Some of the initiatives that I have taken to develop the qualities of a leading occupational therapist include perfecting my communication skills and improving on my creativity. Good communication skills are needed since occupational therapists spend a lot of time listening to their patients as well as explaining the situations the patients are in and also the in-depth procedures that they will undergo. For an occupational therapist to work with others, they must be able to honestly listen to the needs presented by the patients, process the thoughts triggered, think about each situation with professional criticism, and finally respond in effective and clear ways (Johnson). As an occupational therapist, I need to effectively communicate to doctors and other professionals in the team I am assigned. I must also be in a position to document all that is done with the client for legal purposes. In addition, I must be in a position to state my goals and health progress of the client for the purpose of service payment. Finally, improving on my communication skills will ensure that I am able to read and understand different researches to help me document my treatments.
Creativity is also important since it is not teachable. It can only be cultivated by an individual’s own effort. Creativity will help me as an occupational therapist to appropriately adjust to different challenges and plans. It will help me go beyond the confines of the normal routine. For instance, I would change the routine of taking my children clients to rehabilitation centers and take them to the gym where they can associate with different children who have no similar disabilities. Any interventions I make as an occupational therapist must be adapted creatively for specific clients (Johnson). With the continually changing healthcare sector, I will be a creative agent of change who solves the complicated problems with individual clients, teams in different organizations, and the community at large.
Works Cited
Johnson, April. 10 Reasons Why You Will Succeed As An Occupational Therapist. OT Career Path, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.otcareerpath.com/successful-occupational-therapist
