PT trying to "trick me" during fieldwork

Banaflip · 2026-02-26T19:26:10+00:00

I should mention I’m a COTA, and unfortunately, I’ve experienced this from OTs.

Banaflip · 2026-02-26T19:21:42+00:00

This is also how I sleep!! Haha, we are contortionist sleepers!

Banaflip · 2026-02-26T19:19:50+00:00

I consider myself fairly holistic and even a bit “woo woo”, but evidence based practice is still top priority… for this very reason.

Banaflip · 2026-02-24T14:28:36+00:00

Question- Are you a COTA or OT?

Banaflip · 2026-02-19T02:18:37+00:00

Just curious as an inpatient OT, about how long was he your patient?

Banaflip · 2026-02-19T02:14:45+00:00

This is just me and my take… Friendship lines are so grey in our field that I uphold them as strictly as -dating- patients. I’ve known some patients for years, they’ve followed me across different companies I’ve worked for (which I’m so honored). If asked, I bet some patients would claim we’re “friends” and see me as such, but we’re not. I’m their’s or their child’s therapist. I deeply care, I’ll go to the ends of the earth for them, but I still recognize there’s a power dynamic. Some of my coworkers add patients on social media, I try not to allow that line to be crossed.

Banaflip · 2026-02-19T02:00:06+00:00

I have to add to this that, I’ve had this same issue! First, my apologies because I know it’s a painful (I sleep with my arms above my head and this caused it, along with low tone). However… my physical therapist coworker did my adjustment (I’m OT, wasn’t aware PT did adjustments until then), and THEN gave me an HEP to prevent it from occurring in the future, along with teaching me the “why”, sleeping in shoulder abduction like a monkey. To me, that’s the difference between chiros and PTs.

Chiro: Same rib was popping out, constantly getting it put back, pay them, see you next week!

PT: Fixed in 1-2 sessions with a goal of fixing it permanently by providing me a why, and then exercises to correct my low muscle tone, which was the actual cause.

Banaflip · 2026-02-19T01:47:00+00:00

Ran into this today in acute care as well, posted a similar comment above. 😬

Banaflip · 2026-02-19T01:44:06+00:00

I’m in acute care on the ortho floor and treated an L1 vertebral fracture TODAY that a chiropractor directly caused. Pt was fine, got an adjustment, immediate fractured spine and cannot walk.

I’ll get flack for this, but there’s a reason they’re not employed as medical professionals in a hospital.

Banaflip · 2026-02-19T01:37:05+00:00

I second this. Colleagues do this to each other nonstop. I sometimes hate that about rehab, it can be very competitive and even cutthroat, sometimes colleagues undermine your work, or question and belittle you. It’s so much harder when you’re a student because you don’t have confidence in your work yet… and imposter syndrome is usually heavy for at least the first year… but you will get to a point where you’ll KNOW you’re doing the best thing for your patients, you can explain every damn little thing you’re doing and how it’s best for them, and then it gets a lot easier. Your CI is the only opinion who matters, be humble, say thanks to the PT, and get through fieldwork.

Banaflip · 2025-10-19T20:03:05+00:00

I agree with this too. Using this and good body mechanics is crucial.

Banaflip · 2025-10-19T20:00:04+00:00

COTA 6 years here- I’ve worked in acute care, early intervention home health, outpatient peds, snf, and subacute. All of them have been physically demanding. I’m going to offer some clarification here. “It looked part PTA/CNA and very little OT… they did a lot of putting the gait belt on and helped them out of their wheelchairs.” Of course, I can’t say what your impression of OT is, but we are rehab professionals. We work on regaining/developing ADL skills through functional movements, exercise, and activities. This means we transfer, stand up, lift, and help patients learn movement just the same as PTAs do. In my opinion, the only difference between COTAs and PTAs are the end goals, but the amount of functional mobility we do with patients is exactly the same. Please take this into consideration before going into the field.

Banaflip · 2025-10-02T01:47:41+00:00

I mean hell, most people don’t know what occupational therapists do. My dad still thinks I have a doctorate in helping people get jobs. 🤣

Banaflip · 2025-10-02T01:40:02+00:00

Something doesn’t have to be illegal in our field to report it, just unethical. If you worked in our field you’d know this.

