Think On Your Feet

Nerve-racking. 

There’s no better word I could think of to describe my interaction with an actual patient today. Yes, actual patient, in flesh; and I was alone. I thought to myself how great an opportunity it would be to encounter a client in the flesh. And I was excited and nervous—more nervous than excited, though.

Reading through my supposed patient’s records, I quietly imagined her not showing up as she usually cancels her sessions. All the while, there was this noisy lady behind me who kept on chattering loudly while I was reading and I imagined her being my client as Christl, the intern assigned to my supposed patient, told me how talkative my patient is.

Alas, as if I have plotted out the whole thing like I was the director of this whole drama, my patient cancelled on the last minute! Ma’am Dana had to look for another patient scheduled at the same time and on whom I may apply the Progressive Relaxation Technique and again, as if the powers of the universe conspired to make her mine, the noisy lady who was introduced to me as Ma’am Chris (?) became my patient.

I was caught off-guard but I tried to remain calm. A classmate told me prior to my session that hers just took five minutes and so I quickly planned my session in my head, not knowing anything about the patient except that she has had stroke. I learned here that every PT has to think on his/her feet all the time, regardless whether he/she is prepared or not.

I did what I had to do and now that I think about it, I did quite okay. I would consider how I handled the conversation as a strong point in my activity. It was that one thing I’m proud of in my mini session—I had the patient respond to me and judging by the eye contact, clearly look at me as if I’m trustworthy. (That—my body language shouting “NOVICE HERE!”—is what I feared about this activity.)

Thinking on my feet, I did poorly on the intervention itself. I failed to focus on what she wanted be treated—her hands; however, thanks to Ma’am Dana’s cues, I still managed to address her complaint.

Considering how this event turned out, I think I’d have to enhance my flexibility and analytical thinking should this activity happen again. Of course, by then, I wouldn’t be treating any patient on the same schedule but supposing that I will have to, I’d have to be prepared.

To improve my manner of teaching, I will have to learn to actually think of what the patient probably thinks of. If I know how she would understand my instructions, then I would be able to relate more with how she does the activity.

In the future teaching activities, I highly suggest that the cases to be given out include the critical factors about the patients. I heard a friend say she found out that her patient had some behavior that need management. Had she not known about it prior to teaching, it could've shocked her. Thinking about it, I would have been shocked myself as I would have planned my treatment solely on the known presentations of the major complaint presented on the slip that was given me. But then again, we always think on our feet.

It’s a process of learning, teaching is. Now that I have experienced it myself, I’m more excited to do more.