Thoughts on My First TPTA Convention

The article below was written by our Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Jordan Albracht, who went to his first TPTA convention this year.

 

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In one way or another, I’ve been around Stambush for over half of my life. That’s a testament to two things: my youth, and the capacity Stambush has for office employee retention. My mom started working for Stambush in October of 1997. I can’t remember the exact date, but I do remember that month because it was shortly after we moved to Houston that my mom got her job as Stambush’s Staffing Coordinator. Not long after, the 1998 crash hit and sent most allied health staffing agencies in the Houston area tumbling.

The joke was that my mom brought all that with her, but Scott kept her on the payroll even though times were tough. That’s one of the smarter things he ever did, too; my mom’s the gal that will always get things done.

That’s for another entry, though.

Suffice it to say, I’ve grown up around and at Stambush. I remember spending summers in the office, Christmas at the company party and more days off at the office. I always knew that Stambush treated people right, even as a kid. You can tell that just by hanging around the Stambush crew for a little bit.

I never really knew the specifics until I started working for them (part-time while going to school) in May 2005. From digitizing their paper files to creating new systems that (hopefully) made everyone’s life a little bit easier, I got to know the company very well. I’ve known the people for a while, too. Scott and Fred watched me grow up, which is a fun topic of conversation at happy hour when we’re all enjoying a drink together.

I’m sure this all points to me being very biased, but it also means I know what I’m talking about.

This factors into why I enjoyed the recent TPTA convention so much, I think. It was my first one, so I was excited to get out there and cut my teeth. It was a great experience, from the folks from the TPTA coming by to thank us for our sponsorship to meeting a bunch of new folks.

The icing on the cake, though, was that we really weren’t there to sell anything. Don’t get me wrong–we’re always happy to have new therapists come aboard, and we were certainly hoping to meet new customers and therapists that would like to give our company a try. However, our primary purpose turned out to be similar to what Scott does at the SED meetings all the time: discouraging students and new graduates from going into contract work immediately after graduation.

Stambush makes no secret of our position on this issue, as we genuinely believe this practice hurts everyone involved except the companies that engage in it. Customers, therapists and patients end up holding the bag and suffering the consequences. It’s a mantra which I have come to believe in quite passionately while working for Stambush. We only hope that people listen and take that message to heart, especially new graduates, so that they can have thriving, lucrative careers as therapists that help people get better.

I already liked working for Stambush, but being at a convention where lots of people come up to hug Scott and Fred, who have both been in this game a long time, only served to strengthen that feeling. That kind of affection from therapists, most of whom haven’t worked for us for years, speaks volumes about this company.

If you are fortunate enough to work for Stambush, realize that you work for people that really do practice what they preach. That alone separates you from scores of other folks who aren’t so lucky and work for people who only pay lip service to ethics and their profession. Most of you also separate yourself from others by having passed our competency test and being reliable, but you already knew that. Those that have been with us long enough to remember a time before the competency test have passed one of the greatest tests out there–staying with us for so long. Unlike our competitors, we let people go when it’s necessary.

We’ve got big things planned for next year’s convention, so we hope to see you there.

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November 9, 2011

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Tricks of the Trade, Part 2 – Hiring Inexperienced New Graduates

Building off of our last post, we plan on continuing to explore some of the “Tricks of the Trade,” or harmful practices that are (sadly) common in temporary staffing services.

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Hiring inexperienced new graduates is something that everyone fresh out of college hopes for, and there are plenty of people in this industry that do it. Hospitals, for sure, are a great place for new graduates to get their start — Stambush Staffing especially recommends this route, as hospitals are a great place for therapists to acquire a variety of skills that can help their budding skill sets grow. More importantly, hospitals typically pair inexperienced new graduates with seasoned veterans, who act as a mentor. This is a necessary part of training a new crop of therapists–after all, these therapists didn’t go to graduate school to be jobless and saddled with school loans.

