Over the past 9 weeks, I have been privileged to learn and provide services alongside the allied health team at Vista Health Care. My supervisor, Jorja Wilson, has demonstrated what it looks like to be an exceptional therapist within the NDIS community sector, teaching me many new things along the way. My experience with Vista has certainly facilitated the ongoing development of my own knowledge, skills and expertise in regard to the occupational therapy profession. This placement has brought upon new personal and professional challenges, fostering personal growth and widening my perspective and understanding of healthcare services in the community.
Before the commencement of my placement, I experienced a combination of excitement, nervousness and uncertainty. Though, the warm and relaxed welcome that I received from my supervisor as well as the supportive team environment was an instant release of stress or concern and soon enabled me to immerse myself into the learning opportunities that awaited me.
At Vista Healthcare, I had the opportunity to work closely with clients from diverse cultures, socioeconomic status and background, experiencing different types of disabilities. Each client had a unique story and set of challenges, yet they all shared a common desire for growth, independence, good health, and an improved quality of life. Developing rapport with these individuals, their families and other key stakeholders was an enjoyable experience, allowed me to further develop my interpersonal skills and expand my clinical knowledge/reasoning.
As the weeks progressed, I developed a range of new clinical skills including holistic information gathering, report writing, conducting medical research, documenting accurate notes, preparing for and facilitating client therapy sessions. During these experiences, I have learnt that it is important to continually seek feedback, develop my professional skills and always have a growth mindset. My perspective on community healthcare has certainly evolved and developed into a deeper understanding of the positive impact that occupational therapy (and other health professions) can have on all kinds of people’s lives.