#IamMGH – Megan Richmond

#IamMGH tells the stories of our people. In honour of Occupational Therapy Week, meet Megan Richmond, occupational therapist at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH).

“I started working at MGH in January of 2020 as an Occupational Therapist (OT). I support the Cardiac Integrated Unit and orthopaedic and memory care units.

My passion for working with people began in my undergrad. I loved the idea of OT because you’re continuously working with patients to help them get back to their daily routines. It is rewarding to assist people with daily activities that most people take for granted. Seeing people in their most vulnerable state is a privilege – to have the opportunity to know patients, help them and see them smile after discovering they are able to go home is a wonderful atmosphere to be immersed in.

MGH is the first hospital I worked at so I learned a lot during the past two years. I think what really drew me to MGH was the idea of working in a smaller hospital – I am able to gain a lot of experience working on different units. I wanted to work in an acute care hospital and experience a fast-paced environment.

To me, OT is helping people engage in activities that are meaningful to them. In a hospital setting, this includes focusing on basic activities to help patients live safely at home. Outside of the hospital, OT work may support clients with returning to work, driving or completing a variety of other activities.

I see between eight to 12 patients on a daily basis. I plan my day by reviewing my patient list and coordinating a schedule with a physiotherapist. I spend about 20 minutes with each patient and assess their functional abilities, for example: getting out of bed, getting dressed or using the bathroom.  After these evaluations I make recommendations for a transition plan when they leave the hospital, for example putting home safety equipment in place or setting up additional supports.

I encourage anyone who is interested in an OT career to volunteer at a variety of hospitals and shadow current OTs in the profession to see how it’s done first-hand. I encourage students to reach out to OTs and have a discussion about what the future of OT looks like.”

Michael Garron Hospital celebrated National Occupational Therapy Week Oct. 25 to 29. MGH would like to express its sincere appreciation and thanks to the entire OT team for their hard work, compassion and exceptional patient care efforts each and every day.