On September 8th, 2015, I first began interning for Dr. Dawn Cox and her staff of experienced Physical Therapists at PRANA Functional Manual Therapy in Lancaster, PA as a Physical Therapy Aide. Intermittently, on the first day of my internship, I would ask the therapists “Why choose Physical Therapy as a profession?” One of the Physical Therapists conveyed that aside from the substantial benefits a job provides, it was the intangible materials that gave the profession a meaning. As a student exploring the field of Physical Therapy, I have infallibly witnessed professionalism at PRANA and other Physical Therapy facilities through the therapists’ altruism towards patients -without violating ethical practices as professionals; their apposite use of communication with each individual at the workplace; and their sense of accountability when things go unforeseen.
Altruism, in which one selflessly devotes to the welfare of another without expecting anything in return, often elicits an inexplicable and intangible surge of joy, in which one gains a sense of purpose. For example, I have observed the therapists at PRANA, whom altruistically devote up to an hour, when initially only allotted a half-hour time slot, programming individualized treatments for each patient. In their hour- long treatments, they create a non-fraternizing relationship with their patients that is fully functional on trust, empathy, and generosity. Devoting that extra time to each patient gives not only the
Professional behavior in the academic field of Physical Therapy is vital to success in the future. As a rehabilitation technician at ATI, one of the largest physical therapy institutions in the country, professionalism often generalizes to the working environment, a concept I have observed first hand. At the moment the patient enters the clinic, that individual is the main concern the therapist, and all personal and professional issues are sidelined. I had the privilege of
Physical therapy is defined as the treatment of an injury, disease, or deformity by physical means and methods such as exercise, hot or cold treatments, and/or massage rather than a pharmaceutical method such as opioids or the surgical route. Physical therapy much like other healthcare professions is a patient based profession in which the healthcare professional and the patient are in contact with each other frequently. This contact between the professional (the physical therapist assistant in this case) and the patient can propose issues that could challenge the physical therapist assistant’s morals, ethics, and/or professionalism. These challenges made it apparent that there needed to be guidelines for the professionalism a physical therapist assistant must follow and be aware of, which led to the development of the 8 value-based behaviors.
1. This observation was between the Physical Therapist (PT), Katie a 15-month-old girl, and her mother. Katie does not have a specific diagnosis but she has significant motor delays for her age. According to the PT and Katie’s mother she has just started walking by holding on to things. This observation took place in the gym, the benches were set up like a bridge and toys were put on top for her to play with. The PT sat behind Katie on one side of the bridge and Katie’s mom on the other side. Katie pulled herself up to reach the toys. The PT would move toys along the bridge to motivate her to move sideways. During this time the PT and Katie’s mother were taking about the progress she has made since she first started. Katie’s mother stated that at home Katie will stand by herself for a few seconds but then realizes it and she falls down. Katie’s mom also stated that she believed Katie does not have the confidence in herself to stand and walk on her own. The mother also reported that she always encourages her to stand and walk when they are at home. The rest of the session consisted of Katie practicing walking side-to-side and transitioning from the floor up to the bridge.
Professionalism “is the skill, good judgement, and polite behavior that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well.” The Physical Therapy field has come to a consensus on a set of core values that they feel are key components of professionalism. These core values include: accountability, altruism, compassion, excellence, integrity, professional duty, and social responsibility. ATPA’s Professionalism Core Value Self-Assessment is a tool to evaluate a physical therapist’s effectiveness in exhibiting professionalism in their practice. By taking the assessment as a student, we’re able to get a baseline to continue to grow upon as we mature in our careers and as professionals. It’s important for us to be mindful of these components
A Physical Therapist Assistant is a job occupation that involves assisting a Physical Therapist who helps with the rehabilitation of individuals who have past injuries or are working towards strengthening what they are weak with. They help people get back to their normal self and ready to operate in society normally. The Physical Therapist Assistant mostly helps with the workouts and stretches that patients have to do. They help with impairments, disabilities, and their mobility(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). A Physical Therapist Assistant can work in hospitals, schools, and any average therapy location. There is a lot of information about being a Physical Therapist Assistant including their day to day routine,salary, schooling, and
The medical field is expanding ever so rapidly in today’s society. In the field of Physical Therapy one needs to have the understanding of how the human body works and the injuries one body could sustain. I have chosen a career to help others to battle back from life-changing injuries or surgeries. I will take the first step of joining the medical field by obtaining a physical therapist associates degree. I will become a Physical Therapist Assistant.
Accordingly, altruism became a mainstay. Proctoring physical therapists indoctrinated the fundamental that you put every need of a patient before your own, and always shooting for a higher level of care than the majority would accept. Specifically, they would always let patients come in on occasions separate from their appointments and utilize the exercise equipment as required. As the intern, building a priority to support all patients that came in with total guidance and instruction became predominant. This leads to the other key to professionalism, humility. During my internship, constant quizzing ingrained that you constrain the need to answer every question. Giving a “best guess” will lead to negative repercussions. Correspondingly, observations of the physical therapists themselves refer innumerable times to other professionals; be it the patient’s doctor, another therapist, or a dietitian. Seeing how various physical therapists operated also reinforced the belief of professional duty. The pride every therapist had in the profession, the mentoring that each provided, and the amount of work put towards every patient left my mind with a profound impression. Equally important, the consciousness of unspoiled care and compassion. Listening to other undergraduates and professors explain that you would have “problem patients”; this idea became entrenched in my head when starting. Contrarily, their concepts never materialized. Wanting to help the patients that had numerous struggles, or purely had countless debilitating injuries constituted as the goal. Contemplating unique exercises, finer cues, or improved ways to motivate perpetuated my evenings. Moreover; considering a patient ingenuously as a “knee”, or “rotator cuff”, or even just a patient was never a possibility. They were always people and people with their own particular
Thank you for your interest in William Peace University! I’ve reviewed your question regarding a major in Physical Therapy. After further review, we do not offer a direct Physical Therapy major, but we have students major in Biology then enroll in a graduate program for Physical Therapy.
Our job as physical therapists is to engage the consumer to reestablish functional capabilities and to reduce avertable healthcare costs to ensure the existence of a successful society in the future. It is the APTA’s vision that we transform society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience. As a therapist I will embody this vision through the principles of: Identity, Quality, Collaboration, Innovation, and Value. Identity is shaped via the core of physical therapy practice, education and research known as the movement system. This is the foundation for health care as a therapist and from evaluation to discharge and at-home care the patient’s return to normal societal life is my goal.
I am incredibly lucky to have been fortunate enough to say that I worked hands on with a Physical Therapist over this past summer. It was an experience I will never forget and one that I will treasure forever.
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
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.
The human experience is not a vague suggestion of what everyone strives for. This is a very individualized set of preferences and priorities that each person desires in life. We are all unique beings and as a physical therapist, there is a duty to create a specific strategy of care that is centered on the needs of the consumer. Movement is the basis of everything we do. Optimizing movement by improving mobility and motion, managing pain, and regaining original capabilities will guide society to a healthier and more active lifestyle.
Welcome to Innovative Physical Therapy. In our new blog we will posting articles that discuss some of the different types of disorders that our therapists work with every day so that interested persons can learn how Innovative Physical Therapy can help persons with different conditions to increase mobility and gain greater independence. Our primary goal is to help our clients by creating individual care plans. This means that each person will be evaluated by a physical therapists so that they can create a plan that works best for each person, as we understand that people are all different and that one plan cannot give the best results to all individuals.
Physical therapists employed by facilities often put in long hours. They see one patient after another, with more waiting for them. Some therapists thrive under those circumstances and some don’t.