Week two and still battling the DOMS. Sorry Leah, can’t afford a gym, using milk jugs of sand at the mo!! This week I have definitely picked up some new techniques to conserve my back..?? But who knows what else may be compensating!!
My concern this week is the expectancy of the patient. This week I started treating a new neuro patient who is very dysphasic and dyspraxic. This alone makes it hard to treat them because comprehension of the task at hand varies. I can see in their eyes they have quite the personality and understand the necessity of rehab to get better. The length of ‘quality’ time I have to achieve a successful treatment is MAX ~ 20 minutes [not including the transfer to the wheel chair (10min) and transport to the physio gym (5min)] before the patient starts to ‘turn-off’ and loose interest. I find that reasonable! On occasion the secession may not show a huge change (note being this is acute stage neuro) but I chalk that up to the patients mood, fatigue, time of day and people present. At one secession this week I could tell my patient had had enough and I was preparing to return them to their room. My supervisor wanted to see them do a bit more work. My patient continued but by the end of another 10min they were quite annoyed and tired. The session was productive and an improvement seen but my patient was cranky. My patient doesn’t seem to care too much for physio now, but I work my charm to encourage them on the benefit! Could I be too lenient or naive to where I ‘give-in’ (cutting a secession short) which may be hindering the patient?? I don’t want to ‘push their limits’ and loose their respect or motivation to get better?? UGH! Or is there a happy medium?
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2 comments:
I have the same problem sometimes but more often than not, I usually push my patients quite a bit. After a few sessions they know that I will push them hard and they even joke about it. Once your patients realise what sort of Physio you are and expect to be pushed to the limits everytime, they will be fine with it. As Zak said in her first post, encouragement/motivation works wonders and makes a world of difference. Come on, work that Nebraska charm.
A few ideas which you might consider Tara (I hear that you’re doing an awesome job out there at SCGH by the way!). Maybe 2 shorter sessions of treatment as opposed to 1 can be more productive?; Asking your patient what time they would prefer to have their physio (this is obviously dependent on your available time and other patients), this empowers them somewhat, in a seemingly powerless position they are in due to their condition; Outlining at the start of the session what the plan is for treatment, so they know what they will need to do and when it will be finished.
Otherwise it sounds like you have made all the right moves….encouragement, motivation and understanding. Well done!
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