Jobshadowing
Five participants of the Ukrothe Project were on jobshadowing in Belgium. They were welcome in AZ DELTA Hospital, Covias and BC Spermalie. In AZ Delta they joined the teams on neurological and locomotory rehabilitation. Covias is an organisation focused on people with mental health problems. BC Spermalie is a school for children with special needs, especially multiple visual problems.
This jobshadowing gave the participants the chance to implement their theoretical knowledge they gained in the theoretical courses within the Ukrothe project. Besides they experienced the implementation of occupational therapy in the multidisciplinary approach of people with an occupational question.
For the participants this was a very positive experience. Teachers of the universities gained new ideas how to teach skills in the education occupational therapy. Participants of the working field took a lot of ideas with them to implement in practice. There also was exchange of ideas, assessments, methods,…
The UKROTHE project is a very inspiring project for all participants and offered a large range of learning opportunities, also in the difficult situation in Ukraine on this moment.
“I was very pleased and informative to have an internship in this specialty, because, the staff was very friendly, attentive and professional in their work.”
“Here I enriched my knowledge of the material base, learned new assessments that I can now use in my practice (cognitive functions, upper extremity performance assessments, walking test and daily activity questionnaire used here). I learned about how students go through practice, how long it lasts and in which courses. How student evaluation and supervision is carried out. I learned to value my own time. I understood how to organize work faster and more productively (how to systematize inventory). I learned about new types of mechanized simulators that allow you to conduct assessments and perform a large number of exercises. I also saw what interventions specialists perform during the rehabilitation period with stroke, TBI, SCI, Parkinson's disease, and others. I got acquainted with keeping documentation, how occupational therapists, together with a multidisciplinary team, set short-term and long-term goals. How teamwork is organized (joint meetings, constant communication between specialists and the patient (relatives). Learned about the rehabilitation program and services that the Belgian government provides to people.
I got a lot of pleasure from meeting good people, even though I didn't know a foreign language well, we managed to understand each other. Thank you for this opportunity to gain new experience, for openness and honesty, the ability to share, humanity and patience! When I return to Ukraine, I will try to use the acquired knowledge in practice and share it with others.”
“UKROTHE is an incredible project that provides Ukrainian occupational therapists with the opportunity to acquire knowledge and expertise from their foreign colleagues, thereby enriching their knowledge and improving the quality of services provided in Ukraine.
During my internship in Covias (Belgium), I gained valuable skills and knowledge that I intend to apply in my work in Ukraine. The methods and practices I learned during my internship in Belgium have inspired me and provided numerous ideas for advancing occupational therapy in Ukraine. I plan to implement these approaches and techniques in my work to ensure high-quality and effective occupational therapy services for our clients. By sharing my knowledge and experience with colleagues, I believe we can improve service quality and positively impact the lives of individuals with mental health conditions.”
From left to right: Nataliia Zdebska (Caritas Drohobych), Dmytro Duzhyi & Juri Rogala (Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University), Olha Konakova (Prydniprovsk State Academy of Physical culture and Sport) and Veronika Tokmakova (RC Modrychi).
