Initial Entry – Placement 2 2013

 For my next placement I will be on a gerontology ward of a hospital. From the brief and facility notes it appears to be very similar to my second year placement. My expectations of the placement are that I will be will be assessing patient’s mobility status and prescribing mobility aids to rehabilitate them into their normal routines. My biggest concern is that this will be a repetitive type placement and I will not learn a great deal more. This is of course completely unfounded as I left that previous placement well below the level of a professional physiotherapist. This will be my opportunity to make amends and bring my skills to fruition in the area where I hope to specialize.

On my second year placement I was able to manage a large patient load and work semi-independently from my supervisor. I intend to use the first week to familiarize myself with the surroundings, the people and procedures and try to assist as many of the working physios as I can to get an understanding of the assessment style and treatment plans being conducted. From this base I will be able to contribute my abilities to the group.

I had also been a part of team meetings and involved in patient referrals and discharge. I felt I left that placement a little unsure of the procedures and what standards were acceptable to discharge a patient. I hope to improve on these points at this next placement. To do this I will read the patient notes more in-depth to understand where they came from and what aids they were previously using, and what they are expected to be discharged to with their current level of function. Talking this through with the patient and collaboratively goal setting is a skill that I have gained from my previous musculoskeletal outpatient setting and one that I will be incorporating here.

I feel I will have more confidence contributing in team meetings and having discussions about a patient with nursing staff and doctors and be aware that I play an important role in the patient’s management. I have been rehearsing the ISOBAR method of patient hand-over in preparation for this placement, as RITH and community physiotherapy are usually involved post-hospital admission. I am also hoping to present a professional development session to the physiotherapist group, as I would like to put my newly acquired research methods skills to the test. This will be advised by my supervisor as to what will be required.

I feel extremely positive about this placement and know I will make great gains into the field of gerontology physiotherapy and into my clinical reasoning abilities.