Final Entry - Placement 1 2013

I have just completed a five-week placement at a musculoskeletal outpatient clinic in the public sector. My main concern at the start of the placement was needing to present myself at a higher standard and be able to justify any of my ideas. This was, of course exactly the way it was, in a very positive way.

In the first week I found it hard to settle. The major difficulty was taking over the treatment of patients from other students and physiotherapists. There was a great deal of time spent on researching the patients’ conditions and going through their files to make sure nothing was missed. On reflection I found that I overdid this part but it was an important hurdle to overcome.

I found that as you progressed in the workplace and saw more patients, you began to trust other health professionals around you and were able to pick up where they left off. A quick read of a patients last session and a look at their initial assessment was enough to give you a good idea of the patient’s current condition and treatment plan. All the reviewing of anatomy and conditions and treatment algorithms were still easily referenced, but it was much quicker and more effective to quickly read the notes and then speak with the patient and re-confirm some points and goals. Three years of physiotherapy study to back me up, but much more refined and streamlined at the coalface. This was some of the key feedback from the supervising staff at my mid-semester review. Over-thinking the problem can create excessive time-wastage, complicated assessment plans and difficult to follow treatments.

It began to make more sense from this perspective about a patient-centred approach. In lectures it just sounded like the holistic way to treat, whereas in the work environment it is the better way to provide a service the client and in a timely manner.

Time management was always an issue and I found myself cutting the line pretty thin at times. Paperwork and other administrative tasks can pile up if not dealt with in a timely manner. Planning ahead and having a session well thought out and recorded can reduce the need to sit and remember what happened at the end of the day. Having a fellow colleague with administrative skills is also very handy and a good way to learn efficiency (just remember to fill the lolly jar regularly).

The notebook was handy but lasted a very short time. Scrawling on small scrap pieces of paper has never been my thing but it seems writing on the back of my hand as a quick reminder worked more effectively. A big handy file sitting on my desk also worked very well to keep track of admin tasks that needed to be accomplished.

I felt that the first placement of this final year has prepared me for being more efficient in the workplace and that these skills will be passed on to my study methods and other areas of my life in a conscious effort to reduce waste and provide the best outcome possible for the client. My fears about there being a greater expectation were true but it has helped to lift the standard of my work and prepare me for life after graduation.