THEODORA MILDRED CHIKWANHA

I am an occupational therapist with21 years of experience in clinical practice and occupational therapy education. My career objective is to provide contextually relevant and effective occupational therapy services that are responsive to clients’ needs. This will be achieved through continuous professional development, mentorship and research. The first seven years in my career as an occupational therapist, I worked in two teaching hospitals on a rotational basis in the children`s rehabilitation unit, neurology, burns, orthopedics and mental health units. I was also responsible for providing occupational therapy services during the monthly multidisciplinary community outreach visits. Thereafter I became a full-time occupational therapy educator working in both academic and clinical occupational therapy settings. These experiences have taught me the importance of being passionate about my work, setting realistic goals, self-motivation, honesty, integrity, hard work and having respect for other team members. My purpose as an occupational therapist is improve the quality of life of clients with various forms of impairments by facilitating their participation in all the occupations that are meaningful to them through provision of holistic occupational therapy services that will help optimise function. What I love most about my work as an occupational therapist is that every client I meet will present a different challenge that will require me to be creative. I get great satisfaction from being in a profession that will allow me to make a difference in the lives of all my clients.

Professional with expertise in supporting patients through tailored therapy plans. Skilled in patient assessment, therapeutic interventions, and progress evaluation. Strong focus on collaboration and achieving results, adaptable to changing needs. Known for empathy, effective communication, and problem-solving in clinical settings.