Informed Consent Research Study

Physical Therapy is an active, helpful career. It focuses on rehabilitation to reestablish full function and mobility to the patient. Anyone and everyone can qualify for physical therapy. Patients differ in age and race, and of course, by their illness or injury. The job involves possessing and using knowledge to diagnose the patient and establish a management plan deciding what therapy will benefit and improve the patient’s condition and averaging how long it will take to accomplish.

As a PTA I have been given a breath of knowledge in regard to the profession of physical therapy. However, I am not satisfied with this breath of knowledge. I yearn for the opportunity to gain a further understanding in terms of “how and why” physical therapy is successful at restoring function to individuals seeking

While I shadowed Janet, I noticed that there was a multitude of tedious documentation that she was required to record. She explained that she spends numerous hours outside of work completing this documentation. Aside from the overwhelming amount of documentation, I felt that I could potentially enjoy working in the field of physical therapy. Janet is able to truly work with patients one-on-one and it was heartwarming to see the excitement that Janet expressed when her patients showed progress. As the year progresses, I plan to look into the steps required to become a physical

Ever since I was a kid, it has been my life goal to help as many people I can. I have moved around in many different areas of the medical field, but no career had caught my eye as much as physical therapy. As an athlete, I have been in and out of the physical therapist’s office for a majority of my life. Each time I have went I could not help but be beyond grateful for what these people have done for me; they have given me the ability to play the sport I love despite all the hiccups. Physical therapy is a dynamic field within the field of medicine because as a physical therapist one can make a difference in the lives of his or her patients, enjoy job security, and enjoy a rewarding and personally satisfying career.

In the words of Field (2007), "physical therapists develop therapies and exercise modalities to help patients ease pain, recover from injuries or illness, or regain use of body parts." The relevance of physical therapy as a health care profession cannot hence be overstated. This is more so the case given that due to injuries, accidents, old age or disabilities; individuals could at some point need intervention designed to alleviate pain, improve mobility or even restore function.

My first experience observing a physical therapist, commenced in the summer of 2014. At the time, I was given the opportunity to observe a physical therapist named Jennifer Moreland. Throughout my time observing her, I began to recognize she was not just a physical therapist with her patients. Many times, she took on the role of a consoler, cheerleader, friend and supporter for her patients. Reflecting back on this, I am able to see that the primary reason she has succeeded as a physical therapist; is due to her amiable, encouraging and empathetic nature. These character traits have allowed her to do more than heal patients' musculoskeletal problems. She has also been able to heal hearts, souls and minds by cheering, supporting, listening

Patients may experience satisfaction with a healthy respect for their physical therapist. When patients know someone cares about them, they are more motivated to work for recovery and self-care and the recovery outcome for a patient is more favorable. The therapist experiences a renewed sense of meaning and fulfillment.

The American Physical Therapy Association is an accredited National Organization that offers membership to students, employers, and employees in the field of physical therapy from all across the country. As a student, I could benefit from being a member through discounts, aid, insurance, employment resources, evidence and research resources, and involvement opportunities (American – Membership Benefits for Students). After completing my education and entering the job field, I could experience benefits as a physical

The physical therapy profession is concerned with treating individuals of all ages. In the future, I plan on being able to comfort individuals undergoing physical therapy by being able to use my compassionate nature, caring, understanding, and the expertise that I will gain, while serving as their physical therapist. In doing the previously mentioned things, I hope to be considered as an important asset to society. I believe that people will be able to increase their viability by seeking my assistance.

I believe that my personal and professional growth and behavior as a physical therapist is of utmost importance. I base this firstly on my strong connection to those in society who are disadvantaged when it comes to physical therapy, and also on the movement system, movement being “the key to optimal living and quality of life for all people that extends beyond health to every person’s ability to participate in and contribute to society” (American Physical Therapy Association, 2013). This perspective, I believe, is aligned perfectly with the vision statement for the physical therapy profession – to transform society through optimization of movement to improve the human experience (APTA, 2013). After reviewing the vision statement, I strongly believe it will act as my guide by strengthening compassion, reinforcing advocacy, improving quality of service, and strengthening cohesion.

Life can change in a split second when an unanticipated injury or disease hinders someone’s normal daily life. Modern medicine, physicians and families can only do so much but physical therapy can help recoup the life many of us take for granted. It often isn’t until we lose something that we as humans realize what we had such as the value of our body’s ability to take us through each day. A physical therapist is the person who stays with a patient for the duration of the rehabilitation process. A physical therapist leads the patient through the process of regaining physical strength and helps the patient regain control of their future. Much like many careers that involve interaction with individuals, physical therapy reaches beyond

I consider patients' values and preferences are as important as implementation of treatment plan and that is why I support the idea that Evidence-based physical therapy practice is to incorporate most effective evidence-based treatment in the care plan by considering patients' inclinations and values, and based on that provide physical therapy services in a better social environment to improve patient's condition and quality of life (Jewell, 2014). Whereas according to Cormack (2002) "in addition to the evidence derived from research and patient preferences, clinical circumstances, and therapist's experience and judgment also play an important role in clinical decision making". I believe the incorporation of evidence-based practice in physical

One of the most rewarding parts of working as a physical therapy technician is both seeing and being partly responsible for the noticeable improvements in both mobility and function that our patients make. To me, there is nothing better than seeing patients who at first were reliant on crutches or a walker progress to the point where they can walk unassisted, or hearing patients who suffer from chronic pain say they woke up pain-free for the first time in weeks. To reach this point of improvement, however, the patients must be engaged and active in their own rehabilitation, which means following their home exercise programs and showing up for their scheduled appointments. In order for patients to buy in and take an active role in their therapy,

Physical therapists are members of a health care team, specially trained to improve movement and flinction, relieve pain, and expand movement potential. Through evaluation and individualized treatment programs, physical therapists can both treat existing problems and provide preventive health care for people with a variety of needs (Physical Therapy-Improving 1). Physical therapists are very knowledgeable and skillful concerning the human body. Physical therapy is a complex, but rewarding field to pursue as a career. Specialization, working conditions, job outlook, salaries, and education requirements need to be taken into consideration when contemplating a career as a physical therapist.

Physical therapy is the scientific physical procedures used in the treatment of patients with a disability, disease, or injury to achieve and maintain function and to prevent malfunction or deformity. One of the most important tasks that physical therapists perform is the various forms of therapeutic exercise that are used to increase strength and endurance to improve coordination and functional movement for activities of daily living and to increase and maintain range of motion (APTA History).