Holly the OT
A judgement free podcast supporting student, new grads and early year occupational therapists!
Holly the OT
The Ultimate OT Switch - from Private Practice to Hospital Rotation with Sarah
Today’s podcast guest is the wonderful Sarah, who shares her brave leap from the familiar terrain of private practice into the bustling world of hospital occupational therapy. This episode will be helpful for those curious about life as a hospital OT or for those contemplating a shift.
Sarah is so so wonderful, and is such an incredible advocate for trusting your instincts and not being afraid to try something new.
Happy listening!!!!
G'day guys and welcome to Holly the OT podcast. My name is Holly and I'm an occupational therapist looking to create a judgment-free zone for all OT students, new grads and early year therapists. Join me as I give my honest opinions on the highs and the lows and the ins and the outs of being an OT. Before I start today's episode, I'd like to acknowledge the Whadjuk Noongar people who are the traditional custodians of the land this episode was recorded. G'day legends, and welcome back to another episode of Holly the OT Podcast. Thank you so much for tuning in A cracking episode today, absolute ripper. It is with the wonderful Sarah, and we are talking about making the clinical switch early in your career. And yeah to Sarah's journey on moving from private practice into the hospital setting, which I think is going to be a very valuable, interesting episode. So really, really looking forward to that for you guys.
Speaker 1:Before I do, though, highs and lows, switching it up and starting with my low because it is the most relevant to me right now, but I've been popping some background on my stories, but essentially I'm recording this. At the moment it's 10.30 at night, I'm on a plane in less than 12 hours and it won't be at my computer for at least I think. It's like 12 days, and my recording thing has pooped itself four times. Now this is the fourth time I'm trying to record this and I just I don't know like it's 2024, doll Technology. Issues like this should not be happening, and I'm getting more and more frustrated because there's no explanation for it. I've had to switch my mics Before. I was mid-sentence and I was zoned out, didn't even realize the platform had shut down. So, look, it's a little bit annoying, it's slightly annoying, but in the scheme of things, it's not a huge deal. That's my low. Nothing else bad has happened this week, and it's everything else bad is happening in the last five minutes. So, look, whatever. Oh, look, something's just popped up Disc space remaining for recording. Maybe that's the issue. Anyway, irrelevant, that's not right now's problem. My high for the week, though, is well, it's a preempted high, but I am going to Darwin tomorrow, and Darwin is my favorite place in the whole world. It is my favorite favorite place and we're going for a music festival. We are going, you know, we're staying at the resort there for five nights, and it's just going to be relaxing. We're not very good at relaxing, we're not very good at just being still and chilling out, but we're not even hiring a car, we're literally doing nothing other than staying at this resort. So life will be good. That is my high.
Speaker 1:So I will check in next podcast and I'll probably tell you how wonderful it was. Yeah, and don't have a look, because I already did it and technology sucks. Anyway, let's get into my chat with the wonderful like I said, absolutely wonderful Sarah. Sarah was so generous with her time and sharing her story and she's not a very public person, so being on a podcast is a big deal, as it is for most people, and I just genuinely appreciate it and, yeah, just love when people come on and share their stories. I think it's so valuable to everyone that listens. So enough about me. Shall we get in to the chat? Welcoming today's guest to Holly. The OT podcast is the lovely Sarah. Sarah is here to share her OT journey today and the career changing move that she made to go from private practice to public health, which I think is really, really exciting. I'm keen to hear all about her journey and all about what it was like to make that jump. So thank you so much for coming on the podcast.
Speaker 2:Sarah, thank you so much for having me. I'm very excited to have this chat and, yeah, I'm so excited.
Speaker 1:I love it. I love it. Sarah, I know that you know how I start all my episodes because I know that you've been a listener of the pod and you've supported the pod from the very, very start, which I'm just so appreciative for. But you know that we do all our episodes as an icebreaker at the start. Two truths and a lie. What have you got for me?
Speaker 2:I tried. I'm such a nerd. I tried to make them like occupation based. Yes, I love that. So my first one is when I used to do musical theatre. My starring role was as a doorknob. My second one is that I did competitive gymnastics growing up. And then my third one is that I was my high school diving captain in my senior year.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, these are good. I'm trying to think if I was a musical theater performer, how would I be a doorknob? Is that what you said? A doorknob, yes, a doorknob Like how I open and close the door. A doorknob, a doorknob? Yep, that seems too unique to include. If it wasn't true, that's my first thought. You also you give gymnastic vibes. I don't know, I don't know what it is, but you give gymnast vibes. So I'm going to say being the captain of the dive team was your lie.
Speaker 2:It was actually the gymnastics one, really. Yeah, I did gymnastics. I never did it competitively, but I was a gymnastics coach for like seven years, wow, okay.
Speaker 1:I told you, you give gymnastics vibes. I see, I see, see, we can't, we can't go any further until you tell me about the doorknob I need to.
Speaker 2:I need to understand Alice in Wonderland so it has like a speaking role like seven lines, but it was my biggest role and I was very, very happy with it and I had like a little red nose that they painted brown and it was just beautiful.
Speaker 1:Hey, seven lines is more lines than I've done in a musical theater production, so I think it's very impressive.
Speaker 2:And run me through, dive captain yeah, I was terrible at diving genuinely terrible but our school, like I, was the only person who had done diving enough to be captain, and so therefore, I was captain.
Speaker 1:I feel like, okay, so if you were diving, does that come from your gymnastic experience?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's why I did it. Yeah, I just was no good at it and they just took me on team spirit and all.
Speaker 1:I love that. I love that I would like to give diving a go, but I also wouldn't, like I have a fear of jumping into pools.
Speaker 2:so I did like the yeah, one meter no no higher. Keep it nice and close to the pool fair.
Speaker 1:I love that. I love that. Um, on that trend, tell me a little bit about what else you do outside of being an OT. What does life outside of of work and that daily grind look like for you?
Speaker 2:um, I do primarily yoga and climbing now, so I go bouldering um, which is so much fun. Um, I've been trying to stay on top of all of those things with work and balancing that life and work trend but also just seeing family and friends. Like that, I think, is what my weekends are full of and I just love it. I think it makes working worthwhile.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. Run me through bouldering. Is it all done outdoors? This could be a dumb question, like obviously I know what bouldering is, but like are you going to a new like cliff face every weekend? Like how does that look?
