She also stated she treated a 26-year-old which was interesting because it was one of her first really young patients she 's helped. As I continued interviewing Lauren she told me how much the field has changed because when she first began working she treated older patients as she stated “I began treating sweet little old ladies” but now she frequents treats alcoholics and drug abusers. Although occupational therapist commonly does not treat those types of patients, more so actual therapist do, Lauren must attempt to help the patients she receives. In doing so when Lauren treats her patients she mostly takes a rehabilitation approach and focuses on functional based therapy. However, her treatment toward helping the patient with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and toileting. When Lauren assess her patients she primarily uses the Barthel Index or the cognition test, ACLS when evaluating them. Although Lauren focuses the majority of her work in a geriatric setting, she has done work in a Long Term Acute Care Hospital, outpatient clinic and even in a school setting a few …show more content…
She states this is frustrating because it is her job to help her patients but sometimes ensures denies her from doing so. Although Lauren struggled to find the negative in her profession it was very easy for to discuss the most rewarding aspect of her job. She states how it is very rewarding to work with a patient who came to her dependent, unable to do daily tasks such as, dressing, cleaning, and bathing then leaving independent and able to go home. As I neared the end of the interview and ask Lauren if she would recommend occupational therapy as a career choice to others. She instantly replied, “yes I would!” She also said there are key skills necessary to be a successful occupational therapist but the most important once Lauren said was communication and the ability to cooperate and communicate to others. As I asked my final question on what advice Lauren would give to a student pursuing occupational therapy, for example, myself, was to have fun with it. She said you can really do anything in this field and that is what is great about it. Lauren also said it is very rewarding and it is fun helping people and helping