Final Progress Report

1.

Elizabeth Thompson

Although there were numerous intellectual aptitudes enhanced during my internship, a

few were more helpful than others. The most important soft skill I enhanced was problem
solving. Shortly after a patient entered the rehabilitation center, they were evaluated based on a
questionnaire. That evaluation determined what therapy, if any, the patient should receive. Next,
if the patient was assigned to the Speech-Language Pathologist, we decided whether the
individual needed cognitive therapy, oral therapy, speech therapy or all of the above. With this
being said, being able to establish the correct treatment for a patient was crucial.
Another intellectual aptitude enhanced was utilizing my communication skills. Whether
communicating with fellow employees, patients, or family members of individuals in the facility,
it was critical to relay information precisely and to be honest. In addition, my collaboration skills
were strengthened. Most of the time, individuals accepted into the rehabilitation center needed
physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy. Therefore, the rehab staff needed to
collaborate. For example, the staff coordinated when therapy sessions should be completed and
sometimes we combined two meetings into one. An example of combining sessions is having a
patient complete cognitive therapy while reaching for cards on a table and placing them
somewhere else. These sessions normally occurred when a patient was agitated or threatened to
deny treatment for the day.
2.

Since I am not a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, I wasnt allowed to type

information into the computer system or fill out paperwork but I was able spend a lot of the
semester doing research. Therefore, my textbook research skills have drastically improved. I
reviewed numerous case studies, treatment plans and a textbook that is used during preparation
for the PRAXIS and comprehensive examination. With this being said, I was able to read about
anatomy, phonetics, descriptive explanations of language disorders and much more. Specifically,

Final Progress Report

Elizabeth Thompson

I spent a lot of time studying the sections on Aphasia in the textbook, since many of the patients I
was working with had this disorder. Unfortunately, about 750,000 new cases of strokes are
reported each year and more than 50% of those who survive a stroke have aphasia (McKibbin,
C. R., & Hegde, M. N., 2011, 348). Sadly, this will be common characteristic among patients if I
work in a nursing or rehabilitation facility.
3.

During my internship I experienced situations that were hard to deal with, eye opening

but most importantly they confirmed my goal is to become Speech-Language Pathologist.

Additionally, these experiences were essential contributions to my graduate school applications.
Whether participating in a swallow study or cognitive therapy, I know in detail how these
treatments are completed. Furthermore, I was extremely fortunate my internship director assisted
me in inventing and providing numerous artifacts to be included in my portfolio. For example,
she gave me evaluation procedures, information packets on equipment used and she allowed me
to create automatic speech tasks and positive reinforcements charts for patients in the facility.
4.

If I receive my licensure in Speech-Language Pathology there are a few questions I

would ask my future employer before accepting the job. For instance, I would need to know the
amount of treatment days required by patients each week. Some health care facilities find it
necessary for patients to receive 7 days of treatment while others recommend 5. Although I
would not be required to work 7 days a week, this obligation affects treatment plans, vacation
days, and a patients willingness to work. I noticed during my internship if a patient is being
asked to participate in treatment sessions each day of the week, they become agitated. Patients
need days off, just like employees do.
Another topic I would ask about is the companys insurance policy. Numerous products
can be used during speech therapy, but it is important to be aware of what equipment your

Final Progress Report

Elizabeth Thompson

insurance will cover. Although I understand I may not always have the top products or the
newest equipment, I would like to prepare myself and accommodate to my patients needs as
best as I can with the resources I have.
5.

I noticed a few theories, concepts and strategies I learned during my course work in

Communication Studies while serving as an intern. Specifically I recognized McCroskys

Taxonomy of Nonverbal Communication, which was taught during Dr. Pullums
Communication Theory class. The taxonomy includes kinesics, haptics, chronemics, proxemics,
oculesics, vocalics, and objectics. Although numerous components were recognized during my
internship, a few were more prevalent than others. For example, one of the patients I worked
with had a tracheotomy and his cognitive levels were very unstable. With this being said, he
communicated to us by using oculesics and haptics. Our most common form of communication
was asking him to follow us with his eyes as we walked across the room. If he completed the
task, we knew he was more cognitively aware that day. Another technique we used was asking
the patient to squeeze our finger or push on our hands with his feet, which were examples of
haptics (Pullum).
An additional form of nonverbal communication used during my internship was vocalics,
which is the way we express ourselves through voice. A crucial characteristic in a SpeechLanguage Pathologist is paying close attention to the rate you speak, your volume and your
pronunciation. If the patient cannot understand you, they will express being agitated, frustrated
or might give up. During my internship, if a similar situation occurred it was crucial to keep the
patient calm and motivated to continue thearpy. The solution to doing this is paying close
attention to your vocalics.

