Workin’ 9-5: A Typical Schedule for Our Arm Dynamics Occupational Therapists

First, happy Occupational Therapy Month to all the OTs out there! Second, our therapists start their workday before 9 a.m. — just an FYI. Each of our centers has an in-house occupational therapist whose job is to help their patients learn how to use their device, perform outcome measures tests that help current and future patients, research and participate in our Comprehensive Accelerated Fitting Process™ — and more, as you will read below!

Let’s start with that Comprehensive Accelerated Fitting Process™. While our centers deliver all our prostheses in a timely manner, people who travel to our centers need to be fit in a matter of days so they can get back to their jobs and lives. It varies by center how often these happen, but Jamison, the OT at our Portland center, estimates that they perform accelerated fittings about once a month — sometimes less, sometimes more. These almost always start on a Monday, and oftentimes, the patient is accompanied by some of their family. There is a lot of chatting and getting to know everyone, before the patient is taken to do some impressions — that is, taking a mold of their residual limb so the socket creation can begin. “While our prosthetist and technician, Mac and Cullen, are getting started on the initial socket, I get started with the patient on their therapy evaluation. So, we’ll do some screenings and outcome measures, but we’re also going to talk about what are their goals for the week. And then what are their more long-term goals — what do they want to be able to do once they’re back home.”

Jamison continues: “By Tuesday, we almost always have that initial socket ready for them and it’s time for them to start donning and doffing it, first with help, then on their own. Then Mac and Cullen start making adjustments and getting started on the definitive prosthesis, and I continue to train with the patient. Wednesday is more practice, going through strategies. We’ll discuss adaptive equipment or activity modification and how they can meet their goals.” By Thursday, the definitive device, the one they’re taking home, is ready for the patient. Jamison: “Things are more real — we’re making any necessary changes, we’re discussing goals and addressing what they need to do at work. The patient will often go out to dinner with their new device on Thursday as a test-run, then they can come in Friday with any questions they may have. Friday is a wrap up day — more testing, making sure the patient understands our process of follow-up care. And then we send them on their way!”