• Home
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Search
    Generic filters
    Exact matches only
    Search in title
    Search in content
    Search in excerpt
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Ms. Gardenia's Speech Room

  • School Speech Therapy
  • SNF Speech Therapy
  • Faith in Practice
You are here: Home / SNF Speech Therapy / Thankful to be an SLP

Thankful to be an SLP

Working for the public school system has many benefits, one of which is Fall break. This week I was able to enjoy my break from work with my family at home as well as my extended family at the SNF. Although there are many therapists whom I love working with and seeing when I work PRN, the patients there are my first love.

If you have read about me, you know I grew up in a nursing home. The area I live/work in has a major shortage of SLPs in both the school and skilled nursing settings. ANY TIME I get off at the school, I have directors from more than one building begging for holiday help so that their therapists are able to take some time off without worrying who will cover their patients. Even though I always say I can only work a little, I usually work a lot. I’m ok with that because this contributes to one of the major reasons I am thankful to be a SLP: Variety of job settings which means variety of people you interact with.

Working at the SNF, you get to work with two other disciplines, PT and OT. Working together, collaborating about patients, having the same purpose in mind, affecting each others treatments make for a challenging and rewarding day. It’s always fun to meet new therapists and I find personal satisfaction in hearing comments like this from other disciplines, “You’re speech? I have never seen a speech person work with a patient in standing!” I like…no love,  to lead transfers and monitor vitals.

When I work at the SNF, I am all about functional independence.It’s ok to be about other things too…after all I do usually work around holidays and these patients are like family to me. To some patients, the patients and staff at their facility are the only family they have. It is very important to me that my patients enjoy their holiday by reminiscing about days past.

Even the most hesitant patient can be easily coerced into making something, especially in a group…in the name of holiday spirit.

I have a good buddy at this particular facility that unfortunately becomes my go-for since she knows where everything is, but it all works out when we get the activity going and are co-treating away. I started picturing something in my mind and by 8:00 am when patients were filing into the therapy room, my buddy had gathered a cardboard box, some glue, construction paper and a sharpie. We found some glittered turkeys about midway through the project that complemented it nicely.

I had a grouchy-turned-jovial gentleman stand and turn a huge mixing bowl over on the end of the cardboard box. He then traced the circle with the COTA standing by. I went ahead and cut it out with the knife we found in the kitchen area, but I of course let him verbally instruct me on the best way to do this.

Just so we could have TWO circles, we let him stand again and cut out one more on the other end of the box! He graciously obliged and felt very important to be handling such a manly task.

Another patient cut out leaves. Another glued them on, targeting their attention to sequence colors strategically. We used bedside tables so that the patients with standing balance or tolerance goals were challenged appropriately.

As we began asking patients to name one thing they were thankful for, there were an overwhelming number of them who were thankful for life, for health.  Of course there were other things but when you think about the position they are in and how unhealthy they are, I would like to think that for that moment in time they felt great…better than any other day that week…as they looked past their current situation and counted their blessings with their make-shift facility family who loves them very much.

All of the reasons above: variety, flexibility, friends, family and fun….help me explain why I am thankful to be a SLP. Why are you? Please take the time to comment below. I would love to know because I bet I will agree with you!

Here are a few more simple crafts that I’m sure your patients would love:

Easy DIY Tin Can Pumpkins by Mixed Kreations

Make Yarn Pumpkins Using Balloons by One Little Project at a Time

Maple Leaf Mason Jar Candle Holders by Spark and Chemistry

Work on expressive language, thought organization and memory with these FREE downloadable Fall themed reminisce questions.

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Related

Don’t miss out!

Previous Post: « Children’s Book Character Day
Next Post: ‘Twas the night before Christmas…at the SNF »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarKristin Immicke says

    November 20, 2016 at 2:29 pm

    I love this post so much! I'm thankful for my students and coworkers. Being an SLP is so rewarding.

    Reply
  2. AvatarMegan Fitzgerald says

    November 20, 2016 at 3:42 pm

    I'm thankful that being an SLP is so diverse! You can never get bored with all the options out there!

    Reply
  3. AvatarAlison Weigand says

    November 20, 2016 at 4:25 pm

    Because we do good for this world!

    Reply
  4. AvatarKristin Abram says

    November 20, 2016 at 5:37 pm

    I'm thankful to be an SLP because nothing is better than when a child masters a goal or says that "r" right the first time. Oh, I'm also thankful we get two days off this week!! Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  5. Avatarbrown says

    November 20, 2016 at 6:19 pm

    I'm thankful to be an SLP because you get to see such great progress and see kids feel proud of themselves.

    Reply
  6. AvatarLeslee Shiver says

    November 20, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    I love the students that I get to work with each and every day. Their smiles brighten my day and I absolutely love all the hugs! But my favorite thing about working with my students is that they LOVE coming to speech!!

    Reply
  7. AvatarMaggie Siler says

    November 20, 2016 at 7:20 pm

    I'm thankful to be an SLP because I love seeing my kids make progress and watching them grow up! They make me smile!

    Reply
  8. Avatarbrittney hammer says

    November 22, 2018 at 1:23 am

    I’m thankful to be an SLP because I love watching kids makes progress and watching them grow. Today I got a text message from an old patients mom.Fromg at least 2 years ago, thanking me for everything I had done and reminding me of what an impact I had made on their family! She also sent a picture of all the food he was eating for the holiday! (We worked on feeding!)

