You might be wondering, ‘What on earth does making spaghetti have to do with developing OT skills?’. Well, to begin with, they are both not as simple as you might think.
Being an Occupational Therapist (OT) and making spaghetti might both appear to be easy, but if you look closely, they are much more sophisticated and nuanced. You might not be hungry, but here’s why I think you should learn to ‘make spaghetti’ if you are an OT student.
I attended my first week at TPAG eager to learn clinical skills such as goal setting, session planning, rapport building, conducting initial assessments; the fundamental skills that you expect occupational therapists and allied health professionals to possess. However, during past placements I never really had the opportunity to develop these traditional and all important skills. Sure, I had learnt them at Uni, but learning how to make spaghetti on YouTube and making spaghetti in your kitchen is just not the same. So, the goal I set for this placement was to learn how to prepare ingredients for a delicious spaghetti, or in other words, develop therapy plans and deliver client-centred, meaningful and effective services to clients.
In the early weeks, TPAG accommodated my limited experience in community-based therapy and provided observational learning with different OT’s. From this experience I was able to meet clients with various diagnosis and challenges and experience firsthand how OT’s personalise therapy, and communication to meet client’s individual needs.
I was introduced into therapy practice by leading one activity the OT had prepared for three clients to complete. Despite being the same activity, they were graded to match each individuals’ skill levels and incorporated an element of the clients specific interests to promote engagement. Though I was successful in gauging engagement and completing the activity, it wasn’t easy. While running the activity, I had to write down small notes to remember important observations made, ensure client safety, respond appropriately to client’s questions and actions, analyse client’s performance, and consider grading up or down to accommodate what was happening in the moment - and for me, it brought back memories of when I first made spaghetti. All a bit chaotic! Simultaneously, I had begun chopping onions, had garlic sautéing in a pan, pot on the stove, crushed tomatoes… it was all too spontaneous and unplanned - even when you’re following a recipe.
As the weeks went by, my workload increased. By the fourth week I had organised four clients to see across two days and it was time for me to cook independently. I initially had difficulties around creating session plans and writing case notes efficiently. I was still getting used to completing the entire process on my own and just wasn’t quick enough; just like how you might be slow in preparing and chopping ingredients for your spaghetti.
I was able to communicate these challenges with my supervisor who suggested to give myself a time limit and create a list of priorities. For me this was crucial to find stability in my practices. It was important for me to shift my focus slightly by grouping and aiming to prioritise and fit in tasks within a set time, rather than trying to become more efficient in individual tasks. This was similar to ensuring I had all the ingredients chopped for the spaghetti sauce, before the water in the pot started to boil. Sure, you might get little cuts on your fingers and might make some errors in your session plans and case notes, but your supervisors are there to oversee and provide guidance and feedback to support you to grow your skills and improve.
Another skill I developed was personalising activities to clients’ interest and needs. To make sure your friends and family are going to enjoy your spaghetti, it is important that you know what they might be allergic to, and what ingredients they like and dislike. Similarly, in occupational therapy, and especially in paediatric therapy settings, it is important to find out the client’s interests and what they like, to maximise their engagement. I also learnt that just like how you would chop ingredients into finer and easily digestible pieces, it is important to break down the content, so it is easily understood and consumed by the clients.
Overall, I think this placement has been a memorable and beneficial experience. I was introduced to skills which benefits all areas of occupational therapy, and it was exciting to see how my skills have developed throughout this experience. Finally, I feel prepared to make my own signature recipe.
If you are an occupational therapy student reading this, maybe you too should practice how to make your own spaghetti!