New grad doing home care/early intervention?

[markelmarcel]

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Hi all! I've been absent from these forums for quite some time... funny how quickly time passes and how much time school requires. But, I am happy to report I'm doing my last clinical rotation and graduate on Dec 16! I am currently doing early intervention with a PT who has been in EI for 18 years. She is amazing and I'm learning SO much, which is great. My first degree is in early childhood/elementary education so working with these little ones is a blast. She keeps talking to me about getting into EI right after graduation and how a few companies are hiring, etc. BUT, I have concerns about being on my own so quickly... (I want to continue to build my skills and learn from others!!) Obviously, if I interview I need to find out more information about mentoring, etc. I know the one company does a 3-month "training" period where you are with another therapist who helps you build your caseload before letting you off on your own. But, I'm still not completely sure if 8 weeks with my CI and then 12 weeks with another PT is enough.

Just curious if anyone knows of anyone who went into EI or even home care straight out of graduation and what you liked and didn't like?

 

[Berzerkernuts]

Hi there! I'm a new grad who recently graduated and went straight into EI home care. While I was in school I did and affiliation at a sensory gym where we saw both EI and CPSE kids, and I really loved it so I decided to go into peds. Originally I tried to get a full time job with another sensory gym (the one that I affiliated with closed), but was only offered part time work. Then I started applying for school jobs and sending my resume to the EI home care companies. The EI companies all contacted me immediately and brought me in for "interviews" which really consisted of handing in paperwork and learning a little bit about how they work. I signed on with them and continued looking for a more "full time" job. One of the EI companies that I work for claims that they offer some sort of mentoring but I have yet to see evidence of that. I wound up picking up a few cases, all of them luckily having diagnoses that I've seen before, and I have now also accepted a f/t position at a preschool. The home cases have been less intimidating than I expected so far, and the parents seem very grateful for the info and help that I am able to give them. The worst part honestly has been one of the parents asking me things like "So you've seen tons of babies like mine and they all end up ok, right?". As a new grad, I don't think I'd feel comfortable doing all home visits all the time with no guidance from anyone with more experience, but I do plan to keep the cases that I have now. I think it's a good learning experience, and with a limited number of cases it doesn't feel too overwhelming. It's also a nice way to earn some extra income.

 

[callmecrazy]

I haven't done EI, but my first job was at a private school with no other PTs. Even with great mentors and resources outside the school, I still felt that I wasn't growing like I could be with a team, on a daily basis. I chose to switch jobs a year later and joined a 12 person PT department at a different school. It has definitely been a positive change for my personal/professional growth. You get your foundations in PT school and build clincal competency during clinical placements, but I think you can be learning a phenomenal amount and really establish yourself as a clincian during your first couple years out. Personally, I wouldn't recommend spending that time "on your own" if you don't have to.

I will throw in one caveat though... my experience working independently was a good self-marketing tool when I decided to switch jobs. It worked in my favor, but still not worth it IMO.

 

[markelmarcel]

Wow! Thanks to both of you for your responses! You both definitely share some of the concerns I have with going at it all alone right away. Thanks for your input, it was really helpful. I am also planning on talking to my CI's last student who went into EI upon graduation and has been practicing for the past 3 years in EI. I want to know exactly what this company did for her and what she liked/didn't like, much like both of you shared! In the meantime, I have been keeping tabs on some of the other pediatric settings available to see if there are any job openings. (I also have another potential job with an OP clinic doing cardiac/pulmonary rehab and some ortho. Cardiopulm is my other love, but it's going to be the same type of situation where I will be more on my own with limited support, so same type of tough situation!)

Thanks again! 🙂