Speaker 2:So I've only ever done indoor bouldering. But my partner, he's gone and done like in the grand pins, the outdoor bouldering, and he's trying very hard to get me to come to the next one. I am like a little bit of a scaredy cat and so the idea of not having like the proper matting underneath just freaks me out a bit. Um, but yes it's, it looks like a lot of fun. He said that it's so much harder outside than it is indoors as well. I bet yeah, it looks like pretty, yeah crazy.
Speaker 1:What's the main skill you would need I'm assuming, like upper body strength to like pull yourself up, but coordination and stuff as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, upper body strength coordination. Lots of like flexibility as well, because they've either got like the overhangs, which my little arms can barely do, or they've got like the slabs, which are more like vertical and they're like very technical and flexibility based and they're my, my, my cup of tea are you harnessed in?
Speaker 2:no, it's like four, four, five meters off the ground. And then there's the rock climbing, which is like 18 indoors, and that one scares me because I'm afraid of heights. But the like bouldering, I feel close enough to the floor that I feel okay and I can just jump off.
Speaker 1:That makes me nervous thinking about not being harnessed in and doing that, but I feel like there'd be people who are good at it. I'm just not good at it so I can't imagine doing it. But that's impressive. I'm impressed.
Speaker 2:It is lots of fun. I thought I would hate it and then I got brought along and then I fell in love, so it really is like a crazy, crazy fun experience.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's cool. I like that. One of my other favorite questions that I like to ask at the start of all the pods is how did you find OT? And, yeah, how did you end up studying OT at uni?
Speaker 2:My mum's actually a neuropsychologist. So mum had, like she works in like private practice herself and so she works with a lot of like NDIS TAC clients and therefore works with OTs and speeches, and I wanted to be a speechy like that's what I wanted to do. I went to one when I was a kid so I was like yeah, that's what I'll do. And then mum was like nah, I think you'd be a better OT. I was like no, surely not. But I went and I did a day of work experience with a speech in an OT and then I was like, yes, sold, I'm going to do OT, that is the one for me.
Speaker 1:I think I've always had conversations with speeches and this is no dig at speeches at all, but so many speeches have been like have been like if I had my time over, I'd go and study OT. And to this day I haven't heard an OT say if I had my time I'd go and study speech. And I don't know if that's controversial, but I think I think OT is the fun, the fun, yes, but I do love how broad it is.
Speaker 2:That's what solved me, though I particularly now working in the hospitals. I think that, like, the swallowing and feeding side of speech is so interesting, like if I was going to do it, that's what I would be doing.
Speaker 1:It's so cool, true? I guess, being like private practice pediatrics, you don't really see that swallowing side or that post-stroke side of things very often. So yeah, that would be interesting actually.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, they're always like on top of it all in the hospital. It's really cool to see. Actually it's like a totally different world than like, yeah, private practice speech.
Speaker 1:It's crazy and I think we'll get into, obviously, the OT differences with public versus private health a little bit later. But yeah, I'm interested to hear the differences because, like you said, ot is so broad and there is so much to it. So cool to know that speech is the same. Um, run me through life at uni for you. What uni did you go to? General area, um, and yeah, how. How did you find studying?
Speaker 2:I was down in Melbourne and I, oh I like had two years of COVID, yeah, like in and out of lockdowns because of Victorian lockdowns, and so I'd say like a good one and a half to two years was online, which I actually did really well during that time because I had nothing else to do other than study, um, but I definitely missed going in and we lost a lot of the practical stuff. Like we were doing hand therapy online, which was like near impossible. I don't know how I passed hand therapy online but, um, when we went back to uni, we did a bit of splinting but I, um, I really enjoyed uni. I was I've always been a bit of a nerd and love the academic side of things and I did my honours.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I'm big, big fan of uni, but I think if it wasn't COVID lockdown times, it would have been even more fun than what it was yeah, and it's hard to know, like if you didn't know the difference, like did you start your degree with COVID or did you have like the two years before and then go into lockdown?
Speaker 2:I think it was like one year, um, without COVID, and then the two in the middle were COVID and then the last year we were kind of coming out of it and starting to get to the other side. But I find all the practical stuff is in like those middle two years, and so the last year was like placement and then like all the reflective subjects and so it was like, oh no, we've like missed out on all the really practical stuff yeah, and how did you go about getting into honours?
Speaker 1:I know each uni does it a little bit differently, but was it something that you had to apply for? Did they approach you? Because congratulations for doing honours. As someone with a very low GPA Like I'm impressed by that.
Speaker 2:It was, yeah, we had to apply for it and I've always loved like research as like an idea. I'm still doing my manuscript now and yeah, so it's been like a really long haul situation. But it was, yeah, we applied for it and then they kind of did it. They picked I think there were about 12 of us, so there weren't too many of us from our cohort and then we got to like preference which subject like which um topic we wanted to do it on um.
Speaker 2:so mine was in like forensic mental health, which is like super different to like what I'm into and what I'm doing now, um, and we're still going with it, we're trying to get it published, we're still chugging along just trying to finish it up and, yeah, get it submitted and everything. So that's been really cool.
Speaker 1:That sounds really unique, a very unique area that you don't really hear much about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was. It was one of I put down like a pediatric one as my first preference and then this one one is my second and I was just really lucky I got this one because it was kind of joint with another student so it meant I had like a buddy that I could go to and stress out to. But it also is just such an interesting area and I got to like go into one of the forensic hospitals and it's just been a really cool like side sidebar to like the other areas that I've kind of loved and looked into since finishing uni and I guess pays homage to how like diverse OT is like you're living through.
Speaker 1:You've done how many, not how many, but like you've done three very different parts of OT in your short career and I think that's really, really cool yeah, it's been um.
Speaker 2:It's been good to get like different variances. It it's been pretty cool.
Speaker 1:And the honours process. Like obviously you're saying it's been a bit of a long journey getting your manuscript published, but has it, like I guess, inspired you to do more research, more publications?
