Guest Teacher

• Sep 2023 - Present

Occupational Therapist, Study Coordinator

• Nov 2022 - Present

Coach

• Feb 2022 - Present

Occupational Therapist Clinician II

• Oct 2014 - Jul 2017

As a clinician II therapist at Washington Hospital Center, I was involved in contributing to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department through participation in various leadership positions, committees, and personal interest projects. As part of the occupational therapy department's strategic plan, I collaborated with a team of therapists, nurses, and surgeons to establish a standard of care and protocols in order to develop a more standardized method of evaluation and intervention for patients after total shoulder replacement and patients after mastectomy. After participating in seminars led by the OT manager and OT seniors, I served as a clinical instructor for a level II fieldwork student for three months. I attended in-services and co-treatments for the neonatal ICU with babies born with physical disabilities such as shoulder dystocia. I was a member of the education committee, responsible for scheduling in-services for the department, monitoring attendance, and improving educational resources for staff to distribute to patients. I served as Gym Champion and was responsible for creating solutions to streamline the gym process and performing orientation training for gym therapists and new hires. In an effort to reduce clinician injuries and to promote patient safety, another leadership role I have fulfilled is the Safe Patient Handling Champion, which involved periodically training new staff to use proper body mechanics and hospital lifting equipment. I led co-treatments with level I clinician staff in the neuro ICU and for patients with TBI using safe patient handling equipment. I also became a member of the Stroke Protocol Task Force; my duties included modifying a protocol for patients s/p CVA and participating in data collection, requiring strong time management skills. Show less

Occupational Therapist

• Apr 2013 - Sep 2014

Seton Williamson Medical Center is a level II trauma center. As an occupational therapist, I have evaluated patients with orthopedic, neurologic, cardiac, and general medical conditions for acute skilled occupational therapy intervention. My treatment plans are client-centered and include goals and equipment needs in order to facilitate a more independent lifestyle for each individual patient. To compliment treatment sessions, I organize and administer home exercise program handouts, information on community resources, and utilize simulated home environment tools. It is important to me to advocate for my patients during rounds with doctors, social workers, nurses, and case managers to determine appropriate discharge recommendations. In order to continue my clinical education, I have attended the AOTA Specialty Conference on Adults with Stroke as well as a conference on the Fear Factor in Therapy. Working in Texas, many of my patients are Spanish-speaking only, which has given me the opportunity to use my language skills in Spanish to contribute towards a more culturally sensitive therapeutic environment. In addition, my manager delegated the task to me to manage the scheduling for the occupational therapy department. Show less

Graduate Assistant

• Sep 2010 - Apr 2012

During my two years with the master's program in occupational therapy, I worked as a graduate assistant for faculty member Peggy Barco. Responsibilities included performing literature searches to contribute background evidence for Peggy Barco's publication on Cognition Impairments and Driving; attending evaluation sessions during the data collection process; and organizing documents and files between projects involving patients with Dementia and Parkinson's Disease.

Occupational Therapy Student

• 2010 - 2012

In addition to my coursework, my master's project involved research on cognition and driving in individuals with Parkinson's Disease.

Research Assistant

• May 2010 - Jul 2010

I worked with the College of Nursing on a project to evaluate the impact of a new WIC food package fruit and vegetable cash-voucher on the fruit and vegetable supply at retailers participating in WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children). I was responsible for conducting observations of the availability, quality, and prices of fruits and vegetables at grocery stores, drug stores, and convenience stores in a 7-county area. While positively representing the research project at retail locations, cultural sensitivity was often required, giving me the opportunity to utilize my Spanish-speaking skills. After field research was conducted, data was entered into the Teleform database system. Show less

ESL Teacher and Camp Counselor

• 2009 - 2010

After obtaining my certification to Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), I spent two summers in Spain at summer camps for children. I was assigned a group of 13-16 children ages 7-13 and was responsible for incorporating English into lectures and creative activities, including horse-back riding, zip-lining, and arts and crafts. My role was also to supervise the campers in the dining hall, and during free time and structured activities. Often times, collaboration with other monitors was essential to organize efficient workshops in English. Show less

Gerber School Intern

• Sep 2008 - May 2009

Cunningham is a residential treatment facility for children ages 10-17 with severe emotional and behavioral problems. In conjunction with a psychology course at the University of Illinois, I spent an academic school year in the facility's on-campus school. My duties were to aid in teaching the students better coping skills in dealing with their emotional and behavioral challenges and aiding them with academic tasks in the classrooms. As part of the psychology department's curriculum, I developed a case study and academic-based program for the children. Show less