Week 6

• Week 6 •

            Well, I finished up my clinical.  I was able to kick it up a notch this week.  I attained 90% productivity.  The last couple of days were short days.  Caseload has been low and Taryn wanted to go over my CPI.

            There are definitely things that I will miss about this clinical.  I couldn’t ask for a better CI, and I have learned so much from the others, especially from Leah, the COTA.  I have enjoyed getting to know the patients, the routine.  I like the small feel of the place, like you know everyone.  You can say hi to people in the halls and you know what to do when that old man starts uprooting the artificial tree and that old lady says she ate a three car garage for breakfast... and means it. 

            But, I also don’t plan on graduating and snagging the first SNF job that comes my way.  It is tough to maintain the productivity.  It is tough to maintain morale when your patient keeps falling asleep while you are talking to them.  It is tough to know how to balance aggressive treatment with realistic goals.  And it is very tough to constantly be battling.  I feel like in the SNF you are battling the nursing staff who is always understaffed and always short on time.  You are battling Medicare to maintain a profit.  You are battling the patients who don’t see any reason to come down to do exercise.  You are battling your coworkers who you like, but who don’t do things the way you would.  And you are battling yourself, because you don’t know if you are really doing any good, and because you want to take the easy way out, and because you want to be able to work without using your brain or your voice.  And in the nursing home, you have to use your voice.  No, you are a voice.  And your patients need you.