside alumni licensed OTs worked together on this video. The goal was to showcase the growing ethnic diversity not only within the USC program but also OT in general. We also demonstrated the versatility that an OT degree can have. The fields of acute care, outpatient rehab, health and wellness, research, home health pediatrics, and early intervention were represented in the video. What better time to showcase how amazing occupational therapy is than during OT month?!
Diversity is powerful. Females are powerful. Check out our rendition of the #dontrushchallenge! (We do not own the rights to this music)
⋯
3D-Printed Masks for Healthcare Professionals ⟩
April 9, 2020, by Kevin
As news of personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages continue to spread in coronavirus hotspot areas, grassroots movements of makers have sprung up all over the country. Teams of people are collaborating virtually to help mitigate the shortage in PPE for healthcare professionals/frontline workers. Additionally, as recent recommendations have been put in place for citizens to wear some type of face covering when out in the community, people are getting creative with new ways to create face coverings. For instance, within the Chan Division community the USC Occupational Therapy and Science Council (OTSC) arranged a crafting night for Chan students and faculty to virtually socialize and create face covering from everyday materials that people can find in their homes! Additionally, efforts have been made by the larger USC community to combat the supply shortage.
Within the USC community and Los Angeles Area, a group of currently over 130 members have assembled virtually to create PPE. Last week, I joined this effort after speaking to USC Chan faculty member Sook-Lei Liew PhD, OTR/L, who is currently 3D-printing masks and face shields. The community is made up of sewers, makers, prop artists, and many other creative and talented people who have the common goal to support the people who are risking their own health to save the lives of others. If you would like to know more about this effort to create PPE, you can read more about one of the communities’ founders and organizers, Darryl Hwang, PhD in HSC News. As a member of this community, I am using my home 3D-printers to print masks and eventually face shields. These masks and face shields will be used in the event that PPE shortages occur in the local healthcare facilities. While my involvement is small, with the help of many people, we can help make a difference in our community.
3D-printing the open-source mask design
1st batch of masks finished!
Trying on my test print of the mask
Within all the hardship this pandemic brings, communities of people working together remind me that love, kindness, and cooperation make everything a little better. I’m proud to be involved in such a community at USC. Fight On!
⋯
Wake Up Call ⟩
April 9, 2020, by Catherine
Last week, I wasn’t feeling so great. It may have been the constant news being consumed or the overall sense of anxiety that has accompanied the new norm. While the rationale part of me knew that it was very unlikely that I had been infected with COVID-19, the wave of “what ifs” and leaps of the imagination to the worst case scenarios could not be stopped. Long story short, after some rest, extra fluids and time away from the news, felt better. It was my body telling me that I needed to slow down. The unforeseeable changes and disruptions in my daily occupations had challenged my wellbeing and had created unfamiliar reactions.
As an OT, my tool box is filled with strategies and interventions to help others, my focus had been on making sure my family and friends were adjusting the best way possible. I was not being mindful of my own needs, and as a result had burned out. Caregiver and provider burnout has been a topic of discussion throughout the master’s and clinical doctorate programs. Managing a household, residency and school assignments, from the same physical space has forced me to wear multiple hats at once. In the beginning, like many others, I jumped into action, trying to provide a safe environment for my family to cope. In the process, forgetting about myself.
Ironically, I had researched and developed a program during my Level 2 fieldwork, to provide providers in a hospital setting, strategies to respond to the state of vital exhaustion that was caused by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and the overall decreased sense of personal accomplishment. Now more than ever, the current pandemic has created a constant state of fight or flight adrenaline rushes in our communities, to our healthcare frontline workers and other positions of essential service providers, and to our individual selves.
Best practice recommendations include initiating a wellness audit of the workplace, where the leadership would support the team of care providers in identifying sources, providing education and resources, and encouraging team members to express needs and set SMART goals to promote work life balance. Evidence also supports that in times of burnout, being mindful of our core values helps us stay grounded and motivated towards our personal and professional goals in difficult times. I have seen that many of my colleagues who enter healthcare professions share a common passion of helping others, empowering them to thrive in their everyday lives. But in times like these, I want to remind us all that we not only should be compassionate to the needs of others, but our own as well.
On that note, I would like to share some occupations that are important to me and have helped me re-calibrate and stay grounded.
Also, if you are willing and able, I invite you to help out our frontline healthcare and essential workers in your area. If you are in the LA area, and would like to help out our frontline workers at Keck, please visit this website. Together we will fight on!
