OTPF

OTPF stands for Occupational Therapy Profile Framework. This is a way for a practitioner to get a general sense of who their client is. In the OTPF, a practitioner will ask for the client to go over their daily routine from start to finish. The client will also describe the onset, along with the timeline of, their injury or the reason for needing OT. This is a way for the practitioner to understand what their client's goals, interests, values, and needs are along with the client's background and experiences. The OTPF is where OT practitioners start when developing goals for their clients. It is a way to ensure that the services are directed toward what the client finds valuable. It also is a way for the practitioner to understand what the client's life is like along with why they are needing OT. The OTPF is what really makes occupational therapy different from other professions. OT looks at what is meaningful to the client first; whereas other professions first look at the injury, deficiency, or diagnosis.

Can we do it?

One occupation that changed drastically over the decades was the occupation of a homemaker. In the 1940s, women had to work because their husbands were off at war and someone needed to fill in those jobs and make money for the family. This is when the famous "Rosie the Riveter" poster was publicized to encourage women to go out and fill in for the men and to tell them that women are capable of doing a "man's job". However, by the end of the decade and during the 1950s and 1960s, women's progress took a step back. When the men came back from the war, women went back to homemaking, and even though they wanted to continue to work, the media and men discouraged them from doing anything other than staying home and raising children. During the 1960s, women started to fight back and protest for more representation in the workforce. Women have definitely made a lot of progress since this time, thankfully.

Pediatric Certification

Pediatric occupational therapy is the reason I wanted to become an occupational therapist. A little girl, Haley, at my church was diagnosed with brain cancer, and during her radiation treatments, she received every kind of therapy possible. When I would ask her what her favorite part of her week was, she would always name what she did with the OTs at Johns Hopkins. This inspired me to pursue a career where I could give a child the bright spot in their week.

Because of this, I want to work in a pediatric hospital and eventually obtain a pediatric certification. Working with children has always been my preference because no matter the situation they are thrown into, a child can ALWAYS find something to smile about. They just have a more positive outlook on life. Eventually I want to obtain my certification in pediatrics and potentially construct a certification for pediatric oncology.