Speaker 2:I'd love to do my Masters one day, but I think my PhD like my supervisor keeps going you should do a PhD and I'm like I don't know, I think that that one's probably a bit too big. Yeah, let me finish one first, and then I'll decide. Yes, I think. I think we haven't even submitted it yet, so I think that will be the telling sign. One of my friends at work is also trying to submit her manuscript and she's a year ahead of me, so she's still going with it a long process.
Speaker 1:There you go, it is a really long process yeah, yeah, makes me appreciate more what I read now that's been published. Yes, I think you don't sort of put into perspective how long it's taken for that article to be published. So that's cool to know that it is such a long journey. Cool for me, not cool for you. I'm sure it's not cool for you.
Speaker 2:I think part of it is me and my partner doing the manuscript. Doing the manuscript, we're both like working full-time, so we like get on the call after work and we're like, oh, tonight's not the night we'll do it tomorrow, yeah, which is great that you guys can be on the same page as well and work through that together.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely, um, run me through what sort of placements you went on what, and did that inspire what you all sort of went into as your new grad role?
Speaker 2:yeah, I did like pretty placements, which I'm very grateful for. So I did two rural placements actually. One was out in Stalway out west in Victoria, and then one was in Ararat and my grandparents are from Ararat so I was very lucky. I stayed with them when I went to Ararat and Stal's only 20 minutes down the road, so I stayed on the student accommodation and then went to there on the weekend. Oh so good, but it was yeah. So I did like um, the Stool placement, which was a hospital-based placement, and then the Ararat one was an NDIS one and I loved it and I still, to this day, I'm like, oh gosh, if that was based in Melbourne, I would have absolutely worked there after after finishing um. I'm still very close with my supervisor out that way and she now works with my uncle, which is crazy.
Speaker 2:I know, um, so that's been really lovely. And then I did one hospital placement in Melbourne and that was like rehab in the home, um, so never did any ward-based or acute like hospital rotations. And then I did a pediatric placement for my last one, which was eight weeks long, and it was really really fun, fun.
Speaker 1:and once you graduated, what role did you go into as a new grad?
Speaker 2:I went straight into um private practice pediatrics um, and I'd been working with this team for oh gosh how long like two years as a therapy assistant. So it wasn't a new team and it was a pretty good transition um into paediatrics. So, yeah, it kind of was like yes, this is what I want to do. I've done it for a couple of years. I love the team.
Speaker 1:I'll just like go into it and have a go at paeds yeah, I love that you worked as a therapy assistant as well, because I mean, I'm sure you've heard me talk about it before but anyone that sort of wants to work in pediatrics I always try to encourage get an assistant job as early as you can, because it will make that transition so much easier.
Speaker 2:When you graduate did you find, like, yeah, like you said, it was an easy transition yeah, and I think just having a bit more of an understanding of like the process behind the OT role and like how much work they put into like drafting lovely therapy plans for me to then follow, it was really good to then have a bit more understanding of what sort of goals might be set up in the future and it gave me a bit of a heads up for like what I was in for when I started in the PT role.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely, and I even find therapy assistant helps so much with like the admin side of things and, I guess, the backend side of the NDIS and all that extra stuff that I guess students would be learning, as well as learning how to be an OT, if they hadn't already had like a prac or an assistant experience. So yeah, I'm a big, big lover of the assistant role, for sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I highly recommend because, even, like, gymnastics was great, because I did a lot of inclusion coaching, oh cool. But the therapy assisting stuff was, yeah, that was the stuff that you learn the most from in terms of, like, how to best support families. It was amazing and I have, like, families that I still keep in contact with from that therapy assistant role. Oh, so nice, which is so sweet yeah, that's so nice.
Speaker 1:Now, obviously, as we've alluded to, you're not in pediatric private practice anymore. So run me through. You graduated, you work in private practice. You knew that was what you wanted to do because you were an assistant. And some point on that journey you thought, nah, I'm gonna do a 180, I'm going to change it up. And now you're working in the hospital setting. So run me through. How did you know it was time to switch? And what did that process look like?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I've worked with kids since I was about 13. So I think it was coming up to my time. Like midway through my first year I was like, oh goodness me, I have worked with children for a very long time and I am starting to feel it. But I think as well I, because I'd done all the therapy assisting I got really close to the families you see them, for like I would see them for a couple of hours per week, like it was longer blocks of time, whereas when you're the OT it's like very short, and then you feel like you've got all of these goals you've got to hit while also balancing parents' expectations. So I think it was just a little bit different to what I was anticipating. And then, on top of that, I was a subcontractor.
Speaker 2:So that was like a really challenging role to be in as a new grad, even though my team was amazingly supportive and like I loved them. It was just very difficult for me being on the road for a lot of my time, and so I like had one day where we were doing like an NDIS day program with, like young adults, and it was really good because my supervisor was there. So I had a day where I was kind of in a team environment, and then another day I was working at a primary school. So those two days I felt like I was a part of a team, but the other three days of the week I was on my own for a lot of it, and it made it really tricky to like you know, like that little talking to your co-worker asking a question, those sorts of things, um, and I'm just very social.
Speaker 2:So the idea of like being on the road alone was really hard and I don't think I'd quite like given it enough thought as to like what sort of working environment would be the right one for me. But then, if you would have asked, like my coworker she was like one year ahead of me she loved it, she loved being able to be on the road and then like go home and eat her lunch there and then write her notes, and she thrived in that sort of setting. So it made me really appreciate, like thinking about what I want in like the back end of a job, not just like what client group I wanted to work with, but actually like what filled my cup in terms of like a role. And that's when, like, I kind of hit midway through and I got quite burnt out. I think I was just like not balancing my work and life because subcontracting you're online, like, like. There's no like set work times and I was really bad.
Speaker 2:I was like trying to check my emails at seven o'clock at night, not really giving myself set time, so I did burn myself out and I think it was. Then I was like, okay, I need to re-evaluate, like what I'm looking for. And then when I kind of looked at that, I was like maybe a hospital would be a better environment for me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, a hospital is definitely going to be way more social and way more people buzzing around. Before we get into that, I'm curious about you working as a subcontractor, as a new grad, like that isn't typically common, I think maybe like pre-NDIS it might've been a little bit more common, but I would imagine that might've put a little bit more pressure on you to see more clients, potentially just from an income perspective, or was it not really that way?