Stambush Staffing doesn’t have a problem with companies hiring new grads as long as they aren’t in the business of temporary staffing. Everyone deserves a job, but this isn’t just about giving the “new kid on the block” a chance to prove himself or herself. Beyond the well-being of our therapists and their patients, a good temporary staffing company’s top priority should be reliably serving its customers, and hiring new graduates makes this a virtual impossibility.

To put it bluntly, new graduates often don’t know what they’re doing when they enter certain environments common to temporary staffing. No one can really blame them as they just graduated, of course. However, when a healthcare facility calls on an agency to fill a need, they expect someone who will be able to hit the ground running with minimal orientation, and they don’t want to hold their hand through their entire assignment. Contrary to what a contract therapist should be doing, this puts more of a strain on the healthcare facility’s staff and makes the inexperienced new graduate a liability and burden.

On top of this, temporary staffing companies usually recognize this problem with inexperienced new graduates; as a result, they often place them where they are less likely to cause any trouble and give them the “easy” assignments, saving the more difficult work for more seasoned veterans. This sounds like a good balance to strike, but it does irreparable harm to an inexperienced new graduate’s career. While some may be lucky, most therapists that are given easier assignments in the more formative years of their career aren’t likely to pick up any new skill sets. If the therapist ever wants to get out of contract therapy, he or she may find it a little more difficult if they have not been exposed to a diverse set of challenging environments and circumstances.

If this practice is so harmful to healthcare facilities, new therapists and their patients alike, why would many temporary staffing companies make it a part of their business? As we discussed in Part 1 of this series, the profit to be had from these types of arrangements make sense. In short, due to different pay grades and inexperienced new graduates making significantly less per hour, there are millions of dollars to be made by sending inexperienced new graduates instead of seasoned professionals while charging the same for both. Basically, it’s all about the money.

Stambush Staffing has never hired an inexperienced new graduate. We simply don’t believe in putting our customers and their patients in harms way just to widen our profit margins, and that’s one of the many things that continues to make us the best agency in town. It’s our hope that by being the best agency, we can be a force for good that helps to rid our professions of the greedy, unprincipled profiteering that gives temporary staffing a bad name.

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September 30, 2011

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Tricks of the Trade, Part 1 – Unequal Pay in Temporary Staffing

This is part one of a series of posts we will be making over the coming months, detailing some of the unsavory business practices in contract therapy that have tarnished its reputation.

Justice Brandeis once said that “sunshine is the best disinfectant.” Stambush Staffing doesn’t engage in any of the activity about which we’ll be writing, but we feel that it’s our responsibility to bring a little sunshine to the questionable happenings in this industry. We don’t control other agencies, but we hope that, with a little luck, some exposure of these practices will help lessen their stranglehold on the therapy professions and customers we serve.

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Many (if not most) of us have been in a situation where we were paid less than some of our co-workers — others have had the opposite experience. Just about all of us have accepted this sort of arrangement as a fact of life, and sometimes it’s well-warranted. Having different levels of pay makes sense in an environment like a hospital, where more experienced healthcare professionals can be mentors and leaders within their respective departments. In fact, it’s hard to argue against a pay structure like that.

You might think that different pay grades would make sense in the world of contract therapy, too; after all, one can make the argument that someone with 20 years of experience is a better therapist than someone with only 1 year of experience and thus deserves more pay.

The reasoning seems plausible, but its impact on contract therapy and our professions is unequivocally bad, and it’s not too hard to see why.

Let’s say that a facility calls a staffing agency that engages in this practice, and that agency has two therapists available. One of these therapists is an inexperienced new graduate that gets the lowest hourly rate the agency pays, whereas the other therapist makes the most since he has 20 years of experience. In most cases, an agency will charge their customers the same rate regardless of which therapist gets the assignment. If the rate for inexperienced new therapist is $5 less per hour than the more experienced therapist, though, that adds up to $40 a day more that the agency makes.