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Me

Darla Gardner

Darla Gardner is an ASHA certified Speech Language Pathologist with extensive experience in both the skilled nursing and educational settings.
“Ms Gardenia” was created after an adorable and otherwise quirky second grader with autism lovingly referred to her by that name on a daily basis despite multiple attempts to correct. Although he is no longer on caseload, many more students like him remain and his nickname is used as a reminder that although therapy can be frustrating and challenging it is the most rewarding and life changing field to be a part of.
This site was created as a resource for parents, therapists and other professionals to share therapy ideas and activities, to encourage therapists and parents who feel overwhelmed and to promote products that improve communication across settings.
If you would like to read more about my professional journey please click the read more link below. Read More…

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

Sign up for emails

msgardeniasspeechroom

Just posted these create-your-own-code coloring wo Just posted these create-your-own-code coloring worksheets! Each one will be unique when you let your students choose which colors to use in their project.
45 pages of initial, medial and final words targeted to specific speech sounds.
Discounted now: https://bit.ly/st-patricks-day-worksheets
Do you have any favorite books for Rodeo Week? Co Do you have any favorite books for Rodeo Week? 
Comment below👇🏻:
I found these little characters at a Goodwill a couple of years ago. Paired with a split pea sensory bin, they make great conversation starters!
.
#slpsensorybin #sensoryplay #rodeoweek #slp #preschool #kindergarten #teachersofinstagram
Sensory bins are back and here to stay! One of my Sensory bins are back and here to stay! One of my favorite activities with preschoolers was thwarted by COVID and virtual learning this time last year. 
It’s time to bring them back! We have learned several different ways to keep them as germ free as possible.
😷sanitize before and after
😷wear face shields
😷use filler that is cheap and can be thrown away
Do you have any more tips for safe sensory play with preschoolers?
👇🏻Drop them here:
.
#sensoryplay #sensorybin #slpsensorybin #slp #speechtherapy #preschool #prekactivities #sensoryplayideas #hobbylobbyfinds
Construction week continues with tool vocabulary a Construction week continues with tool vocabulary and even more books. I have saved resources and book suggestions in my IG highlights. Just go to @msgardeniasspeechroom and click on the 🚧.
.
#slp #sensorybin #earlylanguage #prek #kindergarten #preschool #constructiontheme
Here we go Monday! I have countless IEP Meetings t Here we go Monday! I have countless IEP Meetings to reschedule from last week, even more therapy sessions to make up. Testing to reschedule and timelines to double check.
I’ll be making a list and checking it 2, 3, 4...or more times until it is finished!
How do you get your mind  in order after a major disaster or just at the beginning of the week?
Send tips please! 😳
.
#snowmageddon2020 #slp #schoolbasedslp #iep #ardmeetings #therapy #speechtherapy .
📸: @kellymcmullinphotography 
💋: @alma0_0nino 
🗣: @msgardeniasspeechroom
There’s just something about little ones and con There’s just something about little ones and construction activities! They love all things digging, building and tearing down!
Our next theme in #preschoolspeech will center around Construction Zones 🚧.
👉🏼Swipe through to see just a few of the many activities in this unit.
#anchorcharts #whquestions #vocabulary #articulation #basicconcepts #earlyliteracy #verbs #earlylanguage .
.
#slp #prek #constructiontheme #kindergarten #teacherspayteachers #prekteachersofinstagram #kindergartenteachersofinstagram .
.
To see the blog post that highlights this activity and has a TON of free links, click on the pic in my profile!
One of my favorite Valentine’s books is Love Mon One of my favorite Valentine’s books is Love Monster. I’ve done a few variations of the craft over the years. Once an AAC assisted craft, another time, a directed drawing.
#slp #msgardeniareads #speechtherapy #aac #prekcrafts
To those who faithfully follow my store and purcha To those who faithfully follow my store and purchase my products, to those who comment on my posts with encouraging words, to those who reply to my emails with words of thanks…THANK YOU. What started as a hobby to buy more toys and TpT products for my prek speech room 8 years ago (this month!) has turned into the biggest blessing of my professional life. You have all taught me about hard work, dedication and perseverance. I have grown professionally but also spiritually as a result of this community. My words of thanks will never be enough to cover all of the support you have given me.
.
I look forward to the next 8 years and many more to come! 
.
#slp #speechtherapy #ashaigers #slpsofinstagram #slpsontpt #texasslpsontpt #slpblogger .
.
.
📸: @kellymcmullinphotography 
💋: @alma0_0nino
Paper bag puppets are a hit with preschoolers! Thi Paper bag puppets are a hit with preschoolers! This sweet little book about the Grouchy Ladybug has tons of animals in it-which preschoolers also love 🥰.
.
Get these Articulation Paper Bag Puppets now on sale! https://bit.ly/animal-paper-bag-puppets
Just a friendly reminder that activities don’t h Just a friendly reminder that activities don’t have to be “cute” or expensive to be FUNCTIONAL and ENGAGING! Using tweezers or lip shaped chip clips to pick up “chocolate candies” (pompoms) and place on the hearts (laminated @astrobrights ) works just as well as board games or mini erasers for reinforcement.
.
#eccslp #preschoolactivities #finemotorskills #finemotoractivity #speechtherapy
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 Ms. Gardenia's Speech Room · Log in