Hi! I'm Regina, a senior occupational therapist working at NYU committed to promoting patient safety.

Welcome to my Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Professional Portfolio. My name is Regina Zick and I have been an occupational therapist since 2019. During this time, I have primarily treated acute care and intensive care unit (ICU) patients within NYU Langone Health among a wide variety of patient populations. In order to better evaluate and treat patients, I aim to broaden my experience from acute care into the further spectrum of care. Many factors change as one individualizes care among different patient diagnoses, however, one factor that remains at the forefront of quality rehabilitative care is safety. This portfolio archives my doctoral work examining client safety across the continuum of care. The client parameters within this OTD are adults who are aging in place (typically 65 years or older) among a variety of settings ranging from acute care to community dwellers. This encompasses a diverse array of diagnoses, sensory processing, motor, and cognitive skills to emphasize comprehensive care.

For the purpose of this portfolio, patient safety refers to the prevention of harm to patients. The aim is to ensure the well-being of patients in various settings, including hospitals, homes, and communities. Beyond falls prevention, patient safety involves safeguarding against a range of potential harms, including medical procedure-related complications and natural disasters. I chose to view safety from this broad scope to reflect the reality of patient safety. Patient safety is not limited to clinical environments. Instead, it extends to ensuring safe environments and practices in the community and at home. This holistic approach to patient safety is essential for providing optimal care for our patients and clients. 

Throughout this portfolio, a central theme is the development of leadership skills. As a senior OT practicing full time, I gain knowledge daily through my clinical work, solidifying my commitment to lifelong learning. During this OTD process, however, my focus is on taking it to the next step. By further enhancing my leadership abilities, I can learn how to effectively mentor current and future occupational therapists. While my dedication to lifelong learning continues to broaden my knowledge, this journey centers on refining leadership traits and abilities, particularly communication skills, to effectively disseminate information to diverse audiences.