Entry 2: Communication

I’ve had a good first week on the ortho ward at JHC, it has been a great introduction to the way a hospital runs and the role of a physio in this environment.

Situation- One thing I feel I have really benefited from so far has been listening to some initial assessments and the different ways that you can go about performing them. Conducting my first initial assessment on a patient was a daunting task, but one which I gained a lot from.

I’d probably heard 4 or 5 from my supervisor before I had my first crack and I had done some work with my tutor on them, so I wasn’t feeling too bad. My patient was a middle-aged female who had had a knee procedure performed and post-op instructions were for 0-90° graduated CPM day 1, FWB status and rigorous LL strength training, particularly for quads. I checked her progress notes, x-rays and obs and then went in to get started.

Tasks- So my tasks were to do an initial assessment, teach initial bed exercises, teach crutches and set up the CPM machine.

Action- Under the watchful eye of my supervisor I completed all my tasks pretty easily and finished feeling quite happy with the way things had gone.

Result- Then I had a chat with my supervisor for some feedback and she said I did well for my first time, that I got all the info that I needed for my initial assessment, just that I needed to improve my communication.

Evaluation- She said I need to explain what and why I’m doing things better to the patient and this will help me get the required info easier. I felt this was a good evaluation because at times I did feel as though the patient felt a little lost.

Strategies- Overall it turned out pretty well, I will get better with practice, but it definitely outlines the importance of good communication skills.

Ozzman out!