Speaker 2:My boss was amazing. She was like look, I'd rather you have less than more, and I'm really lucky to still be living at home with my family, so I think that helped a lot. But definitely, like towards the middle of the year, I felt myself like saying yes to people and like I had my wisdom teeth out, so I missed two weeks of work and then that was like two weeks of lost income. So then I worked the school holidays and so it kind of was really hard, even though it was easier to take leave because you could just let all of your clients know and you just take leave for the week and it was really flexible in that way. You kind of have to plan it with, like you know, all of your savings and your budgeting for the week and all of that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2:So it definitely is a tricky role to be in and some people thrive in it, like my co-worker. She loved it. But I think it really it's a lot more like admin than I think I expected as well, like a lot more of that like back-end stuff. That was really like a bit of overwhelm at the start and like come tax financial year, I was such a stress ball. I was like, oh my gosh, the government is going to put me in jail because I don't know what I'm doing.
Speaker 1:I was literally going to say the tax, the tax would be the worst part of it. Oh, it was so hard. So then you obviously got to that point where you were like you've reached your point in private practice and you mentioned hospital work. But did you know, yes, hospital has to be the next progression. Or did you go through all the different options of being an OT and think, oh, I could try this or do that, or like, were you set on hospital as your next step?
Speaker 2:I did the like checking out all of my different options, so I was interested in, like, potentially working in the forensic system because of my honors, um, and I was thinking of applying there, but I just the way it worked out, I didn't end up in the in the end. So that was one of my considerations. And then I was like, oh, maybe if I moved to a different pediatric clinic that wasn't contracted and was actually in clinic so I wasn't on the road as much um, or even like a primary school. So I was looking up like the Victorian um state, like special schools, to see if they had any openings. I was like looking all over to just try and think about what would suit me, um, but then I kind of was reflecting and I was like, look, I think my, my spark with pediatrics was like starting to fizzle a little bit because I'd done it for so long and I can so see myself going back to it one day in the future.
Speaker 2:And I actually applied for a children's hospital as well when I was applying. So I definitely would love to work with kids in the future. But I was like I think I need a break, I think I need to have like a fresh start. And then when I was kind of thinking about what I wanted, which was like a lot of structure, like very scaffolded and like lots of support. I was like hospitals really provide that and it just felt like the right move for me at that point in time. Um, and even like the area I was like really up in the air between like mental health, physical health, I applied really broadly but I was like I'm going to do a hospital, whichever role it is, I don't mind. I just really want to try and work in a hospital because I thought that that would be the best move for me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I love that. And again, the diversity, the options. I guess, if you, I've had a few conversations with a few people and they've thought about it and then they think, oh, there's too many options, like I, how can I choose? But what did you land on what? What role are you in at the moment?
Speaker 2:I'm in a physical health job and it's a rotating grade one position. So I'm in the hospital. At the moment I'm in subacute on the GEM ward but I'm rotating not next week but the week after into the acute ward, the general medicine ward. So it's six-month rotations and I'm really really happy with my choice. Particularly, I interviewed for a few different roles and then this is the one that I kind of felt the best about and that I got the offer for first and I was like, yes, I'm going to do this one. So I'm very, very, very happy. It's loads of fun and I highly recommend Amazing.
Speaker 1:I love that it's worked out well. What was the interview process like? Application to interview, to job offer? I guess timeframe interview differences because I would imagine that would be the biggest difference between private practice versus hospital is just that, maybe the formality of hospital role, but that also could be a misconception. So keen to hear what that process was like.
Speaker 2:Yeah, hospital applications are a lot more formal and you, at least in Victoria, we went through like the e-mercury system, because I only applied for public health um and you have to like put in your resume and your cover letter and then sometimes you have to answer like set criteria and how you meet them.
Speaker 2:I didn't have to um, which was really lovely, and then the interviews. It was a very quick turnaround and I don't know whether it was because I was applying at an interesting time of year like it. It was, I think, september, october, so it wasn't quite when all the new grads had finished school. So I'm not sure whether that's why it just flowed a bit better, but it was so quick I was not expecting it. I like put in the applications and then, like literally within a week, I was hearing you know, let's do an interview like next week or in a couple of days, and so it was like a very quick process. Once that application was in and it had closed um and even hearing back, I heard back from the job I'm at at the moment within about a week. So it was a very fast process which I was not prepared for.
Speaker 2:I was like, oh, it will take a couple of months. Like, yeah, fine, no, it was very quick and what.
Speaker 1:I guess, because you were in your new grad year, did you go into a new grad program or did they sort of how did that look? Because I guess if you had started in January you would have joined the new grad cohort. But were there any major differences in your onboarding?
Speaker 2:I'm really lucky because I hadn't done a full year of practice. I'm still in like the new grad space, so I'm doing a transition to practice with my job, which is really really good. I'm very lucky that they put me into that and they've got different. They've got like a mid-year and an end of year or start of year rather intake. So I was just put into the new year's intake when that started, which was really good. And it's basically like all of the new grads they just go through a two-year program where you do like PDs and you get to do reflective practice together. So they do definitely support in that way, even though I moved across, if I was over a year into practice I wouldn't have gone into that role, but I would have still been like supportive, like all the other grade ones are, except for having done that program.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, that's good to know. I guess for anyone that's yeah, maybe made the wrong, not the wrong choice, but a different choice in the area that they're into and knowing that they still can get that support. Yeah, that's really really cool. What's like a day in the life typically look like for you as a subacute OT? I know every day would be so different, but what's the general gist of what you're going to do day to day in the hospital?
Speaker 2:So start of the day is always just admin, like printing off your patients for the day. I'm based at a hospital at the moment that still has like paper notes, so we don't have any electronic medical records or anything like that, oh my goodness. So we're still like doing our handwritten everything. So, yeah, printing off like the patient list for the day and then at like each ward is different. But our meetings at around 8.30 where we just get a bit of a handover for all of the patients and then after that meeting, it really depends. Sometimes we have our case conference where we go get a bit of a handover for all of the patients and then after that meeting, it really depends. Sometimes we have our case conference where we go over all of the patients on the ward and kind of what their plans are for discharge and intervention.
