Day 1

The first day of a practicum placement is always interesting. I'm there and have some knowledge, but mostly feel like I have absolutely no idea what to do. Today was no different. I started my final practicum of graduate school at a skilled nursing facility with patients in transitional care and long-term care. Do I talk with the patients or just observe what my supervisor is doing? Is it okay for me to help this nice lady cut her waffles or do I watch her try to do it? When do we try to assess their level of functioning and when do we step in to just make their lives easier? How do I respond to the woman who is not our patient but clearly needs some assistance with some private bathroom needs?

I was a little intimidated at first. And I felt like I was the visitor and the old folks were there on display for me to look at while my supervisor explained their diagnosis and goals. I tried to smile at them and my supervisor tried to include them in the conversation too (she didn't treat them like they were invisible or anything). It was just a little awkward since I'd never been in a setting like that unless I was visiting a relative. It's not natural to me.

Working with old people seems sooooo different than working with young people.Yet not so different. Like when some of the ladies need help opening their butter packets or getting a glass of juice to their mouth during breakfast. Not so different from the kids eating breakfast at school. I think once I get to know the patients better, it will be more natural and easy to interact.

The range of abilities is what surprised me today. There are patients in all stages of dementia, some who had a stroke, some who had both, some feisty ones with quick wit, others who didn't talk much but who seemed genuinely happy to just have you there next to them.

I feel like I don't really know what I'm doing at all......just yet. But hey, just today I learned some new things - medical acronyms, dysphagia dietary levels, some people's names. So hopefully by the end of the semester, I will learn a lot and feel like I have a handle on how to assess and treat these lovely older folks.