[humanser] Logistics and keeping personal belongings safe at work

[Christina Moore]

Is there a drawer that you can put the medication in?



God bless.--Christina

> On Jul 8, 2016, at 16:43, Kaiti Shelton via Humanser <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I realize this might be a bigger issue for me than for probably most
> people in some respects, but I think everyone has to deal with this in
> at least some way.  I'm wondering how you all have dealt with keeping
> personal belongings safe and out of harm during sessions.  As a
> background for those who might not know me, I'm a music therapy
> student and a lot of my work requires me to be very mobile around the
> room and I usually have my hands full either assisting a client or
> playing an instrument myself.  Most of my past clinical experience has
> been with children, particularly with blind kids and kids with visual
> impairments and other disabilities, and children on the Autism
> spectrum in a public school self-contained classroom, but this fall I
> will be working in a practicum at a behavioral health facility for
> duel diagnosis mental and substance abuse disorders.
> 
> I was doing some of my summer reading, and one note in the chapter I
> read yesterday stressed the importance of making sure *all* materials
> are collected at the end of each session.  Many objects used for music
> therapy sessions could be dangerous in the hands of psychologically
> unstable patients if they are smuggled out past supervision, and I can
> see how even objects like mallets used to play drums and other
> percussion equipment could be used to inflict self-harm.  It occurred
> to me that leaving my cane propped in a corner as I usually do
> probably would not be the best idea in this setting, as someone in
> psychosis might see that as just a long metal stick they could use for
> their own intentions.  I purchased a cane holster thinking it would
> probably be helpful for this setting, but also in my work with
> children since I can keep my cane on my person now.  Before I go on, I
> will say that I am fully aware that my supervising professor will be
> there at each session, as well as my practicum partner.  Furthermore,
> we're not supposed to be left alone in the room with the residents
> without a staff member from the facility present.  However, my
> professors don't know all the ins and outs of adapting the work to my
> circumstances and have encouraged me to seek this information where I
> can.  I also am trying to treat each practicum situation as if I were
> already working professionally in the field and realize that if I were
> going to work on this type of a unit as a professional without the
> support I have the luxury of having as a student, these considerations
> might be important.
> 
> The other issue I'm confronting is how to deal with personal
> medication.  I have 3 different types of drops I give myself
> throughout the day.  Two of the drops just need to be given 4 times a
> day, and although I try to keep to a set schedule with those I can
> move them around a bit to accommodate things like sessions or brief
> meetings.  The other needs to be given every half hour.  This wasn't
> the biggest problem before, but especially now that I'm going into
> this unit and also thinking about my future internship, I don't always
> want to lug around a purse like I have been doing everywhere I go.
> I'm already going to be bogged down carrying instruments, and
> sometimes just doing that with a cane can be challenging enough.  I'm
> honestly considering paying homage to the 80s and getting myself a
> fanny pack or some sort, especially since a lot of the professional
> attire for women that I own doesn't even have belt loops for the cane
> holster to clip to.
> 
> I would be interested to hear how these kinds of things are handled by
> those of you who are itinerant, who work with populations who might
> take advantage of things like a cane laying around for self-harm or
> other purposes, or who are very mobile but have to also manage
> personal medications and keep them on your person.  Also, for the
> women who might be in professions where you need to dress
> professionally but also in clothing that allows you to move freely and
> easily to do your job, please let me know any tips you might have.
> I'm not sure of how unique my situation is on this group with having
> the need to look professional while also getting down on the floor and
> moving about the group on my knees to play eye level with small
> children and such, or to facilitate movement-based therapeutic
> experiences, but it's definitely a logistic I'm trying to work around
> at the moment and would appreciate suggestions on.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> -- 
> Kaiti Shelton
> 
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