Speaker 2:Some days I'll be doing like personal care assessments with patients and seeing how they're managing their showers. Some days we have breakfast group, which is lots of fun. We've had to cancel it a lot recently because our ward has been so unlucky with COVID. It's not even funny, but yeah, that's a lot of fun when we get to do that. Sometimes you'll be doing cognitive assessments with patients. But yeah, it's really a mix like loads of different interventions and I guess that's what's really cool about subacute. You just get to like, once you've done your initial assessments with people, you get to get into like all of that rehabilitation and like trying to get them back to where they were before or thinking lots of complex discharge planning, like I've had patients go home using serosteadies, and like having to do home visits to see if it will fit and like yeah, it's been.
Speaker 1:Every day is very different, but usually it's like assessing and then writing notes and then like planning what the intervention is going to be and what's the typical, I guess, like clinical presentations that you see, is there, I guess, a specific diagnosis on your ward, a specific presentation like what does it look like?
Speaker 2:so on the gem ward all of our majority of our patients are over 65, um, but there's such varied diagnoses. A lot of patients come in for falls, um, increased confusion, um, we have like a lot of alzheimer's dementia on the ward as well. Um, sometimes it's just them not coping at home. Maybe they've had a failed discharge and they've come back into hospital and you're having to plan how to better support them or what the next step might be for them. We get a lot of patients who are kind of waiting for residential aged care or like can't return back home so they're on the ward just waiting for a bed to be available. Yeah, it really varies.
Speaker 2:I'd say a lot of our patients come to subacute because their mobility is not very good, so they just need a bit of rehabilitation to get back to a point where they can go back home or manage the things they need to do at home. But yeah, it really depends and at the moment we've had a lot of turnover. When I first started I had some patients be there for like 100-plus days. One of my patients was like there for three or four months, whereas at the moment a lot of them are going really quickly within like a week, so it really fluctuates but depending on, I guess, what the wait lists look like. But yeah, it's so different every day and even since I first started, I'd say that the type of patients are different to when I was first on the ward, which is really interesting.
Speaker 1:I feel like that would just keep it, like having that variety would just keep it so fresh and fun might not be the right word, but like you know, exciting and like who are we going to see today, and the variation would just keep it. I mean, I would imagine it would make the days go quickly because you would be very busy, but yeah, it sounds very diverse.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is very diverse and I think I just really love like I love working with elderly people and I always have, yeah, um, loved.
Speaker 2:It's just so nice to go and have a discussion and like hear about what their lives were like. I love hearing about all of their spouses, because if they have a spouse that comes in to visit, they are just so proud of how long they've been married to one another. Um, and I guess as well just like meeting their families and like making a plan with family around, like how we're going to get this person home if that's where they're wanting to go after hospital, um, so that's, it's really fulfilling, um. And then some days are a little bit trickier. You might have patients who can't go back home. So doing those family meetings with the whole team and the family to see you know what are the other options, what are the risks associated. So, yeah, it is very different every single day, um, but I think that's what makes it like it's just flown by like this six month rotation I like blinked and now I'm moving.
Speaker 1:I think that would be the hard part too, I guess, with the rotation, but also probably a positive as well is. I mean, you're getting to do something new, you're getting to do something different, but almost like you've just gotten used to one, and then it's like oh, it's time to go do something else as well. But is there going to be like a grave difference in between the two areas, or do you think you'd be able to carry over a lot of the skills?
Speaker 2:I am very lucky that I'm going into GenMed and a lot of the patients that we have on the ward at the moment that's where they have come from. So I believe it will be very similar patients just at an earlier stage, which I'm very grateful for because it won't be too big a change. But I am so sad to leave. Like my team is gorgeous and I'm going to miss them heaps. But I have met I did a bit of a hand over the other day and I met the team over at the other hospital and they're amazing too. So it's very bittersweet.
Speaker 2:Like it's a new challenge, something a bit different, and it's nice to get a lot of like clinical skills and learning done within a short burst of time. Like I really I've been reflecting and it's crazy how much I've learned in six months and it's just wild to me that there's going to be another six months where I learn like heaps of new skills and then I'll rotate again and it will be a completely different area and the same thing over. So it's yeah, it's crazy, but it's really yeah, it's fulfilling and I think that the rotational positions are worthwhile for that reason. Like, if you're wanting to do hospital, rotational positions are really good for that reason.
Speaker 1:And how long is your rotational position going to last for? Is it just for the two-year transitional program or is that a constant once you're employed every six months as a transition? Or is every hospital different?
Speaker 2:I think each position is slightly different. I'm really lucky I'm in a permanent position so I can just stay in this role for as long as my heart desires. But I know some people are on contracts and so they're like one or two year contracts. But a lot of the people I know who have been on contracts have moved into permanent positions as well. And it really ebbs and flows because a lot of the grade ones we like we move on, like we move into grade two roles, um and apparently last year they had a heap of grade ones go into grade two roles, which is why they um then employed so many grade ones. So it really fluctuates, um. So even though people might not be on a permanent position when they start like, a lot of them do move into those permanent positions as well yeah, yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 1:That makes sense. And just backtracking a little bit, you mentioned, like the team that you work with for someone who I guess maybe has never done a hospital placement or is, you know, wants to look into the hospital work. Who's in the teams that you work with? What other allied health, what other medical professionals are you, I guess, liaising with on a day-to-day basis?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I on my ward there's myself and two other OTs, so they're like my main team, but we've also got a couple of other wards worth of OTs that you can always go and ask questions to and chat about cases. We work really closely with physios. We do a lot of joint sessions, particularly if, like, mobilizing in the bathroom is something they find challenging or, if they need, they can't sit upright in a chair appropriately so you need to get them a tilt and space wheelchair and so you do like these joint sessions with physios. You do a lot of work with social work as well. I'd say our social workers are amazing and they deserve so much more recognition because they are.
