Brenda O’Brien

**** ********* ****

Duncanville, Texas 75137

Career Objectives

To work in the field of rehabilitation using my knowledge, skills and experience as a seasoned Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant. I seek to work with veterans in various rehab setting. I continue to expand by knowledge base as an LOTA by attending continuing education courses and seminars related to my field of expertise.

Work Experience

Reliant Health Care Systems, 419 S. Cockrell Hill

Duncanville, TX 75104. January 3, 2011 to present. Currently working as a LOTA. My duties include heading up the contracture management program, performing A.M. ADLs, retraining patient’s with orthopedic conditions, debility, CVA, COPD, CHF, and various other conditions to maximize functional performance and prevention of further deformities. Working as floater throughout Texas with Reliant to setup and implement contracture management programs and provide training to therapist and nursing staff.

Mind body and Spirit Rehab (MBS), 8701 N. Mopac Expressway, STE. 420, Austin TX 78759. August 2007 to December 2011 Worked as a traveling therapist October 2007 to include Austin/Temple/Burleson Texas. My duties included working as a Senior Therapy Assistant with increased focus to Neurological, debility, and orthopedic conditions. I worked in both Home health and skilled nursing settings. I returned to Dallas and began working for MBS at Arbrook Plaza,401 W. Arbrook Blvd, Arlington TX 76014. I worked there from May of 2008 to December of 2011. I assisted in setting up the occupational therapy program . I worked with the skilled nursing population and with those making a transition home.

I initiated and implemented ADL programs to

include:. bathing. dressing. walk to dine. feeding group And orthopedic ADL training. I have a very extensive skill base in the concept of AGING IN PLACE. Which involve functional limitations and conditions common to SNF patients. I developed and implemented the contracture management program which focused on treatment, prevention, staff education and training. I also implemented the wheelchair and bed position programs, to address the related problems with increased functional performance and skin breakdown. While with MBS I worked closely with a multi- disciplinary team, to include physical therapist, speech therapist nurses, physician, aides, and the family members.

Heritage Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 1112 Gibbins, Arlington TX, 76011. August 2006 to October 2007. Served as lead therapist for inpatient treatment of geriatric population. As lead I was often called upon to retrain functional performance skills to those with complications such as CVA, morbid obesity, type 2 diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and amputations.

I Also worked with a large orthopedic population and provided extensive retraining to patient’s/family members and staff regarding approach needed to maximize functional performance skills at home and in the community.

PARKVIEW CARE CENTER, 3301 View Street

Fort Worth TX 76103. Worked January 2005 to August 2006. Worked as Director of Rehab. Duties included completion of daily/weekly/ and monthly reports in regards to clinical, financial and billing aspects of rehab operations. I managed OT/PT/ST staffing and schedules. I performed Medicare part A and B billing as well as Medicaid and GDT. I attended a daily stand up meeting and provided needed input to the multidisciplinary team regarding the progress and the needs of the patients. The facility served societies most needy of individuals to include homeless, HIV- AIDES, terminally ill, profoundly mentally impaired, severe psychological disorders, TB, and HEP B. This was a most challenging job given the conditions in which I had to work. Rehab Care Ground/Medical Center of Arlington (HCA), Matlock and Mayfield, Arlington, TX 76015 Worked from July 2003 to December 2004. Employed full time as an occupational therapy assistant. Case load consisted of orthopedic, neurological

(CVA) and general debilitation. Responsibilities included activity of daily living retraining, patient family education community re- entry, feeding groups, exercise groups, home assessment, DME and AD training. In addition I participated in daily stand-up rounds, ordered supplies and attended weekly multi-disciplinary staff meetings.

Woodlands Healthcare Center,4650 W. Panther Creek, The Woodlands TX,77381. Worked there from April 1999 to July 2003 as an Licensed Occupational Therapy assistant. I worked primarily with a geriatric population in a skilled nursing setting. Part of my duties included training staff care providers and restorative in the unique approach for maximizing functional performance skills once discharged from rehab. I served of the core 4 committee to manage, treat and prevent contractures/ falls/weight loss/ and debility.

Conroe Regional Hospital, Medical Center BLVD., Conroe TX, 77301. Employed here from January 1997 to April 1999 as a full time COTA in outpatient rehab. There my primary duties consisted of making specialized splints for various conditions involving the arm/hand/fingers. I worked in the neonate unit. I provided prom/full body massage/and feeding habilitation for infants with failure to thrive, floppy baby syndrome, premature birth and other disorders requiring special attention. I also trained the parents in various techniques to improve suckling skills and improving muscle tone. While at Conroe Regional I worked in the inpatient/ and pediatric departments. RehabCare Corporation at Tomball Hospital, Holdereith Road, Tomball TX 75375. Employed May 1993 to Dec 1996. I developed and implemented orthopedic groups that comprehensively addressed all aspects of functional rehab and recovery with focus to patients returning home and to work. I have experienced working with neuromuscular disorders to include : Huntington’s Corea, Gillian’s Berrea, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. I also worked with patient diagnosed with mental disorders to include: schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, drug and alcohol abuse. I was part of the work hardening team as well as the community re-entry team. My experiences include working with children with developmental disorders and training the parents to facilitate optimal growth an development. While there I and the opportunity to work with to work with teenagers and young adults. There we addressed coping skills needed to adjust to disorders related to abuse and dysfunctional behavior.

