If you want to work in hand therapy…wound care is a must have skill to develop.
Continue reading! This is for you.
I started learning wound care techniques early in my career as an OT. During my specialty internship in hands and burns – I did wound care on some of the worst cases that you can imagine.
Treating burns and hand wounds can be challenging, as they are often complex and require specialized care. The experience gained in treating severe cases will serve any OT well in their career. It’s essential to stay current with the latest research and guidelines to ensure that you provide the best possible care for your patients.
One of my first jobs out of school was in acute care at a small hospital where I was trained to do whirlpool and pulse lavage….does anyone even know what that is anymore?? I took that skill and experience, which helped me land the next significant role in a bigger hospital where I started to build my overall hand therapy experience.
Not all occupational therapists may have the opportunity to gain extensive experience in wound care, but that doesn’t mean they can’t become proficient in it. Many OTs work in settings where wound care is not a primary focus. However, they can still learn about it and develop their skills through continuing education and professional development opportunities. Creating opportunities for hands-on experience, such as through internships or volunteering in different settings, can also be a great way to gain knowledge and expertise in wound care.
It’s important to remember that as an OT, you have the ability to continuously learn and grow in your profession.
As an occupational therapist, you bring a unique perspective to wound care as your focus on helping patients regain function and improve their quality of life. The variety of wound care experience you have gained will be beneficial in providing the best possible care for your patients. It is also vital to communicate effectively with the interdisciplinary team to ensure continuity of care for the patient.
Here’s a clip from The Mentorship call when we covered complex hand cases. Wound care is a must in hand therapy – even if it’s not something you do every day.
Wound care can be challenging, and it’s important not to psych yourself out. Treating severe wounds can be emotionally and mentally taxing, and it’s essential to take care of yourself physically and emotionally. It’s important to remember that even in the most challenging cases, you are making a positive impact on the patient’s life by helping them to heal and regain function. You also need to remember that it is a team effort, and you are not alone in caring for the patient. You can always reach out to colleagues and other healthcare professionals or mentors for support and guidance.
The most crucial part in all of this is developing your skills; this is the only thing that will truly help you become THE BEST.
Skills are just building blocks; you build one on top of another.
In the skilled nursing home AND acute…no matter the wound…it’s still wound care. I would help the nursing staff with wound care of sacrums and heels, even if I were the therapist helping with bed mobility and holding the position. It was so that I got exposure to the nurses and doctors that did wound care daily.
I got to learn. And build the skill….one layer at a time.
When I would go from one job interview to the next, I was able to sound confident about what I was capable of. Hence, I would eventually get the positions that I wanted.
Then I built skill after skill, and it’s not complicated. You just have to commit to doing it.
If you feel burnt out….take a course. Then hang out with people who are not burnt out.
If you feel unhappy at your job…take a course. Then revise your resume and send it out.
It seems intimidating at first, but once you understand what’s going on, just like anything else, it gets easier and more accessible.
Now, click here to grab the details of The Mentorship program if you want to develop your clinical skills constantly. This is our month-to-month program to help you build your critical thinking and clinical skills in all areas of hand therapy – including wound care.
This is great for OTs who are committed to becoming great clinicians and want to become more independent with their skills.
