Organisation(s)
Soaring above pain
Belinda Sinbanda
Third year occupational therapy student with North/West Pain Service Team. PE - Samantha Harbut.
Summary of placement
Placement not pre-arranged but urgently accommodated due to withdrawal of arranged one
Familiarising myself with complex persistent pain science in first few weeks of placement- essential to learn to enable assessments and interventions
Initially shadowing appointments to understand the process from referral into the service, through to appropriate interventions, group work programmes and discharge
Undertake complex, holistic assessments with a wide-ranging client group (age and pain condition), to identify appropriate interventions and enable goal setting- both face to face and via virtual platform
Providing pain science education and occupational therapy specific interventions to individuals, both face to face and via virtual platform. These included activity analysis and scheduling, activity balance advice, encouraging participation in activities of value and meaning to each individual service-user and promoting formal relaxation
Shadowing supported virtual fibromyalgia pain management programme
Supporting colleagues deliver hydrotherapy sessions
Attending and contributing to MDT team meetings and occupational therapy team meetings
Benefits
Shadowing opportunities – learning from pain specialist such physiotherapist, psychologist, nurses and consultants
Continual learning – constantly learning and adapting to new insights and strategies in pain management
Exposed to both physical and mental health patient cases
Hybrid working
Access to supportive/understanding team, having regular supervision
Challenges
Complex cases
Emotional toll
Risks management
Transportation
Advice you'd give to others
Be keen to learn something new each day and ask questions
Use of regular supervision to express feelings as well as other wellbeing services provided