Occupational Therapist

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

A compassionate, organized and creative occupational therapist with 22 years of experience enabling clients to successfully develop through participation in a variety of motor, feeding and sensory integration skills. Fostered success with clients through individualized plans designed to meet their needs with careful attention to growth. Facilitated teamwork and community within several organizations by collaborating with staff members, specialists and caregivers.

LICENSURE

Certified Occupational Therapist by NBCOT

Colorado and California Licensures

Certified in CPR

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS

Accustomed to utilizing online documentation and scheduling programs including Fusion Centricity, Appointments Everywhere,

Proficient with Microsoft Windows and Apple OS X Operating Systems

Well versed in the Microsoft Office Productivity Suite

Familiar with multi-function copy machines and other office equipment

WORK EXPERIENCE

Occupational Therapist May 2020 - Current

Goodman Speech Therapy and Adaptive Resources Arroyo Grande, CA

Provide teletherapy services for children ages 0-3 years old and their families

Patient population includes children who have prematurity, developmental delays, feeding and swallowing difficulties, motor planning issues, fine motor prehension delays, visual motor delays

Instruct families on how to position and engage patients in therapeutic activities to improve developmental skills such as pulling to stand, rolling, crawling, maintaining quadruped, bringing hands to midline and to mouth, crossing the midline, grasp and release, improving prehension patterns

Teach caregivers various strategies as well as how to utilize toys and items in their house to help improve children’s fine motor, self feeding, visual motor, bilateral coordination, self help and gross motor skills

Occupational Therapist October 2015 – September 2021

California Children’s Services (CCS) San Luis Obispo, CA

Provide outpatient therapy services for children ages 0-21 years old at medical therapy units

Patient population includes children who have various neuromuscular conditions, musculoskeletal conditions, traumatic brain injuries, degenerative neurological diseases, rheumatic diseases, etc.

Coach caregivers in feeding and swallowing techniques for strengthening and stretching as well as utilize oral motor tools to improve lip closure, tongue lateralization, tongue elevation, jaw strength and improve chewing, swallowing and breathing patterns to be included in home programs

Provide adaptive feeding and drinking tools in order for patients to have access to self feeding and drinking with more independence and efficiency including suction scoop bowls, built-up handled utensils, nosey cups, honey bear cups, weighted utensils, curved utensils

Fabricate and order hand, wrist and finger splints in order to promote a more functional position for patients, avoid contractures and improve range of motion

Complete home evaluations to determine how patients access the commode, bathtub and shower in order to determine what is the most appropriate durable medical equipment to suit their needs while considering the patient’s core strength, head control, sitting and standing balance, cognition, ambulation so they may bathe and toilet safely and independently as possible

Occupational Therapist June 2014 – September 2015

Pediatric Physical Therapy and Services Morro Bay, CA

Provide therapy services for children ages 0-5 years old in the home setting as well as in preschools

Educate caregivers in how to make progress with client’s developmental levels by participating in variety of gross motor, fine motor and sensory integration activities

Demonstrate to caregivers how to properly position client in order to improve protective extension, trunk strength, balance and head control

Utilize feeding and drinking techniques in order to advance client through developmental levels and improve acceptance of varied food textures under supervision of lead OT

Aid in transition of clients entering new foster home environments by providing strategies for daily routines, coping with variety of emotional and behavioral needs

Instruct caregivers in utilizing sensory integration tools and activities that may be carried out as a home program for improved calming techniques

Occupational Therapist September 2013 – August 2015

Compass Healthcare San Luis Obispo, CA

Train patients to become more independent in activitieies of daily living skills at skilled nursing facilities

Instruct patients in utilizing adaptive techniques as well as adaptive equipment in order to complete dressing, bathing and toileting skills with improved efficiency

Modify activities to help patients increase success, attention and independence

Compile information regarding patients’ prior level of performance, home safety and medical history through a detailed interview process and review of medical chart

Educate patients and caregivers to safely and efficiently perform ADLs, functional transfers, functional mobility tasks and modify positioning to increase function and participation while utilizing durable medical equipment and adaptive tools when nessecary

Occupational Therapist August 2008 – June 2013

Fairfax County Public Schools Falls Church, VA

Trained students, staff and caregivers regarding adaptive strategies, equipment and assistive technology

Presented data, observations and results before staff and parents

Created schedules by coordinating with staff in order to optimize workloads

Developed and distributed programs to caretakers and staff in order for clients to utilize strategies in a variety of environments

Collected, analyzed and entered data into an online database system

Maintained a Microsoft outlook calendar with daily, weekly and monthly appointments while remaining on schedule with an alert reminder system in place

Created, edited and electronically shared data collection spreadsheets and charts

Coordinated with staff and parents to schedule meetings

Supervised OT assistants while delegating tasks and responsibility according to professional standards and applying effective supervision practices relative to their professional competence

Generated and maintained students’ electronic and paper charts in an organized, systematic manner

Produced written reports including clinical observations, data and test results

Documented students’ progress toward goals in the form of spreadsheets, data charts and narrative notes

Formulated and implemented intervention plans with close monitoring as students’ needs and environmental demands changed as well as outcomes were met

Interpreted quantitative and qualitative data from assessments in order to formulate intervention plans

Delineated tools, resources and information to staff and parents in order to facilitate improved fine motor, self help and visual motor skills implemented across multiple settings

Engaged in conferences and training classes to advance my professional skills to serve clients and gain knowledge of updated information

Travelled between multiple school buildings as an itinerant while maintaining a punctual schedule with a client caseload of 50 students (preschool through middle school)

Administered standardized assessments to students and maintained current information regarding updates on assessment tools

Occupational Therapist August 2002 – August 2008

Loudoun County Public Schools Ashburn, VA

Collaborated with colleagues in order to meet students’ needs across multiple settings consistently

Interacted in a professional manner to inappropriate student and staff exchanges

Produced and maintained electronic server folders including information for multiple school buildings, students and staff

Directed and coordinated activity groups while differentiating curriculum to accomodate varying students’ levels of function

Evaluated effectiveness of modifications and devices by collaborating with staff

Utilized evaluation outcomes to prioritize needs, formulate conclusions, factor in caregiver and teacher concens that impacts clients’ development and performance

Modified techniques and environment as well as adjusted gradation of the intervention strategies

Created individualized student profiles by identifying the clients’ needs, problems, concerns and priorities through interviewing the clients, family members and professionals

Consulted with private school staff to assess client performance and provide materials and support

Travelled between eight schools as an itinerant with a client caseload of 52 students (preschool through high school)

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