Job 2014

My current job is in an acute setting, which means I am working with people immediately after their injury. All of my previous experience has been with people who have moved beyond the acute stage. I have of course always been aware of acute settings, but awareness is very different from experience, and this experience has filled a huge gap in my professional life that has forever changed me for the better.

I am working in the Occupational Therapy for Neurosciences department, which sees people with neurological conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease and Parkinson's Disease as well as people requiring brain or spinal surgery such as to remove tumours, after a fall, or after a road traffic collision. It is shocking to see the sheer volume of falls and accidents leading to devastating brain and spinal injuries that are alcohol related. I feel like if ordinary people saw what I see everyday, they would be much more cautious about how much alcohol they consume.

In an acute setting, medical stability is the foremost priority. Once the clients are stable, they are discharged and then a new client comes in. So my interaction with most people is fairly brief. Occasionally, I even get to go to people's homes and set up equipment. And if the person is heading for rehab, I might get to have a session or two to get them ready for the more intense rehab they will get later.

I am often seeing people before they have had a chance to adjust to their new circumstances. And I saw more post traumatic amnesia in the first month of this job than I have seen in previous ten years. The work is fast paced and I rarely see the end result. But I can see the benefit of what I am doing in a more abstract sense, and I am pleased for the opportunity to contribute to my community in this way.

Photo Credits

Surgical Videos of the Brian and Nerves

Bath Aids