Missed Group Session Feb. 9: Providing Constructive Feedback

In the education setting, constructive feedback should be to improve an individual’s knowledge and learning.  It is the driving force for professional growth.  Constructive feedback often requires us to say something negative or unpleasant to a peer, which can be challenging for most of us.  According to an article by Robert Pozen (2014) in Harvard Business Review, people respond more strongly to negative events than they do positive ones.  In other words, a negative event typically makes a person more upset than a positive event makes a person happy.  Therefore, hearing negative feedback from a peer may impact an individual more than hearing positive feedback.  We should understand this idea when giving effective constructive feedback.

There are several strategies that can help when giving feedback.  When suggesting changes to a project, it is important to add that the changes are merely suggestions and to acknowledge the peer’s effort and the positive aspects of the project.  There will often be times when negative feedback is necessary.  During these instances, it is important to focus on improving a peer’s learning experience and avoid focusing on criticizing them or their work.  An individual would be more receptive to feedback if it is given in a private setting.  Applying these and other strategies named in the article will be a beneficial tool for refining this skill.

            Reading this article reminded me of the Professional Development Evaluation that is facilitated in the OT program.  The process for providing constructive feedback follows the guidelines explained on this article.  While this was previously a daunting event, the faculty creates a positive environment where negative feedback is given when necessary to enhance the student’s growth.  In conclusion, learning to successfully provide constructive feedback to peers and students is vital to professional, personal, and team growth.  

References: 

Pozen, R. C. (2014, August 07). The Delicate Art of Giving Feedback. Retrieved February 01, 2018, from https://hbr.org/2013/03/the-delicate-art-of-giving-fee

Missed Group Session Feb. 7: Cultivating a Positive Attitude

Cultivating a positive attitude is not only important for mental health but also physical health.  According to the article by Yanek et al. (2014), having positive emotions can be protective against coronary artery disease (CAD).  I found this to be an intriguing research study because we often learn that stress and negative emotions are risk factors for CAD, but I never knew there were long-lasting physical benefits of having a positive attitude.  This study examined siblings of individuals with premature CAD because this population is typically at a higher risk of developing CAD.  To measure positive well-being they utilized The General Well-Being Schedule (GWBS).  This is a self-report questionnaire which contains six psychological domains—anxiety, depression, somaticism, vitality, life satisfaction, and emotional-behavior control.  In both the general population and the high-risk cohort, positive well-being had a protective effect on CAD after a 12-year follow-up.  The exact mechanism for how positive well-being protects is still unknown, therefore more research is needed.  

            A New York Times article titled A Positive Outlook May Be Good for Your Health also validates the physical benefits of a positive attitude.  The article states a positive outlook has health benefits such as lower blood pressure, less heart disease, better weight control, and healthier glucose levels.  Dr. Wendy Schlessel Harpham faced 15 years of cancer treatment and took specific measures to ensure she maintained a positive attitude.  She surrounded herself with positive people, kept a daily gratitude journal, did things for others, and watched comedy movies.  Dr. Harpham is now in remission, and she claimed that cultivating a positive attitude while she was sick made her life better.  Whether our clients are faced with risk factors for a physical illness or stress from a life-threatening illness, helping them foster a positive attitude can provide innumerable benefits. 

References:

Brody, J. E. (2017, March 27). A Positive Outlook May Be Good for Your Health. Retrieved January 28, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/27/well/live/positive-thinking-may-improve-health-and-extend-life.html

Yanek, L. R., Kral, B. G., Moy, T. F., Vaidya, D., Lazo, M., Becker, L. C., & Becker, D. M. (2013).    Effect of Positive Well-Being on Incidence of Symptomatic Coronary Artery Disease. The American Journal of Cardiology, 112(8), 1120-1125. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2013.05.055

Neuro Note #5: Me Before You

Thoughts on Me Before You

       Me Before You is a fictional movie about a high profile man who was in a pedestrian accident resulting in a SCI.  William Traynor lived a lavish life before he became quadriplegic.  After the accident, he rarely smiled or engaged in leisure activities.  His parents hired Louisa Clark, a extroverted, free spirit, to be Will's caregiver.  Her personality and excitement for life was inspiring to me.  At first, Will is not fond of Louisa, but as time passes their connection grows stronger.  Louisa planned several activities for them in hopes of Will finding enjoyment in his life again.  The role Louisa played in this aspect reminded me of what an OT could do for Will.  Minus the physical relationship at the end of the movie of course.  She did her best to find things Will enjoyed before the accident and tweaked them to fit his current needs.  Some attempts of the actives did not go as planned, but Louisa helped them adapt to the changes.  

      Will made plans to go to an assisted suicide facility to end his life.  This controversial aspect of the film led me to wonder about the reality of someone doing that and how hard it must be for them and the family.  It is difficult to say whether or not I agree with that.  As an OT, I would hope to help my clients find joy and meaning in their daily lives so the thought of ending life is not in question.  From another perspective, a person's own suffering and pain is difficult to understand from the outside, therefore if someone has made that decision it could be unchangeable.  

      I have heard several reviews from my classmates about this film, so I decided it would be my last Neuro Note.  While it was fiction, it gave me insight on what life is like for a person after a SCI.  I hear about stories of triumph and overcoming obstacles such as Fletcher Cleaves, but stories about the suffering and pain following SCIs are rarely broadcasted.  It was sad to see how much he hated his life, but that is some people's reality.  In conclusion, this movie made me laugh, made me cry, and gave me more insight on the life of a person who is a quadriplegic. 

Sharrock, T. (Director). (2016). Me Before You [Motion Picture]. United States: Warner Bros. Pictures

Sim Lab Reflection

1.  I thought I did well until I watched myself.  After that, I would say I did good.  I noticed a few things I would like to work on or change.  I realized I did prompt Francis to answer questions which can skew the results of the assessment. I think I did well at getting to know Francis after I finished the assessment.

2.  I am most proud of the way I tried to relate to Francis and the situation she was in.  I enjoyed talking with her about her family and working on starting a therapeutic relationship.  After the assessment was over I did my best to ask about what she likes to do and her home situation. 

3.  I struggled with giving feedback when she answered the questions.  I did not want to let her know she got it correct but I also did not want to be rude in my response.  I prompted her with a couple questions which I know could affect the results.  I think I need more practice with giving assessments more objectively while remaining kind. 

4.  I would like to know how to effectively give an assessment under a time constraint.  Although I did finish in enough time that may not be the case every time.  I'm curious how it would be like to interact with a client that was not as welcoming and understanding as Francis was. 

5.  I would definitely use germ-x or wash my hands because I forgot that simple step this time.  I would not prompt Francis to answer questions correctly.  When I left I did not ask if she needed anything, so next time I would try to do that.  I would also like to improve my sitting posture.  I noticed I slumped over a lot and that I should start sitting up straight more. 

6.  I was reassured that I am in OT school for a reason.  I really enjoyed the real life experience and it was refreshing to start to apply what we learn in a clinical setting.  I learned that when I obsess over one thing going into a situation, odds are I'm going to forget it!  For example, Germ-x.  I told myself over and over to do that but as soon as I walked in I forgot.  So lesson learned, when I do get on field work I need to relax and create good habits in clients' rooms.  Lastly, keeping a client on task can be difficult, but with more experience I will be able to do it more effectively.