Speaker 2:Just the way that they manage complex situations is crazy, but they, yeah, I talk a lot to social work, particularly because on the gem ward so many of the patients of residential aged care they're really focusing on on those patients. So we as OT kind of pick up the slack sometimes, um, for, like, home care package services for the elderly patients that we work with, and so I'll always go and ask social worker question about it if I like just need a little bit of guidance or like want their opinion on something. So a lot of work with social work, medical. We talk to the medical team a lot and they kind of help us guide what the thoughts are around discharge planning. Nursing it's if you ever work in hospital. Getting to know your nurses is just so important and they are so helpful.
Speaker 2:We had to do a trial of care on the ward once with one of my patients where for the like full 12 hours, the carer like the patient's husband was taking care of her, um, and we had to have nursing, basically watch how he was managing her care and so making sure that like you get to know your nurses so that when those days do come up that you have a good relationship and you can kind of talk through what you're wanting them to do and then check in on them throughout the day about how it's going and they're just really helpful Like you can always ask them questions, yeah, and then there are speeches and dieticians as well.
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness, I'm trying to think if I've got many Healthcare professionals, podiatry as well. It's funny how much I've had to do with podiatry, because we'll end up getting the equipment sometimes that they'll want for discharge, because when patients are lying in bed, if they need a heel wedge because they've got a pressure sore or something. So I've had a fair amount to do with podiatry as well. And then even like like ambulatory services, like calling them or like walking down to let them know, hey, this patient's gone home, but they were at risk and like these are our concerns and like talking them through tricky cases. So you end up like talking to everyone and it's really it's a bit daunting at first but it is so lovely to feel like you've got like a really multi-disciplinary team, because I found that so hard in pediatrics because you're on your own a lot, and then you'll get on like a team meeting every so often, but it doesn't feel quite as cohesive, particularly when you're not working in the same um what's a word?
Speaker 2:like same clinic, like you're kind of having to like reach out and like get together to make these plans, whereas in the hospital you can just duck down to someone's office and ask a question, which is really nice yeah, and that's what I found.
Speaker 1:I did three weeks like an acute hospital placement and the like, the daily case conference, like the planning, the discharge, planning at the start of every. I was like how great that all of these incredible people are in the same room making an action plan and everyone gets stuff done and it's so quick and you see outcomes way quicker than you do in the community, which I feel like would enhance, like your fulfillment in what you're doing, like sometimes in the community, like it's that slow burn, things don't happen quickly and I'm sure there's times in the hospital as well where you know things could go a little bit faster and that probably gets frustrating. But I imagine you would see so many more outcomes and, yes, I guess, those quick deliverables of patient care which I think would be quite, yeah, fulfilling yeah, totally, and I think that's like now on the head, like private practice.
Speaker 2:It's such a slow burn and you really celebrate the very small wins and I just remember, like, how excited I would get if, like, kids would like start having a bit more strength in their hand, or like they started drawing a new shape or they were like doing up a button or whatever it was.
Speaker 2:I would get so excited over those really little things, whereas in the hospital it's just so much quicker pace, which absolutely is one of the hardest parts about being in the hospital.
Speaker 2:It's just so much quicker pace, which absolutely is one of the hardest parts about being in the hospital.
Speaker 2:And I think the other part that I didn't quite give enough leverage to until I was in it is it can be really difficult to manage like patients who you give advice to and then they just don't agree with it or they want to go home anyway, or they don't actually see the risk, and that can be really hard and you sometimes have patients go home and it is at risk and you do worry about them and you just, yeah, those are the hard days, but I'd say that they're few and far between and I think that, like the patients that are really like, lovely to talk to and who you see really great outcomes for, outweigh those ones that can be a little bit harder to kind of come to terms with sometimes and you need a lot more debriefing, but the team's really good, I think. When you have a team around you they can see when those patients are like really getting you down and you can have a bit of a chat about them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it sounds like you've got a lovely team that you're working in and a lovely hospital.
Speaker 2:I'm so lucky.
Speaker 1:And did you say that the next rotation is at a different hospital? Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:So we've got in our public health service gosh. I think there's five hospitals so I can get bounced around to any one of them, and I definitely want to. I want to like explore all the different hospitals that they have, yeah. But I've heard like amazing things about OT and the OTs Like we're all lovely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure, and it sounds like I feel like the local health district as a whole reflects each hospital. So if you've got one nice hospital, you would assume the others are all nice as well. But fingers crossed for you. Thank you, I feel like you've summed it up really nicely, but what would you say is the main stark difference between private practice versus public health? Like, what is the one thing that you're like? Yep, this is where they are.
Speaker 2:Chalk and cheese, yes, I think, like I find that public health and just like hospital-based OT in general, is a lot more cut and dry, like it's a lot less um, like the scope is very clearly set out and defined, and it's very rarely in my role that I'm like am I going out of scope? Like what's going on? Like I feel like I kind of know what my expectations are and I can stick to them, and it's super structured, whereas I find private practice because, like I feel like you take on so many hats when you're in private practice OT, particularly in pediatrics, like you're having to, like you know, um, call different health professionals and then you sometimes have goals, um, that are a bit wishy-washy, um, and then sometimes I find that like you're just there to support the family and that's like even more important than any of like the therapy that you're necessarily doing, just being there to like be a support.
Speaker 2:I think that that kind of less defined role is so suited to paediatrics. But it is such a stark contrast to when you're in a hospital where it's like, no, this is your role and then, if you kind of are starting to move outside of it, you can refer on to like a different discipline. And I found it really hard at first actually moving into the hospital because we had some NDIS patients coming through and there were times that I was like, oh well, why don't I just do this? And then my supervisor was like no, that's a social worker job, just pass it on to her. But it's just something you would do, so naturally, in the community. Because you know the role is just so different between the two. So I think that is the biggest one for me and I think the relationships you build with your clients is so different. Like you definitely get to know.
Speaker 2:It was really hard leaving private practice for that reason. You just get to know all of your clients so well and you really get into a routine and they look forward to seeing you and you look forward to seeing them and you get to know the families, whereas in the hospital it's kind of like good and a bad thing, because sometimes you'll have amazing patients and then they'll go and then you don't know what's happened and you're like, oh, I hope they're doing well. And sometimes you'll see them in like the community rehab gym and you're like, oh my goodness, you're looking so good and you're walking again and it looks great, um. But then sometimes if you have a patient that maybe you just don't click with or it can be more of a challenging dynamic. It also means that they're not going to be there forever and that you're not quite as like overwhelmed by oh my goodness, how am I going to, you know, manage this long-term. So it's a good and a bad thing, but definitely that relationship difference I've noticed as well.