That’s not too much cash at first, but the advantage of this tactic eventually shows up in an extra $2600 after a 13-week, full-time contract. When we’re talking about multiple 13-week assignments, an agency’s incentive to always send the less-experienced therapist to its customers only grows. If we assume that an agency engages in this sort of practice with 20 therapists, this will turn into around $208,000 per year. Over 10 years, this turns into $2,080,000 even if the rates in question never change.

That’s the trick. Unless they have a better reason not to, an agency will always have an unhealthy incentive to send the person with whom they will make more money when they pay their therapists based on experience.

For therapists, the consequences of this practice are obvious. If someone costs less for an agency to use for any given assignment, the trend will be that the person that makes the company the most money will, more likely than not, be used first, leaving the leftover assignments (if any) for those with the most experience.

For customers, the consequences are even worse; rather than focus on sending the best person for the job, agencies that pay their employees based on experience will always have a perverse incentive to send the therapist that makes them the most money. That may be good for the agency, but it’s often not good for the customer.

That’s why Stambush Staffing won’t pay its therapists based on experience. While it would be nice to reward our most experienced therapists with a higher pay grade, the impact of this practice is too detrimental to our professions and customers, not to mention the patients they serve.

What’s your take? Look for future entries of this multi-part series, and let us know what you think along the way!

Business Principles, Healthcare Executives, Houston Staffing Agency, Medical Staffing Resource, Uncategorized

August 9, 2011

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Physical Therapy For Sports Injuries

Athletes depend on physical therapists to get them back in the game after an injury. Through evaluation as well as rehabilitation, physical therapists are vital to the recovery of an injured athlete. But what many may not realize is that physical therapists are also active in helping to legislate protection against injury.

Head injuries and their management have been in the news lately. New research shows that the concussions in the National Hockey League are more severe than ever, which is not surprising given the punishment endured by hockey players. Bodychecking is the primary culprit, and many experts are advocating a ban on bodychecking in children’s leagues.

Other Major League sports are legislating injury management, too. Major League Baseball has recently put into place new concussion guidelines, and the National Football League will require sideline concussion tests starting this fall. This is good news for professional athletes and for the student athletes who admire them, but more needs to be done to protect young people.

In Iowa, lobbying by physical therapists has been instrumental in putting into place a groundbreaking new law. It mandates that players be removed immediately from the game if there is suspicion of concussion and not allowed to return until evaluated by a physical therapist. This law ensures that student athletes will have access to physical therapists. Thankfully, similar legislation is underway in thirty-five other states. The American Physical Therapy Association is actively involved in pushing through this legislation and will continue to strive for more measures to protect young players.

Physical therapists, partnered with other health professionals, are vital to sports players. Through continued efforts, they can be influential on our nation’s leaders as advocates as well as physicians. Protecting our athletes from injury, especially the young ones, should be a national priority.

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Physical Therapy, Professional organizations, Uncategorized

Physical Therapy For Sports Injuries, treatment for sports injuries

June 28, 2011

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Current Standing of the Houston Health Job Market

In today’s economy, it is important to choose a career path with a fairly certain future.

Fortunately for those in health care related fields, the job market is on an upward trajectory. With the Baby Boomer generation entering their golden years, the outlook is very favorable for health care workers, and advances in technology make the report even more positive.

The United States Department of Labor predicts that by the year 2014, employment growth in the healthcare industry will account for nineteen percent of all wage and salary jobs added to the economy in the ten preceding years. That equates to about 3.6 million new jobs. Many of the fastest growing occupations are in the health care industry; for example, employment for home health aides is expected to rise by fifty-six percent, medical assistants by fifty percent, and physical therapy assistants, forty-four percent.

The news in Houston is even better. During the economic slump, Houston has fared better than many other cities in the United States. While the national decline in jobs has been about thirty-two percent over the past year, Houston has only declined by about nineteen. The population of the United States is growing rapidly, with an increase of almost fifty percent anticipated by 2030, and most of that growth is happening in the South and West. It is also projected that by 2060, twenty-four percent of Americans will be over age sixty-five. Because of Houston’s location, health care workers based there are ideally situated to benefit from this population explosion.