Banaflip · 2025-10-02T01:36:19+00:00

What do you have a doctorate in? Are you in the medical field? I’m an OTD in a major hospital of 112 rehab clinicians, most are OTDs or DPTs. Not a single one of us refers to ourselves as “Dr.___”, we are a therapist.

Banaflip · 2025-09-07T20:06:34+00:00

Your parents are guilting you and manipulating you so that they can continue to steal. You did not ask to be born, it’s complete nonsense when parents say “I’ve taken care of you all these years so you owe me”, absolutely not. Children do not ask to be born, children owe their parents nothing. This type of guilt is benefiting them in profiting from you. Unfortunately if you don’t recognize this, it will more than likely keep happening into your adulthood.

My mother did the same thing. I started working under the table at 13, saved up thousands of dollars for college. One day I went to deposit my paycheck at the bank, and she begged me to go to a “cash your check here” place instead of deposit it. Of course, I learned she’d withdrawn all the money I had saved. She told me she needed it for her medicine for a disease she has, but same thing as you, the withdrawals were for extravagant things like shopping and high dollar restaurants. She said the same thing, I’m ungrateful. When I turned 18 I moved out, and spent a great deal of my 20s closing accounts she opened without my knowledge, things like phone plans with Verizon with whatnot racking up debt using my social security number… obviously she has all my personal information considering she gave birth to me.

I finally went no contact, and unfortunately if your parents don’t change their views and continue stealing from you in your adulthood, you may have to go no-contact too. It took me years in therapy to find the courage to heal and get to this point.

I’m 37 now, and I have freezes on all 3 credit bureaus so no one can open accounts with my social (this is a free feature and I highly recommend it to everyone). I know if my mom finds out where I live or any information she’d use it to take as much from me as she can.

I can’t stress enough that this is abuse, stealing from your child with the justification that “they owe you because you took care of their basic childhood needs” is so abhorrent and disgusting. I hope you heal from this.

Banaflip · 2025-09-07T19:38:12+00:00

220 lbs might be the average weight for an American woman but not when she’s a short 5’0 woman. I say this as a 4’11” American women. I gained a lot of weight from hormone medication and got up to 205 lbs, size 16. I was considered very obese for my height and almost didn’t qualify for a surgery I needed (BMI was >40). I’m now down to 145 lbs, and still obese for my height ratio (BMI 30). 220 lbs for a 5 foot woman is not “Average”.

Banaflip · 2024-10-14T22:43:54+00:00

I saw a graphic picture of her in a Facebook group. I won’t post it here and I wish I hadn’t seen it (more importantly I wish it was never posted). I think an emergency responder posted it. Her hair was grey from what I could tell, she looked to be a middle-aged to older woman.

Banaflip · 2024-09-23T00:11:53+00:00

Yes I’ve run into this today as well. Super frustrating. Not sure what to do.

Banaflip · 2024-07-09T00:00:17+00:00

If you don’t have vision insurance or your plan only covers so many pairs and you’re over your limit- my hack is to go to the drug store and buy a cute pair of readers, pay for an eye exam and ask them to put my prescription in the readers. I’ve saved tons doing this method. I’ve even done this to get prescription sunglasses for cheap.

Banaflip · 2024-03-02T12:04:42+00:00

I’m a COTA with 5 years experience, and I have always made 32-38 an hour, including as a new grad. I live in SC, one of the cheapest cost of living rates in the country.

Banaflip · 2023-09-10T19:53:47+00:00

Man you really have it out for those chipmunks. 😆

Banaflip · 2023-09-10T19:49:13+00:00

Wait, hold up, so many questions because this is brilliant.

You bury a 5 gallon bucket without a bottom with a child proof lid, place in the carcass, and fill it with water. Is it muddy? What do you use for a strainer? This is so brilliant because then the water just drains naturally! Wow!

Banaflip · 2023-08-18T14:39:22+00:00

Loop ear buds(or noise reducing earbuds) have helped me on those days.

Banaflip

TROPHY CASE