Before I get to the complex topics,
I would like to continue covering the basics this week. One greatly overlooked
aspect to physical therapy is the patient-therapist relationship. Since therapy
requires a patient’s trust and dedication, it is vital that the therapist
establishes the ideal image from the second they walk in the clinic.
The first impression is the make-or-break
moment that will determine how effective the therapy will be in the future.
When a patient comes in for an evaluation, the therapist needs to gain their
trust by showing their expertise. They have to explain the problem and
immediately create a treatment plan. Then the patient will believe the
therapist has a clear idea on their condition, allowing them to follow
directions more strictly and to keep them from questioning the therapist.
In most clinics, there will be TVs around
the room. When the news is on, patients will often voice their opinions to
other patients and the therapists. They are looking for an excuse to distract
themselves from the pain of the exercises. The opinions tend to be very strong
and often disagreeable. It is the therapist’s job to nod their heads and let
the patient feel like they are in agreement, as long as they never actually say
that they agree. We all trust those that are like us. Patients will communicate
and listen to therapists that they believe think alike, and the patient feels
understood.
The therapist must also know how to
treat the patients with different dedication levels. Eager patients need to
have their backs patted. Patients will often love to hear that they are doing
something right. Other patients may be negative and need the motivation to come
from therapists.
Ooo, so is having TVs around the room actually a tactic for getting patients to be more conversational and friendly with therapists?
ReplyDeleteThey were originally for the therapists to enjoy, but it also helps to simulate where the patients will exercise on their own, like their house or the gym.
DeleteI've experienced similar patient-to-therapist interactions during my project, particularly how to not talk down to the elderly patients and to show them that they can trust me. Do you have any specific examples of interactions you had with patients (or saw your mentor have) that really stand out to you?
ReplyDeleteWell one that stands out is when I was doing manual therapy on a patient and she kept talking and talking about her financial situation. I just had to stick with "yeah?" and "oh really?" just to have her know I'm listening. She definitely seems to trust what I say a lot because of that.
DeleteAs with any professional relationship, trust is paramount. If you are putting yourself in someone else's hands, you must believe that they are going to help you! Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteExactly! Thank you Mr. Nishan.
Delete