I have been learning throughout the year a few good pointers frpm not only the qualified physios we work for but the nurses as well. These valuable tips will be very handy after we graduate and enter the workforce.
Simple things on the wards like operating a patients pca when alarms are sounding, maintaining an IV, learning about different drugs and there effects, learning to take away a slidesheet from under a patient without moving them and being a 2nd or 3rd helper in many treatment sessions has given me now found respect for what they do.
I have also found that its a two way street/ Educating not only the patinets, but the nurses about simple things such as same transfers and how we conduct mobility Ax menas they have an understanding and an appreciation of what we do.
What I have found is that whenever a nurse needs a spare hand for a role, transfer or to get something for them on the ward, i'm always happy to do it, especially if they have been helping you treating your patients and giving valuable subjective and objective measures for each or your treatment sessions. My recent ortho inpatinets clinic highlighted this as there was a terrific group pf nurses who ran the ward, to me some times it seemed like chaos, but to them, ordered chaos.
If I ever end up working on a ward in the near future, one of my main goals is to be friendly with the other allied health team members, especially the nurses. Everything runs a lot smoother with them on your side.
Has anyone had the priviledge to work with a good group of allied health professionals on their clinics this year?
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4 comments:
i found this to be very true as well! i sometimes only manage to see patients once a day where truthfully they probably need phsyio a lot more frequently that that! the nurses are fantastic at incorporating your exercises in a patients every day routine if you only ask and explain what you want the patient to be doing - such as always making the patient walk to the toilet insead of using the commode etc.. the nurses are an invaluable help with the patients, and i agree with you about always being to help them on the ward - its a two way street! a useful tip i've found when it comes to difficult patients is that i watch how the nurses interact with the patient first and get them to cooperate in everyday tasks and then try mimick that attitude with the patient and it frequently works!
hey hendo, i agree with your post. I think working as an allied health team as a whole is brilliant. I think the nurses are most important! They're with the patient most of the time and know the most upto status of him/her. Nurses are very aware that patients either to be Ambulating or be SOOB. Its always good to help nurses out, because you'll know that you'll need a hand one day, and it's hard to find another physio. And sometimes when you help the nurse move the patient out of bed, it becomes your treatment too, sometimes patients just don't want to move, and when they do, you'll have to take advantage of it.
Very interesting point hendo... I have been amazed at how much valuable information the nurses hold. They are usually able to help you with just about anything.I think appreciation of every area of the allied health team takes time but is really rewarding and can help you get the most out of your treatments
Totally am with you on this reflection! Nurses are just so amazing.. their wealth of knowledge with not just their medical knowledge but with the patients as well is amazing. Because they deal with the pts more than we do as we sometimes just come in and leave within 15 mins just enables them to build a much sound rappot with the pts. I have found that sometime when you cannot get pts to do something you ask the nurses for help and 9 times out of 10 the pt will comply!
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