⋯
A Taste of Telehealth ⟩
April 8, 2020, by Noelle
This semester, I decided to take OT 574 Enhancing Motor Control for Occupation as one of my electives. While not super related to my interest in primary care, I chose it because I had previously enjoyed learning about motor control during the Adult Rehabilitation Immersion and thought it was a good idea to diversify my course load. What I was really drawn to though, was the chance to work with patients and refine my “therapeutic touch”. Trust me when I say that there is a huge difference between watching a demonstration or discussing a case study and actually being the one touching and working with a patient. You have to be confident, firm, but not too firm! It’s a really delicate balance that I was able to practice each week while mobilizing and facilitating movements with my client during the lab portion of this class.
This course was the definition of hands on learning. So when the move to online classes was made, I was very concerned and disappointed that I was no longer going to be able to see my client.
Luckily, my professors are experts in modifying tasks and coming up with creative solutions in their clinical work. Turning lemons into lemonade, they arranged for us to continue treating our clients through Zoom, allowing us to give telehealth a try. Given the hands-on nature of neurorehabilitation, there are limitations to what we can do remotely. But there are also a lot of things we can do.
So far, I’ve had two sessions with my client. My team and I are focused on designing a home exercise program that will reduce his abnormal tone and help keep him on track to making progress towards his goals. One of the advantages of using Zoom, is that we get to see his living environment “in person”. This helps us problem solve in real time around obstacles that he faces in doing some of the exercises and activities we recommend. I’m hopeful that we are making a well-tailored program for him.
There are challenges to this method. Sometimes it’s hard to see the specific movements through the camera, or it’s tricky to demonstrate and explain an exercise on a screen. But I am proud of the way both my team and our client are adjusting and making the most of the situation. This is a great exercise for us as OT students to think on our feet, be creative, adapt. Those are core skills to our profession, and I am thankful to be getting this experience and unique opportunity to practice them. Here’s to the silver linings!
For this week’s song rec, I’m sharing one of my all time favorites — “Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles . . . fitting don’t you think?
⋯
Checking In ⟩
March 31, 2020, by Kaho
First of all, I’d like to start off by saying that it’s good to be “back!” It’s been a while since I last wrote a blog and been back on my regular class and work schedule. For the second years, the first 2 weeks of March were allocated to our Leadership Externship and the week after that was spring break, so I hadn’t been in classes for 3 weeks. Now, I’m “in class” virtually and it’s different, but we’re all making it work.
March has been a wild ride. It began with my externship to Ghana being cancelled and scrambling to find an alternative experience. That all honestly feels like months ago, as I’ve been sitting at my work-from-home set up in my living room for 2 weeks now with all sense of time or day of the week gone. In the past several weeks, I’ve come across so many tips and resources on how to stay healthy mentally and physically during this difficult time for everyone and I’m sure you have too. I want to add to your resource list by connecting you to blogs written by USC students outside of the Chan Division, because I’ve gotten questions on how USC students are handling the situation!
On this website, you’ll find more tips on how to stay healthy, connected, engaged, and successful in school, regardless of whether you’re an undergraduate student or graduate student and what program you’re in.
Specifically, for me as a student in the OT program, I’ve dealt with the situation similarly to other people. I’m engaging in indoor activities such as board games, puzzles, cooking, reading, and journaling. I go on a run or walk outside at least once a day, while making sure to maintain at least 6 ft between myself and whoever I cross paths with. Home workout videos have also been a huge help. I’m trying to exceed last year’s running mile count of 550 this year and am planning on signing up for my second half marathon once this lockdown is over, so that I have a goal to work towards during this time I don’t feel as productive and I have something to keep propelling me forward. I attend lectures through Zoom and for classes that require a hands-on clinical experience, the professors have come up with alternative assignments such as case studies and video analyses. I make sure to only spend 10-15 min each morning to read up on COVID-19 news and I’ve found that to be sufficient to stay informed and updated, but not overwhelmed. I’ve also cut back on my screen time on my phone by setting time limits on all social media apps. That has helped control the flooding of information and kept me active. Lastly, I’ve been using Zoom and other webcam apps to stay connected with friends and family. With family in Japan, calling over webcam isn’t new for me, but it’s been especially important in these recent weeks.
Many things that I’ve learned in OT school such as ergonomics, creativity, and the effects of occupational deprivation have been challenged and tested during this lockdown, so it’s been an interesting first-hand learning experience. I’ve also gotten to see the essential role of OT in a global pandemic, which has further deepened my love and appreciation for the profession. I hope you all are staying healthy and like many, I am looking forward to the day I can study and roam around campus again with all of my old and new (congrats to the class of 2022!) colleagues. Student ambassadors are still working regularly remotely so as always, email us with any questions or concerns!
⋯
Subscribe | RSS