Today, we completed our second day at our clinical site. My placement site is at a hospital in Tarragona, Joan XXIII, in the Occupational Therapy department. So far, I have been able to work with a variety of patients. The skills we practice in the clinic focus on the coordination of gross and fine motor movements. The exercises are geared towards re-educating them on daily activities such as preparing food, putting on clothes with buttons, and brushing their hair. Something that I found especially interesting however, was the type of resources the occupational therapists use to improve coordination with the patients. Today for example, the OT showed me a type of mold that became flexible after being submerged in hot water so that it could be molded to the patient’s hand in order to improve their posture. It was similar to a cast but only supported the ventral side of the hand and forearm.
Overall, I am loving my time in the clinic and I enjoy seeing the differences and similarities between occupational therapy between the countries.
After my shift at the hospital, the other students and I grabbed lunch and then headed to our next adventure. Today, we toured a primary care facility in Tarragona called CAP. Primary care in Spain is huge and something that makes this country one of the leaders in health care in the world. In Spain, about 80% of all cases are resolved in primary health care facilities. This is because the majority of them have the resources to handle a variety of medical problems. For example, this facility has 47 physicians on staff, who have the training to preform all surgeries except those pertaining to cardio and neurology. This facility also puts on emphasis on social health. This included programs like infertility treatment, social work and sexual counseling.
I finished a long day of clinicals and classes with some good company and delicious gelato. Ally, Anna and I first strolled down La Rombla, popping and and out of shoe stores. Ally and I finally found some chic black wedges. As we headed home, we couldn’t help but stop at a delightful gelato shop right on the edge of La Rambla, overlooking the sea. It was the perfect way to end a long but fun day.
Pues, ¡hasta la próxima vez!
Emily Borkowski