Final Progress Report

6.

Elizabeth Thompson

Heather, my internship director, was an outstanding mentor throughout the semester. She

was encouraging, always answered questions, provided numerous case studies and textbooks for
me to review and made sure I understood why specific treatment plans were chosen. All of these
contributions prepared me for daily activities and allowed me to feel confident when discussing
the next step in our plan. At the beginning of my internship I was timid, anxious, and unaware of
what to expect over the next few months. Heather pushed me to succeed my goals and promised
she would do everything she could to prepare me for a graduate program. Having her support
gave me the confidence I needed to guarantee myself I wanted to further my education in this
career. Although I was sad to end my internship at Cypress Pointe, Heather mentioned I was
welcome to complete any clinical hours at the facility and insured me she would be available for
help while I was attending graduate school.
7.

During the semester there were two patients who needed a FEES (Fiberoptic Endoscopic

Evaluation of Swallowing) study completed during their time at the facility. Unfortunately, I was
unable to observe the study due to my class schedule but I was able to research various
components of the technique. The main focus of the procedure is to evaluate the pharyngeal
stages of swallowing (Dysphasia Experts, paragraph 2). Furthermore, the portable study is
completed by using a flexible fiber optic laryngoscope which is passed transnasally to the
hypopharynx (Dysphasia Experts, paragraph 2). During the procedure, patients are given
different consistencies of food as observers watch the swallowing process on a television screen.
Our main objective in completing the study for these specific patients was to determine if they
were able to initiate a prompt swallow and to determine the timing and direction of their swallow
process. Fortunately, I was able to view and analyze the pictures taken during the FEES study
with my internship advisor.

Final Progress Report

8.

Elizabeth Thompson

On November 10, 2015 at 12:30 pm, I met my internship advisor to complete my exit

interview. During our discussion we reviewed characteristics I learned about myself over the
semester. For example, I realized how much I care about the patients I was honored to work
with. When I noticed patients were missing items, such as shirts or snacks, it was extremely
difficult for me to not buy them. Although this wasnt necessarily a bad characteristic, I will have
to hold back doing this once I begin practicing in the field.
With this being said, one issue did occur because I cared too much about a patient. An
individual I had been working with for many weeks, was diabetic and during her evaluation
scored as having low cognitive levels. After being around this patient for many hours, I was
familiar with her favorite snacks, her favorite things to talk about but most importantly the
specific level of blood sugar that needed a nurse or doctors attention immediately.
One afternoon, the patients cognitive level was lower than usual so my internship
director and I asked for her blood sugar to be taken. Unfortunately, the individual was well above
the level needed for a doctors attention. Instantly, I ran to get a snack to control her blood sugar.
On the way, I passed the doctor and explained the situation. This was my mistake. In a health
care facility there is a chain of employees to pass information through. The nurse who took the
patients blood sugar, was aware of the situation and said she would take care of it. As soon as I
told the doctor, I broke the chain of communication. Fortunately, this did not cause an issue but
my internship director explained to me why this could cause nurses to feel belittled or unneeded
if they arent trusted to do their job. I fully understood her explanation and will be conscious
about this in the future.

Final Progress Report

Elizabeth Thompson

References
Dysphasia Experts (n.d.). FEES [online article]. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from
http://www.swallowingdiagnostics.net/fees.html
McKibbin, C. R., & Hegde, M. N. (2011). An Advanced Review of Speech-Language Pathology
(pp. 348). Austin, Texas: Pro-ed
Pullum, S. (2015, September ). McCrosky's Taxonomy of Nonverbal Communication. Lecture,
University of North Carolina at Wilmington