Houston Rehabilitation Institute, 17506 Red Oak BLVD., Worked on Traumatic Brain Injury Team. There I worked with patient’s on the coma, near coma scale. I provided manual manipulation to upper extremities, orientation retraining to familiar objects related to activities to daily living. I worked one on one with basic sitting balance, basic selfcare retraining, and object identification and manipulation. The therapy I performed with the patient’s ranged from very low level TBI head injury to higher level closed head injury (CHI) patients. Treatment included community re-entry, home assessments and modifications, compensatory strategies for the performance of ADLs and IADLs.

The Institute of Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR)., 1333 Moursund AVE, Houston Texas, 77030. Employed there August 1989 to November 1990. My responsibilities included a rotation between the spinal cord injury team, the brain injury team, and providing treatment for pediatric and cancer patients. Each team consisted of an OT/PT/ST/ and social worker. By working together with the same patients the team was able to provide co-treatments and individual treatments with focus to carryover needed to facilitate optimal recovery and performance. Our team was required to complete a research paper on a patient of our choosing and have in published in a periodical of medical interest. I was reasonable for retraining patients with spinal cord injuries to perform dressing, toileting-toileting hygiene, rectal stim, self feeding,meal prep, work related task, ADL transfers, car transfers, child care, and home management with modified approaches to functional performance skills. I also provided training in DME/AD/ and worked with specialist to adapt vehicles for the special needs of paraplegics. I constructed seating systems for the specific needs of those requiring power wheelchairs . The wheelchairs house everything from a sip and puff unit to a head wand to perform work related task while at the computer. My duties on the brain injury team included retraining patient with varying levels of function. I ran a daily ADL group which included feeding, grooming. Hygiene dressing, toileting, transfer training, and other related task. The focus was more on reasoning, judgment, problem solving, time management, appropriate interaction with others, coping skills,organizational thinking, critical thinking, frustration tolerance, as well as the psychological adjustment to a change in physical and cognitive function. While at TIRR, I worked in the challenge program. I would guide patients going back to school and work through the actual events of the day. This included riding public transportation, going to work, going to a college class, with focus to re-mastering prior level of function. I also worked with patient recovering from cancer and Children with birth defects such as spina bifida and cerebral palsy.

New Center Community Mental Health,. West Grand BLVD, Detroit, Michigan 48235. There I worked in a community inpatient setting. I developed and implemented programs to reintegrate people with a variety of mental diseases and disorders back into the community. I worked with local businesses to higher patients after they completed my retraining program. I was successful in being awarded grants to fund many programs that allowed the patient to learn to manage their disorder/disease. I was successful in obtaining a small apartment house that serviced as a spring board before returning independent living. I later opened a small donut shop which evolved into a gift shop. The shop was ran by the patient. There they learned retail skills and develop appropriate interpersonal skills with costumers. Later I helped to open a dining room ran by the patients as well. Other programs included dressing for success/grooming-hygiene/medication education/pottery and crafts. All of the craft items in the gift shop were made by the patients. The program won several awards for outstanding community service.

Work Experience Education Setting

Kingwood College, 20000 Kingwood BLVD., Kingwood TX 77339. Chair committee member of Kingwood College for the development and implementation of a new Certified Occupational Therapy program. My duties included needs assessment for the community, course development, candidate interviews, procuring sites for field work placement, and meeting the development team for accreditation requirement in the state of Texas. Adjunct instructor for the Occupational Assistant Program. Taught Pathophysiology 2303 summer 2003 1999, Activity and Analysis 2210 fall 1999, Activity and Analysis 3102 winter 2000, Activity and Analysis 1301 winter 2001. My duties included developing a syllabus and course outline, lectures, Labs, learning materials, exams in specific keeping with ACOTE’s essentials. I kept on campus offices hours three times weekly to meet with students regarding course concerns. I met with the OTA director weekly regarding student progress and course materials. I assisted in recommending and securing field work sites for students on level I and level II clinicals.

Harris County Department of Education., 6300 Irvington, Houston, TX 77022.

There I worked with physical or otherwise health impaired children at Klein ISD. Responsibilities included providing task and exercises to facilitate fine and gross motor development. This included motor development for classroom related task. This skills included self feeding, toileting, toileting hygiene and garment management, expression of needs, holding a crayon or pencil, following 1-2 step simple verbal-visual commands, appropriate interactions with others, and simple organizational skills. I meet with the ARD TEAM to discuss each child goals/objectives and progress. I also provided training to the parent(s) and care providers learn carryover training for home.

EDUCATION

Siena Heights University, Adrian, MI 49221. Graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Allied Health in 1987. Course work stressed hospital administration, and geriatric health. Graduated on the Deans list with honors.

Wayne County Community College, 801 W. Fort Street, Detroit, MI 48202. Graduated with an Associates degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant. Passed all clinical and academic requirements. Graduated on the Deans list with honors.

Community Service

Tomball College & Kingwood College, Served on the advisory committee for the developmental and implementation of Occupational Therapy Assistant programs. I assisted in creating needed academic programs for these communities. I provided research on the positive impact these programs would have based on the demographics and feedback via questionnaires. I help to design the course outline, recommended books, proposed a mock syllabus, assisted in writing the objectives, mission statement, and interviewed students for academic training.

Special Recognition

Employee of the year with Mind Body and Spirit

Rehab 2008.

Certification of appreciation for dedicated service the North Harris Montgomery College District OTA

program, December 2000.

Received a letter of commendation from Katherine

Bontke, MD for enthusiasm and job performance on

the head injury unit at The Institute of Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR), 1990

Name employee of the year 1988 and 1989 for

outstanding working at New Center Community

Mental Health, West Grand BLVD Detroit,MI

Placed on the Deans list for outstanding academic

achievement. Graduated with a 3.50 at Siena Heights College.

References upon request

Thank you for taking time to review my resume

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