Healthcare has long been an established field with good prospects. As the average age of Americans climbs higher and technology improves, it is an even more promising field. Healthcare workers in Houston can be confident that their job security looks extremely bright and that the industry looks like it will continue to prosper long into the future.

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Healthcare Occupation Forecast, Physical Therapy

houston health job market, physical therapy jobs houston

June 21, 2011

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How to Tell When Someone is Lying in an Interview

We all want to be able to trust those around us. Unfortunately, learning how to spot a liar is a necessary skill in both our personal and professional lives. Though there is no way to completely avoid ever being fooled by someone who is deceitful, some red flags exist that can help you discover if someone is not being honest.

• Is the person vague? Details are hard to remember if they are not true.  A deceitful person does not want to be tripped up by providing more information than he can keep straight. Someone who is purposefully vague is probably lying.
• Does the person avoid answering specific questions? Liars do not want to be pinned down, and may become defensive or try to change the subject when asked for specifics.
• Does he or she stall with fillers? When a person often asks you to repeat yourself, or says “um” or “huh,” it is often an attempt to create more time to think of a response.
• Does the story sound credible? Trust your instincts on this. If a story sounds unlikely, it is probably false.
• Does the person make eye contact? Failure to look you in the eye could be a sign that someone is probably lying. Unfortunately, this almost always applies only to novice liars; those who are practiced at deceit tend to make prolonged eye contact.
• The eyes have it. Aside from the issue of eye contact, the eyes give a liar away in other ways as well.  Liars may look up, down, or to the side when talking to you, may look “shifty eyed”, or may blink too much or too little. The pupils may also dilate because of adrenaline released due to stress.
• Inappropriate emotion is a giveaway. Liars may try to disguise their discomfort by becoming angry or extremely demonstrative. A liar may even storm out of the room, which gives him more time to regroup and come up with more lies.
• Fidgeting reveals dishonesty. A liar may seem unable to sit still, or may touch his face frequently.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you begin paying closer attention to body language and facial expressions, you will probably discover some more ways to tell if someone is being dishonest. Learning how to do so will save a great deal of trouble in the end.

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Interviewing, Uncategorized

Catch a Liar, How to Tell When Someone is Lying

June 14, 2011

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Treatment for Dysphagia in Senior Adults

Dysphagia, or swallowing difficulty, is a fairly common problem, particularly among older adults. It is estimated that thirty-five percent of people over fifty are plagued with problems when swallowing, with the percentage being much higher among nursing home residents. It can happen at any stage of life, though, particularly for people who have had head or spinal cord injuries or suffer from progressive neuromuscular diseases.

Dysphagia is a serious problem that involves both voluntary and involuntary activities. It increases risk of not only weight loss, dehydration, and malnutrition, but also aspiration, airway obstruction, and pneumonia.

To understand dysphagia, it is necessary to understand the process of swallowing, which consists of three phases: oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal. The oral phase involves chewing, and moving the food from the mouth to the pharynx. The pharyngeal phase is mostly involuntary, and for this one needs a functioning swallowing reflex. It is a complicated process, involving moving the food into the esophagus by the tongue and pharyngeal walls, relaxation of the upper esophageal sphincter, and closure of the epiglottis. The final phase, the esophageal phase, moves the food toward the stomach using peristalsis and relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter.

It has been suggested that dysphagia has two classifications: oropharyngeal and esophageal. The causes are varied, but include Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, herpes, candida, brain stem injuries, depression, and many other ailments. It can also be caused by alcohol and certain medications.  Oropharygeal dysphagia is manifested by coughing, choking or complaints of food sticking in the throat. Esophageal dysphagia results in complaints of regurgitation of undigested food or the feeling that food gets stuck in the chest. More subtle manifestations are unexplained weight loss and recurring cough or pneumonia.

In most cases, carefully reviewing a patient’s history can reveal the cause of dysphagia. The patient should also have a thorough physical exam that incorporates an evaluation of mental and nutritional status, as well as neurologic and respiratory assessments. Diagnostic tests can also be helpful and may include a CT or MRI scan, testing for metabolic disorders, nasopharyngoscopy or endoscopy, or a modified barium swallow. Once the cause and type of dysphagia has been determined, treatment can begin.

