Foss Home & Village
Seattle, Washington
one review
Why did you choose this fieldwork?
I wanted to work in a skilled nursing facility; previous students reviewed Foss in a positive light.
Please indicate type of setting:
Subacute
Please describe your living and commuting situation. (Was accomodation offered? Public transportation or parking offered? Please include price paid, location and conditions.)
No living accommodations offered. Foss is in North Seattle, accessible by the #5 and #28 bus, both of which are sloooow. I rode the bus daily b/c I don't have a car, but driving would be ideal. Foss does not offer bus passes, but parking is free in the lot behind the facility.
Describe types of conditions or diagnoses, as well as age ranges exposed to during this fieldwork.
Common conditions: CVA, heart attack, a-fib, CABG, laminectomy, cancer, hip fracture/replacement, knee replacement, dehydration, altered mental status, falls, debility, pneumonia, UTI, CHF.
Age range: 60-106
What types of assessments and interventions were used?
Foss is big on assessments. Assessments used: Mini Mental Status Exam, ACLS, KELS, MMT, ROM assessment, driving screen (created in-house), vision screen (created in-house), wheelchair fitting eval (created in-house), kitchen saftey eval.
Interventions: balance activities, fine motor activities, functional t/fs and mobility training, ADL retraining, caregiver training, strengthening, development of home exercise program, instruction in adaptive equipment.
What are your thoughts on the site's environment for the employees and students? (Please consider: organization, collaboration, mentoring, learning opportunities)
The rehab dept is large for a SNF, and you have the opportunity to interact with many experienced therapists. Everyone works in close collaboration to create total care plans for the patients. There are some intense personalities among staff, and while this was not directed at me, I saw instances where it is necessary to have a thick skin during collegial communication. Once a month there is an in-service given by a therapist, but all other learning occurs through interaction with patients. Foss is a non-profit and consequently does not pressure therapists to see patients for a set amount of minutes daily (like most for-profit SNFs do), which is wonderful for both therapists and patients alike. The learning environment is casual, caring, and offers an opportunity to apply techniques learned in school in a real life setting. My responsibilities were gradually increased at a very reasonable rate. Patients are funny, kind, and generally agreeable to therapy. My only qualm with Foss is the exorbitant amount of paperwork they have created. Much of the in-house paperwork seems unnecessary and redundant, and whenever a problem arises in their patient care system, the rehab team seem to invent another piece of paperwork to "solve" the problem, little realizing that the large amount of paperwork is actually contributing to the problem. I spent 2 hours/day completing paperwork.
Please comment on personality traits and/or preparation that would facilitate success at this site.
Good interpersonal skills, patience, flexibility, comfort with (or strong desire to gain comfort with) an elderly population.
While in the area, don't miss ...
All of Seattle's awesome attractions.
How many stars would you give your experience, from one to five?
4
Any lasting thoughts or advice?
Foss is a great place to learn the basics of OT at a comfortable pace (busy but not rushing). The staff is eccentric, but very skilled and ethical. I would do it again!
Review submitted January 31, 2010