Other OT-Related Information Shadowing

[futurelifechanger]

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I have started shadowing with this great OTR. Today was my second day with her. She lets me come and go as I please and is excited to help me along my way. My only issue is that I feel like I should be asking more questions. I never know what to ask. I feel bad because I kind of just stand around and watch. I want to be more engaged. does anyone have any tips on what to do? or maybe some questions that I should ask. I want to get the most out of this experience I just don't know what to ask. Also, is it inappropriate to ask about the patient in front of them and the parents? Or should I wait until after the session? Any tips to improve my experience even more would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[thebiggestsky]

One thing I've realized as I've been shadowing is that it's hard to know what to ask when you have zero experience seeing OT used in the "real world". It helps to have context for what you're looking at. For that reason, I think it'll be easier to come up with questions the further along in your shadowing experience that you go, because you'll be able to draw from past experiences with that particular OT and the patients you've been seeing.

That being said, maybe you could ask your OT about her school experiences and field work experiences. Are there any therapeutic practices that she has really found useful since working as a practicing OT? Are her practicing experiences different from her original expectations? Any interesting challenges? I also take cues from the patient. If they are really open about why they are being treated, then it might be okay to ask a couple questions about their condition. Because, personally, I think that is really interesting to know the background. Some patients are really chatty and like talking. Others aren't. So sometimes it's more appropriate to stay in the background (especially depending on setting).

 

[kgprospot]

It definitely gets easier to come up with questions as you gain experience and insight. At my first site, I didn't ask a lot of questions. I was mostly an observer and I helped when I was asked to help.

At my second site, I learned a ton about OT and the questions started coming. I also got to help a lot. I always asked questions at an appropriate time. The OT has to treat their patient. However, the OT does not have to have you there. If you feel it doesn't disrupt anything they might be doing, go ahead and ask. If you aren't sure, ask at the end of the therapy session or when the OT has a moment. Remember that they need to do their job first and foremost.

At my third site, my OT supervisor commented that I seemed very knowledgeable. That's because I wasn't new at shadowing or just discovering OT or how/when/what to ask.

I am going to start my 4th site soon, and I can't wait. I am going in with much less apprehension about what I should be doing and when I should ask questions. 🙂

I think it's normal to spend a lot of time watching. You can be more engaged by taking notes. When you go home, you can look up things you noted. That might help you come up with questions. I always asked questions about patients and their diagnoses after the fact because I felt it was more appropriate.