Charlene Fung helps patients navigate their rehabilitative journey
For more than five years, Charlene Fung has been a Texas Health Fort Worth employee. As a licensed occupational therapist, Fung enjoys helping patients improve their hand /eye coordination, along with enhancing their motor skills. Fung’s department includes various types of therapy, such as occupational, physical and speech. She says they learn from one another constantly, and each clinician is dedicated to improving patients’ lives.
What did you want to be as a child, and how did you ultimately choose your career?
When I was seven years old, I wanted to be a firefighter. I think I was drawn to the physicality of the job, combined with helping people. Although I never pursued my passion of putting out fires, I still ended up in a helping profession.
I was introduced to occupational therapy in high school. One of my teachers arranged for me to shadow a clinician at our local hospital in British Columbia. I was drawn to the creative aspect of the job, along with the scientific study. I truly enjoy the challenges and rewards of helping patients achieve their goals and improve their independence.
What is a typical workday like for you?
Working in outpatient therapy, each day usually involves me interacting with at least six patients, for individual, one-hour sessions.
Depending on the hour, I might work with a patient recovering from a stroke or traumatic brain injury or with a patient trying to enhance their driving skills with the aid of our driving simulator. My patient caseload varies daily and never feels typical, which is a great thing!
What is the biggest challenge of your work?
One of the biggest challenges is working with patients whose rehab potential is limited because of circumstances outside of their control, such as limited insurance approval, lack of family support or financial constraints.
I had a recent experience with a patient who had severe ataxia and had not been able to use a utensil to feed herself for more than two years since her brain injury. We taught her some movement techniques, provided stabilization and introduced her to a piece of equipment that allowed her to use a fork and spook on her own. Because of the medical equipment’s high cost, she was not able to purchase the equipment for home use. I’m thankful that Texas Health Fort Worth worked to find resources that allowed her to attain the device, and now she is able to feed herself at home.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
I jokingly tell my patients that after work, I head home to my more demanding second job. I’m a mom of a six-year-old and eight-year-old. So, on most days, I’m a cook, chauffeur, social coordinator, counselor and tutor.
What is something unique about you that most people don’t know?
I was born in Australia, but I spent most of my younger years in Canada. So with my American status, I hold a total of three citizenships.
by Chandra Caradine • Posted November 13, 2018