Speaker 1:That's actually a really nice perspective, I think, because that's something I've always thought I would struggle with in an acute setting is that relationship and not being able to build those relationships. But I guess it helps you churn through. It's probably not the right word, but even just, I guess, manage the emotions a little bit more of the hospital and when you aren't building such personal connections, you know when things happen or when people move on. You don't have as much emotional, I guess turmoil as if you knew them and saw them regularly.
Speaker 1:So yeah, that's a nice perspective of it. I quite like that. I've not been that way before.
Speaker 2:Particularly on the G, the gem ward, like we have definitely had some patients who have come like come onto the gem ward and then very quickly they become palliative patients and had to get moved across. And I think it is a lot easier to kind of manage, of course, with debriefing, but those like feelings, and definitely there are days that I have like had very big feelings and I just had to like go to my supervisor about it. But I think it's so much easier to manage those knowing that you know there are lots of different patients and that no patient is going to be in the hospital and on your caseload forever. And I think it's made working with the more challenging patients a lot easier because I can just kind of take that perspective and kind of go okay, what needs to get done for them, and then who else can I see today? That is going to just kind of lift me up a little bit and get me through the rest of the day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that. That's so nice.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is really lovely, Like I found sometimes you'd have a client in private practice who maybe it was a bit harder to build that rapport with, or you didn't click with immediately or if there was ever any tension like having to like manage that long-term and really build that long-term rapport. And there were definitely some clients that I found it really challenging to like see every single week, whereas here it's like okay, they're going to be here on average two to three weeks and then it will be a new patient and just kind of it keeps you a bit more elevated in spirit, I think sometimes yeah, I actually think that's really important to highlight with the private practice.
Speaker 1:Like, what do you do when you have a client that I'm not going to say you don't like, but you don't click with, or you don't look forward to your sessions, and there could be so many reasons for that, and I feel like that can knock your confidence a little bit too as an OT. Being like why haven't I connected with this family? Why are they not happy with my service? Why, like all of these? Why, why, why?
Speaker 1:questions coming to your head and you know it's a long term and it's not easy to just pick and flick them away Like they're on your caseload for a long time. So yeah, I think that's an important thing to bring up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think it was something that I really struggled with. I definitely have. I like to be liked and I know that in myself.
Speaker 2:I think we all do but I was like, okay, how can I be the best OT for this patient and really meet them at their level? And then sometimes they're just not going to love you, and that's okay. Okay, I can't be the perfect person for everyone, not everyone's going to like me, but it really chips away at you and I think like having those conversations as a new grad, not only with your boss but also with, like the family around, like I don't know if this dynamic is working is really tough, like that's a big thing to do as a new grad, whereas in the hospital you can kind of go to your supervisor and say I'm finding this patient really challenging and you can talk through how to manage it and also kind of have that, I guess, security and knowing that it's not something you're going to have to worry about long term. It's just like however long they're here in hospital, that's how long you have to do with it.
Speaker 2:And then, yeah, there's been some patients who, like I, took a mental health day because I was having like a really tough time with one patient and then as soon as they went home I was back to like my regular self. So there's definitely been time that it's quite challenging, but I think it's nice to have that difference like in and out perspective, which I thought the same. I was always like, oh gosh, I love making long-term connections with people and I thought I would find it really hard, but it's been fulfilling in a lot of ways to have those shorter things.
Speaker 1:Sarah, I have learnt so much about the hospital, like genuinely.
Speaker 1:I know we've spoken like obviously over Insta and stuff about how much I've wanted someone to come on and talk about the hospital side of things and I think it's even more special that you've been able to reflect on a different area and how different that is to hospital settings. So I think this is going to be really valuable. If someone is listening and maybe they're in your position and they're on the fence, they want to change, they want to mix it up, or maybe it's a new grad who is thinking about going into the hospital, or they're just not sure. What would you say to someone who's wanting to make that switch and is just not sure if it's going to be worth it?
Speaker 2:I'd say definitely. I love a pros and cons list.
Speaker 1:I am a big fan of a pros and cons list. That's very practical.
Speaker 2:But also just like having a think about what it is you're looking for in a job I think is really important. Like, if you're looking for like super structured, like very much well-defined, very cut and dry hospitals, is amazing. If you're looking for a little bit more flexibility and freedom and like there's just not as much of that in the hospital, like your times are your times you can't really like be as flexible, then definitely I guess private practice is a lot more flexible in that way. And I also think there's nothing wrong with trying something different. And that's why I really wanted to come on here, because I feel like, particularly pediatrics.
Speaker 2:I got into it and I was like, oh my goodness, I don't know how to move out from here. I've done pediatrics. I've never really done anything in a hospital. I'm not going to know what I'm doing. I'm going to just look so silly, I don't know. And I think going to those interviews and them being very structured, formal interviews with formal interview questions that I prepared beforehand because they send you them beforehand, was so different. But I think it also made me remember like we're all new grads, we're all very early in our career and it is so common to change and a lot of people, including my boss at my private practice. She was like it is good for you to try things now. Like go out, try different things. Don't feel like you have to stay in one area, like we're such a diverse profession and I love this profession for it, like I wouldn't be in any other one, like I've really. The hospital has regained my passion for OT.
Speaker 1:I absolutely adore it.
Speaker 2:It is so, so good and I just think, yeah, now's the time to try different things and there's no shame in like moving around a little bit until you find something that works for you. And that's why the rotations are so great, because you are genuinely moving around all the time to find what area of hospital OT suits you best. And that is just really special to me, that we have that option to work in so many different areas. So I would say, if you're thinking about it, do it. Because I was thinking about it for quite a while before I finally bit the bullet and I did it. And I think if your gut is telling you that's what you want to do, there's no harm in trying it, because all the grade ones are still learning. No one is like a knowledgeable OT yet. Everyone is still like very much early days and just figuring it out.