Treatment options include:

• Medication: many patients with dysphagia do not respond to medication, but those that also suffer from gastroesophogal reflux disease tend to have success with high doses of proton pump inhibitors. Other pharmacologic solutions that have proven helpful to some are endoscopic injections of Botox into the gastroesophageal sphincter or the use of Valium for a disorder known as the nutcracker esophagus.
• Surgical intervention: should really only be used if patients do not respond to more moderate treatment.
• Dietary modifications: dietary texture management, using the American Dietetic Association’s National Dysphagia diet, can be helpful. This diet consists of five levels and thickening agents; level one foods are pureed, level two minced, level three are ground, level four chopped, and level five consists of regular soft foods. It is suggested that dysphagia patients take small bites, eat slowly, remain upright while eating and for forty-five minutes afterwards, and refrain from conversation while eating.
• Swallowing therapy: therapists can help patients reduce aspiration risk by teaching compensatory swallowing maneuvers. These include the chin tuck, the supraglottic swallow, and the Mendelssohn maneuver.

Dysphagia can be a serious and even life threatening problem. It is particularly challenging when caused by Alzheimer’s or another neurologic disorder. However, with proper treatment, patients can overcome dysphagia and live healthy lives.

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Treatment for Dysphagia in Senior Adults

Treating Dysphagia, Treatment for Dysphagia in Senior Adults

June 7, 2011

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The Value of Professional Organizations for Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists

A career in physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech language pathology can be extremely rewarding. Being in a position to help people overcome difficulties in their lives is a benefit that cannot be overstated when choosing one of these careers. But who is there to help the therapists themselves? Professional organizations are a great boon to those in these sorts of helping professions. Here are some reasons for becoming a member:

• Networking. Providing an opportunity to meet like-minded people is a really important function of professional organizations. Most associations host several functions each year in which you will be able to meet your peers, share ideas, and ask for advice. In addition, when you are a member of a professional organization, you will have the opportunity to meet experts in your field, who can help you to grow in your career.
• Education. As a benefit of your membership, you’ll have access to journals and newsletters that will keep you up to date on new developments in your field. Being informed of these developments is crucial to having successful interviews.  You will also learn about educational opportunities, and about different companies or individuals with whom you might want to work.
• The Advancement of Your Career. Professional membership is a great addition to your resume. Another benefit is that, because these associations put you in touch with their members, it is an excellent way to find career opportunities.

There are professional organizations available to you no matter which occupation you have chosen.

• For physical therapists, there are local organizations, like the Texas Physical Therapy Association, whose stated goal is “to improve the health and well-being of people in Texas by advancing physical therapist practice”; there are also national organizations, like the American Physical Therapy Association.
• Occupational therapists can join the American Occupational Therapy Association, which “advances the quality, availability, use, and support of occupational therapy through standard-setting, advocacy, education, and research on behalf of its members and the public.”
• For speech language pathologists, there is the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which seeks to “support and empower speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists.”

No matter what your profession, you are sure to find support in advancing your career when you choose a professional organization. Whether you are a student or already working in your field, you will benefit from joining one of these associations.

Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Language Pathology

Houston occupational therapy, Houston physical therapy, Professional Organizations

June 3, 2011

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Orthopedic Surgeons and Physical Therapists Work Together for You

Orthopedic surgery, along with physical therapy, can be frightening for a patient. Any time your musculoskeletal system is in need of repair, it can be an overwhelming experience. Patients may even have concerns about life afterwards. How soon can regular activities be resumed? Will anything ever feel “normal” again? Rest assured, orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists know exactly how to work together to get patients back on their feet.

