Kudzi Shumba

As a 4th-year OT student at the Transition Care Program, my role focused on supporting older individuals in their recovery following hospital stays and facilitating their transition back to home. This placement helped increase my skills in time management and flexibility due to fluctuations of clients condition and progress. Under the supervision of an AHPRA-registered OT, my key responsibilities included:

• Client Assessment: Evaluate client's functional abilities, limitations, and rehab potential. These included the initial assessment, as well as cognitive, upper limb function, and activities of daily living (ADL) assessments.
• Home Safety Evaluations: Assess and recommend home modifications and equipment for safety and independence.
• Care Planning: Develop treatment plans with achievable goals.
• Therapeutic Intervention: Apply therapies to meet patients' specific needs.
• Documentation: Keep accurate records of progress, treatment, and outcomes in a SOTAP format using iEMR.
• Client and Family Education: Guide client's and families on rehab strategies and recommendations.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Work with other healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists, speech pathologist, doctors and registered nurses to improve outcomes.

During my 10-week paediatric placement at UniSC Occupational Therapy Clinic, I gained invaluable hands-on experience working with children aged 4 to 5 years. This significantly enhanced my practical skills while also deepening my knowledge of developmental screening assessments and the importance of collaborative care in a paediatric setting. Under the supervision of an AHPRA registered OT my responsibilities included:

Developmental Screening and Assessment

• Screened for developmental delays in children aged 4-5 in both clinic and kindergarten settings.
• Utilized formal assessments (BOT-2, M-Fun, Sensory Profile, Social Responsiveness Scale) to identify developmental delays.
• Conducted initial intakes with parents, using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) for goal setting.
• Performed informal observations during play to assess children's current level of function.
• Interpreted assessment results to provide insights into children's performance and functional levels.

Parent Education and Collaboration

• Educated parents on assessment results and the implications for their child’s occupational performance.
• Developed tailored treatment plans based on parent feedback, observations, and assessment outcomes.
• Administered treatment plans, demonstrating clinical reasoning to parents and clinical educators.

Documentation and Reporting

• Documented information using the SOTAP format.
• Composed detailed reports for clients and created individualized home programs to support ongoing development.

Professional Development and Quality Improvement

• Participated in project development for quality improvement and professional development for early learning centre educators.

My role as a student at MMSH involved a range of tasks aimed at promoting the health, independence, and well-being of patients. I worked with a diverse patient population, including elderly individuals, veterans, and individuals recovering from surgery or injury. These patients often presented with complex physical, cognitive, and psychosocial needs due to conditions such as stroke, dementia, post-surgical recovery, PTSD, chronic pain, and age-related decline.

Comprehensive Assessments: Conducted evaluations to create personalized treatment plans.
Rehabilitation & ADL Training: Delivered interventions to improve independence in daily activities.
Assistive Technology: Trained patients on mobility aids, adaptive devices, and home modifications.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Worked with healthcare teams for holistic patient care.
Patient & Family Education: Guided patients and families on managing health and using assistive devices.
Discharge Planning: Helped ensure safe, supported transitions home for continued care.

This experience enhanced my clinical reasoning, communication, and patient-centered care skills, enabling me to effectively contribute to the rehabilitation and well-being of individuals in a subacute

• During my final year of my OT studies I have been working as a Showroom Assistant at Independent Living Specialist, I support OT's/physiotherapists and client's in exploring and selecting assistive devices and equipment to enhance independence and daily living. This role helped develop my customer service, product knowledge, and communication skills, while fostering a deeper understanding of assistive technology for individuals with varying needs.

• I have 1 year experience as an Allied Health OT Assistant at a paediatric clinic. I supported Occupational Therapists in delivering therapy services to children with a variety of developmental, sensory, and motor challenges.
• This role enhanced my understanding of child development and significantly improved my communication skills with both children and parents. My key responsibilities included assisting in therapy sessions by implementing activities aimed at improving children’s fine motor skills, sensory processing, and coordination. I also observed and documented their progress, supported parental involvement, and prepared therapy materials to ensure effective treatment delivery.