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BASED IN the West Midlands, England

Kristabel Ewers

QUALIFIED IN July 2014

After getting some occupational therapy work experience during sixth form, Kristabel realised that this was a profession that could offer something for everyone – and she hasn’t looked back.

I work in a Paediatric Hand Therapy unit, treating hand trauma injuries as well as congenital hand differences with 0-18 year-olds. I have a varied caseload of people who need long- or short-term care. I mostly treat people with hand trauma for up to 12 weeks, supporting their rehabilitation. I see individuals with congenital hand differences from birth until they’re 18 and I’m involved at different stages of their development, like learning to crawl and starting school.

“I’m based in a children’s hospital which is a very fun environment to be in. Everyone is always bouncing ideas off each other, thinking of ways to engage these young people in therapeutic interventions through play. We have to be really creative with our approaches to treatment.”

I support a range of people, including parents with new babies who have sustained injuries during birth – I provide information about their child’s condition and teach them exercises they can carry out at home. Although I have a full clinic list, I also work directly with consultants and am on call for any hand traumas that require immediate attention. It can be tiring, but I enjoy the buzz and being busy all day.

“I love educating parents and children about their condition and supporting them through all the challenges they face. Seeing a family’s relief and satisfaction after an appointment is really rewarding.”

Occupational therapy is a very broad profession with opportunities to work across a wide spectrum of specialities, spanning everything from acute hospital settings, mental health and learning disabilities to the armed forces and refugees. It’s a role that’s not only highly specialised, but also really focuses on treating the person as a whole.

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