Peds SIM encounter

I think that the SIM lab I participated in today went pretty good overall. I was overall pleased with my ability to think on my feet and answer some of the questions that I was not expecting. I enjoy doing these types of assignments because it really helps to prepare me for when I am seeing real clients in the nearing future. 

The SIM lab that I participated in was a huge learning experience for me. If given the opportunity to do the SIM again I would actually do a couple of things differently. As we talked about in the debrief, if given more time I would be able to connect a little more with my client.  I felt like I tried to connect with her, but I wasn’t able to fully attend to her emotions as I would have liked due to a time constraint. I felt like I was talking a little too quickly at first and I began to notice I was possibly overwhelming her talking so fast with a lot of new information being presented to her. I noticed this early on and tried to slow down and take my time while going through the information. I also did not really expect the client to be as emotional as she was. When I entered the room, I felt like the client had been crying and I could tell that she was very distressed. I knew that these parents had a lot of decisions to make and were sometimes overwhelmed with things, but to actually be able to see the way she was reacting to the information was very eye opening.  

            As an occupational therapist, in order to develop rapport and trust with my clients I need to first show them that I care. My clients are going to put their trust in me to try and help them or their loved one get back to doing the things they enjoy. One way I can show I care is not only asking them about the situation I walked into the room to approach but asking them how they are doing in a much broader approach. If I notice that something else is going on with the client and I feel that it is appropriate, I should ask them if they are okay. This opens the door for them to talk about their concerns if they feel the need, and it also lets them know that I am trying to meet them where they are at that point in their life. If I know that a client had been excited about a certain event, just by asking them how that event went and remembering something more about them other than just what they are directly coming to me for shows them that I am invested in them. Another way that I can show a client that I care is by active listening. I should be sure to maintain eye contact and approach the client with open body language. Just by doing these two things alone the client can tell that I am ready to listen to them and I am taking in what they are saying to me. By a client feeling like they are being heard can also let them know that I care about the information they are giving me. Also allowing the clients to ask any questions they may have and also asking the client questions to be sure that everyone has the same interpretation of the conversation that is taking place. Lastly, I feel like making myself available to the client, helps them to feel like I care about them and help them to know I take their concerns seriously. 

            As I enter my future fieldwork facilities and in my future of becoming a practicing clinician, I feel like I now know a little bit more about making strong connections with my clients. I don’t think I would have necessarily thought about bringing a visual into the room when explaining to a parent the results of an evaluation. Going forward, I feel like I will be able to be more prepared and not have as much of a risk of them not understanding the information being presented to them. I know from experience, when I am nervous or upset it is hard for me to take in new information and understand it. By giving them something to look at can help them with understanding the information presented to them and having something to look at later.