OT Internship Issue - please help

amother

White

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 12:19 am

I am currently in middle of my OT fieldwork/intership. I mentioned to my clinical instructor that I feel uncomfortable transferring some patients (mod assist), as I am currently pregnant. I also said that my ob advised me not to lift over 25 lbs. The next day my clinical instructor had a meeting with me and told me that I cannot continue to do fieldwork as the job entails lots of lifting. I tried reasoning w him that I can hold off on the transfers for a couple of weeks and do the lifting later when I am closer to the end of the pregnancy (I am due in january). There was no reasoning w him. I really screwed it for myself. I need to finish the fieldwork by the end of the semester (I have 5 weeks left). If I dont continue fieldwork I have to start again in the next semester that begins in january when I am due. If anyone knows of any ot's or anyone that can help. pls lmk asap! I live in toms river but would be willing to travel for the next 5 weeks

amother

Ivory

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 12:23 am

I'm assuming that you are in middle of a physdys fieldwork. If you are not part of TTI, call them, explain your situation, and ask if they can pull some strings for you. They have students in your area.

Can aquatherapy meet the requirements?
What about adult outpatient? Or Medicare part b homecare?

amother

White

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 12:33 am

Thank you for your response. My college is actually affiliated with TTI. They told me there is nothing they can do for me as it is extremely difficult to find a new placement Sad

. I need geriatric but outpatient would also work for me.

amother

Ivory

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 12:36 am

Are you willing to travel to brooklyn? I know of a agency that does Medicare part b. I don't know if they service nj. I don't know if they take students, but it may be worth asking.

amother

Ivory

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 12:37 am

amother wrote:

Thank you for your response. My college is actually affiliated with TTI. They told me there is nothing they can do for me as it is extremely difficult to find a new placement Sad

. I need geriatric but outpatient would also work for me.

Also, never be fooled by "there is nothing we can do for you".
Keep asking.
You can also go through the manual and read about what the school is promising you in regard to placements, and hold them to it.
Just make sure to maintain respect when doing so.

amother

Ivory

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 12:41 am

One more thing. It may make a difference if you are becoming an OT or a COTA. The rules and regs are different. I am not familiar with the rules and regs for Cotas.

amother

Blue

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 12:54 am

Are you in a high risk pregnancy? I am wondering why the transfers are an issue? Typically, even if you're working in pediatrics, you will be required to lift. That is part of the job. Can you elaborate?

amother

White

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 1:01 am

amother wrote:

I have had a high risk pregnancy in the past. Bh there r no complications and this is a regular pregnancy. Lifting adults that are mod assist is much heavier than children. I doubt any ob would be ok with that, history or not.

amother

Ivory

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 1:01 am

amother wrote:

Sometimes you can't life when your are pregnant. Even if you are not "high risk". Op is looking for a new placement, not peds. Personally, I think her best shot would be Outpatient or homecare settings at this point, unless she wants to push off her fw.

ETA: from your response op, it seems like you weren't in a good learning environment either which way. You should have been trained in safe transfers from the get go.

amother

Puce

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 10:40 pm

I did my fieldwork and worked my first job while pregnant right up until the end (with two different kids). It's honestly a pain, literally and figuratively, but I don't think it's dangerous. I checked with my OB. Did your OB really say you shouldn't do those transfers? B/c if that's the case then maybe you really shouldn't continue there. Could this place let you finish the five weeks after you recover from giving birth? Is there a possibility the supervisor wasn't teaching you to do transfers properly?
I also agree that "there's nothing we can do for you" is not acceptable. They can say that after they've tried, but it doesn't sound like they have tried. You are paying money to get this degree, they should be able to help you. You are not the first student to be pregnant and you won't be the last.

amother

Jade

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 10:51 pm

amother wrote:

I’m a PT. Mod(A) transfers are not lifting the patient, it’s using good body mechanics to help them transfer. Most PTs I know work until the end of their pregnancies. Why don’t you check with your ob, you might be fine to continue the internship.

mommyfirst

Sun, Nov 05 2017, 10:53 pm

They cannot legally terminate your internship over this. It is reasonable for you to request that you get assistance with any mod assist transfers , or only do min assist transfers. Please stand up for yourself . Respectfully of course.

ces

Mon, Nov 06 2017, 12:17 am

mommyfirst wrote:

I don't think you're right. I work in that setting, and my company does not offer light duty. If someone has an official medical restriction on lifting they would need to go on disability. Unofficially as a supervisor if a therapist asks me to avoid giving her certain patients who are hard to lift I would certainly accommodate her, but if a therapist told me of an official restriction her Dr ordered I would have to tell her to go on disability leave. Student supervisors are doing students a favor as is, they aren't going to bend over backwards to accommodate restrictions in most cases

amother

Mauve

Mon, Nov 06 2017, 2:06 am

Had similar issue but not during internship, only while I was on a job already, after graduation. I had a subchorionic hematoma, and couldn’t lift anything over 26/30lb, don’t rem exactly. My job really didn’t require much lifting. When I showed my supervisor the dr note, I was surprised when she said I need a temp leave of absence. They need to cover themselves or they can get sued or be liable if you continue to work and get injured.

Can your fieldwork coordinator get you into an outpatient hand clinic? Would that count towards phys/dys or is that a specialty only? (Im so many years past I can’t recall.).

Can you take off rest of the time, continue schooling, then complete the remainder of phys/dys fieldwork at the end, before u take the Nbcot exam?