Speaker 1:So I would definitely give it a go. I can tell in the way you answered that question that how much love you have for OT and how much love you have for being in the hospital. Like it's so refreshing and nice to hear and I'm so glad it's been such a positive experience for you and, hopefully, someone who was on the fence and wants to make that change.
Speaker 2:I think that would be the pitch that would get me.
Speaker 2:If I was on the fence I'd be like, okay, I'll do it now and you can always go back Like I definitely one day I'm like maybe I'll work in a children's hospital and then it will be the best of both worlds and it will be just like a perfect middle ground. But there's no. You're never trapped like I feel. Like I was very scared that if I went into one area I would be pigeonholed, but that is totally not the case. Like, you can totally move around and I've spoken to a lot of OTs who have and I think they helped a lot to like build up, including my boss. She worked in rehab before going back to pediatrics so she was like do it go, go do something different, go see what you like and enjoy and then make a decision after that.
Speaker 1:I love that and might as well do it while we're young and you know commitments are few and far between like it's. Now's the perfect time to do that sort of stuff. On the trend of good advice, if you could go back and give your university self one piece of advice that might be relevant to anyone who's listening, what would you say to your university self?
Speaker 2:I saw, oh my goodness, murder in the building and they had like this quote in it. That was just perfect and it was about like making a podcast, but it applies to my OT journey so much. It's just like embrace the mess. Like it's going to be messy. Not every day is going to be straightforward. You're never going to like have a very clear. I love. I don't like not knowing, I don't like unpredictability, but that is life and sometimes you don't know and I think embracing the mess of it, embracing not knowing, makes it so much easier and also opens up so many more opportunities. So embrace, embrace the mess. I love that quote. I think it's such a good quote.
Speaker 1:I feel like that encapsulates so much like embrace the mess. You can apply that to so many parts of life. I love that. I love that, sarah. The last question I have for you is my new segment. I guess I call it Segment sounds a bit fruity, I don't know. My new way to wrap up the episode is, that is, with my rapid fire OT questions. Well, they're not all OT questions, my rapid fire questions. I have five for you. We're going to pump through them. Tomato sauce in the fridge or in the cupboard In the fridge? Oh my God. Every person at the end of this has said in the fridge and I feel so wrong because I'm a cupboard girl. It's not about me. What is your favourite?
Speaker 1:OT resource, or maybe assessment, or something hospital relevance, whatever it might be.
Speaker 2:My favourite one, I would have to say probably I love OT Australia, like just as a general guide. It's got so many different things on it and was like my holy grail when I first started in private practice like it had lots of pds on it and it was just such a great place to go, so good one.
Speaker 1:I like that um summer or winter, winter, winter, okay. Okay, um favorite and least favorite unit at uni my favorite was probably pediatrics.
Speaker 2:I lovediatrics. It was so much fun. My least favourite probably hand therapy, which is crazy. I thought I would love it. Maybe it was because it was online. I definitely want to try it in practice, but hand therapy I found to be my least favourite at uni.
Speaker 1:There you go. And last but definitely not least, I think this is the most important question what is your favourite super duper flavour?
Speaker 2:Oh my goodness, Totally cola. I remember having only cola when I was a kid.
Speaker 1:It's a good one, can't go wrong. Sarah, thank you so much for coming on the pod. I truly think this episode is going to be so valuable for so many people, just by hearing the career change and, I guess, just by learning more about the hospital setting too. So thank you so much for coming on. I am very, very appreciative Any final words of wisdom or happy to wrap it up.
Speaker 2:I don't think so. So, thank you just so much for having me, and I really do hope that this is helpful for anyone who is on the fence, because it's definitely worth thinking about moving to a hospital.
Speaker 1:Amazing, I love it. It's, yeah, it's definitely worth thinking about moving to a hospital. Amazing, I love it. Thank you so much, sarah. Thank you not gonna lie, guys. You guys know I am a private practice peds girly through and through. But after that episode I was reflecting and I was like, hmm, you might enjoy working in hospital. I just think, yeah, it just sounds wonderful. The way Sarah explained it, she sort of debunked a lot of those myths that I think lots of us have about hospital work and, yeah, I just found that very, very valuable. So I am certain that if you are on the fence like Sarah was, that that will probably be very, very helpful for you. Thank you again to Sarah for coming on. I genuinely appreciate it and I know it's going to be so well received. So, thanks a million.
Speaker 1:Now, before we wrap this up, we are going to pump out a very fun fun fact and I'm going to, like I said at the start, this is the fourth time recording. I'm going to see if I can coax Kane to come in and do it. Hold this thought, kane, you want to come do the fun fact. So the first time I recorded this, kane like, his job while I was editing the episode was to find the fun fact, and he very happily did. He didn't realize I was going to make him record and it was very funny, and we've lost the audio. It's gone. So we're going to reenact it. Realize I was going to make him record and it was very funny, and we've lost the audio. It's gone, so we're going to reenact it. We're going to pretend that this is what the first audio was like. I'm joking, we're not going to do that.
Speaker 1:All right, here he is. Okay. False alarm. It is now the next morning. The computer crashed about five more times and it seems to be working now, so we're going to give it a go. This is probably the most time I've ever spent on an episode and I know it's not relevant to you guys, but oh God, it's relevant to me. But anyway, we are here. We are trying not to press stop, because if we press stop the computer will crash and we're doing it in one hit, so no edits. Let me just say Kane's walked away. Where's he gone? Kane run, he's running. Never seen the man move so quick. Kane, what is your fun fact?
Speaker 1:look, it's working my fun fact is you're one centimeter taller in the morning than you are in the afternoon. What I've never heard that before, specifically not seven times in the last 12 hours. Oh my God, Wow, you know I actually have a fun fact about being different heights. What's your fun fact? Well, you are going to act surprised to know that I actually shrunk three centimetres when I broke my back. Wow, yeah right, that's good acting, babe. They'll never know that you have that seven times a day. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for listening. Thank you to Sarah for coming on the podcast. Thank you to Kane for telling me your fun facts seven times and then rustling croissant wrappers around in the audio. Sorry y'all. I'll talk to you guys soon. Episodes will be back when I'm back from holidays, but thank you again for tuning in. Goodbye.