OTA 1270 Pediatrics Fieldwork

Lindsy Kaminska

1270

4/2024

Civic Engagement Project and Reflection On Level I FW

         I shadowed a COTA at Murray school district for my second semester in the OTA program, fulfilling my level I fieldwork requirement. We visited thirty-three children throughout different schools in the district. There were currently two other students from my cohort putting their fieldwork hours in at this location as well. I knew they were also working on creating a useful tool for the OT practitioners. The COTA I shadowed was Tricia and she knew that my time there was limited, as I was fulfilling this requirement during my Spring Break. So, on day one she told me what the department really needed. It surprised me a bit because she asked for a kit that the OT needed, not her. She told me that the OT visits youth at the high school and she was in need of a Life Skills kit, specifically on mental health and hygiene.

         Tricia pointed me to some resources, and I went to work investigating anything that I thought might be useful for the Life Skills kit. I spent a few hours gathering all the information that I thought fit the criteria. She informed me that all the supplies I needed could be found in the supply room at a school nearby or within her office. Sure enough I was able to acquire some card stock paper and then use the printer at the school. I took the laminator and pages home and worked for a few hours off and on laminating and cutting out all the images. I was able to organize everything into manila folders and found a discarded magazine holder in her office. I cleaned it off, and neatly stacked all the information needed for the next high school visit with the OT. I was proud of the work that I had done and knew that it would be a useful tool for any future interventions. I would say I was closer to the ten-hour time frame for this project, and it only cost me time as the school supplied all the resources. This kit will be helpful for any student needing to find a way to decompress, release stress, recognize the good in their life through journaling, expressing their emotions in healthy ways, labeling and recognizing emotions, and feelings.

         Through the creation of this project, I learned about the many ways we can recognize, label and direct our mind, emotions and feelings. I had never heard of a body scan before this semester or of all the different elements that relate to it. I learned how important it is to take control of our thoughts and feelings before their negative impact effects the body physically. I feel good about this project and although it wasn’t a three-dimensional, heavy, expensive object, I realize it can have just as an effective impact as the next project. A bonus to that is it’s easy to travel with which is what the department needs for the work they do. I know that we all have emotions to deal with. Some good, some not so good! I know this kit can help the individuals who use it to learn important coping skills.