In A Student’s Words…Michelle (Entry 3)
I have had a plethora of wonderful learning experiences during my clinicals. I was recently having a conversation with my mother, who cares for my grandfather with Parkinson’s, about things she could do to prevent falls. It occurred to me then, that this was one of the unique things that I get to do as physical therapist that not all healthcare providers get to do. Family education is just as crucial to a patient’s success, especially in the field of inpatient rehab, as teaching that person to walk. We are so lucky to get to go into people’s homes to educate the patient and the family on ways to adjust their home to promote a safer environment. We have the ability to converse with patients and their families to learn what values they hold dear and how we can provide appropriate medical care while still allowing them to have some control. In the rehab setting, we get to spend hours teaching not only the patient how to transfer, walk and climb stairs, but we also educate their families on everything from safety during a task, verbal cues to give during a task, and equipment needed to make a task easier to perform. How lucky we are to be allowed that much time with the patient and get to know their families so well! The rewards of the field overwhelm me at times. How blessed am I to get to do this every day?!
-Michelle