• Personalized plans. Orthopedic surgeons work closely with physical therapists to create an individualized plan for each patient. This plan takes into account the patient’s diagnosis, treatment plan, lifestyle, and long term goals.
• Total rehabilitation. Physical therapists will work with you after an operation, and you will spend time in the clinic working on your rehabilitation. However, they will also work with you on a plan so that you can continue to work on your recovery at home.
• Pain management. The goal of physical therapists is to help patients to improve the quality of their lives. With that in mind, they will help you learn to manage pain, and show you the correct way to work towards your rehabilitation in order to minimize pain.
• Caring teamwork. Orthopedic surgery is only one part of the picture. It is important to consider the entire patient when treating any ailment. Physical therapists have the training and ability to understand the complex nature of each patient’s individual condition and the details of each surgical procedure. Because of this, they are uniquely qualified to assist orthopedic surgeons in creating a plan that works for each patient.

Even though an injury or ailment that requires surgery can be a frightening experience, it is comforting to know orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists can help you through it. Better still is the knowledge that a team is available to work with you before, during, and after the procedure. When your orthopedic surgeon works with a physical therapist, you can rest assured that this is the case, and you have a competent team working on your behalf.

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Orthopedic surgery, Patients, Physical Therapy

Orthopedic surgeons, Orthopedic surgery, Physical Therapists, physical therapy

May 26, 2011

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Occupational Therapy and Obesity

Occupational therapy and obesity are not two words you would usually put together. Of all the health issues threatening children, there’s little doubt that childhood obesity is one of the most prevalent. It is estimated that 16 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are obese, and that number does not seem to be in decline. Pediatric obesity is an issue because of a host of ailments that accompany it, like diabetes and sleep disorders.

One challenge is to inspire children to forgo sedentary leisure activities in favor of vigorous physical pursuits like sports and active play. This seems like a natural part of childhood, and in the past it was. Modern children have so much access to television, computers, and video games that they’ve lost a simple but vital part of their childhood- the desire and ability to play outside. Some schools are changing from traditional recess to “enhanced” recess, with adults guiding the children, asserting that, left to their own devices, children will not use recess as an opportunity for physical activity.

It’s not just a matter of physical inactivity, either. Bombarded with advertising for unhealthy foods, children are unlikely to make good choices when they are given options. Easy access to junk foods, combined with a lack of movement, makes for unhealthy children.

What does this have to do with occupational therapy? Since occupational therapists are already in schools working with children, they are in a unique position to impact childhood obesity.

• Children learn by doing. Teaching children to play traditional active games and role playing daily activities like grocery shopping gives them knowledge and skills they will carry into adulthood.
• When children learn, their parents are also recipients of the knowledge. Teaching children how to grocery shop in a healthier way makes them less likely to make poor choices as adults, and many of those children will carry the lessons they learn home to their parents, thus benefitting the whole family.
• Teachers don’t have the time. In theory, schools could incorporate this teaching into their curriculum. In practice, schools are already overburdened. Staff members such as occupational therapists, who are trained in these kinds of activities, have the opportunity to be truly effective in helping children master new skills. After school programs are a great place to implement programs designed to teach children healthier habits.
• Effective programs empower children. Some innovative new programs have incorporated nutrition, physical activity, and goal setting. Allowing children to set their own goals gives them confidence in their ability to make knowledgeable choices, which carries over into the decisions they make in every day life.
• Novelty is exciting. When it comes to food choices, many children have never been exposed to a wide array of healthy foods. Things like hummus, kiwi, colorful vegetables with dip, and starfruit are new to many children, and helping to prepare these snacks can be thrilling. Once children are exposed to these things, they may even become some of their favorite foods.
• Group participation can give excellent results. Children who learn about and prepare healthy snacks together and then play fun and active games, encourage each other. This positive feedback from peers is a big factor in a program’s success.

It really is an exciting time to be an occupational therapist.  There are so many ways to positively impact people’s lives and help to make them more meaningful. Helping children overcome the habits that lead to obesity is among the most worthwhile pursuits for an occupational therapist.

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Occupational Therapy

Houston occupational therapy, occupational therapy and obesity

May 18, 2011

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