PT Clinic Reflection Journal

9/25/06 

The most valuable lesson for today was documentation. I had to write the subjective and objective portion of the progress note with guidance from the second year student. It was nice to apply what I have been learning in documentation. I think I did okay for my first time. It is hard to make sure I included all the vital information in the note. The subjective portion was harder than I thought it would be. I had difficulty finding the vital information that the patient gave us. Writing the note was really helpful in understand what I have been learning in documentation. It made things clearer while it showed what information I had questions on. I feel like I am becoming more comfortable working with patients. It is still a little confusing on how to make a plan of care, but that is because we haven’t learned some of the information yet.  Working with the second years is helping me to understand more and more each clinic.  

9/18/06 

Today was my second day of clinic. I followed a second year student around and watched them work on patients. For the first hour we prepared for the patient by reading the chart and the second year student talked us through what they were going to do for treatment.

The first patient was someone who had lack of oxygen for around ten minutes resulting in brain damage. Now she has contractures in many areas of her body. We did range a motion on her. I first just watched the second year at first, but then I got to do a little bit. I did right ankle flexion, extension, dorsi flexion and plantar flexion. I also got to do right hip flexion. It was really interesting to feel what limited range of motion was like since we are learning how to do range of motion. I was really nervous to be doing ROM on a real patient, but I am glad I didn’t let it hold me back from trying. It nice when learning range of motion to be able to know what limited ROM feels like.

The second patient I just observed. The patient was working on strengthening muscles. The pt had to do exercises on the parallel bars. She also had to work with putty in her hands and use theraband. The second year student also took her for a walk. I followed behind with a wheel chair.

I was kind of nervous actually doing some range of motion on a real patient at first. It was a really great learning experience. I am glad I overcame my fear and did it. It is really nice getting to follow a second year student. He really tried to make sure I understood what was going on and even quizzed me to see if I knew anything. It was also helpful to watch him do documentation. Even though you think you understand it in a class it can be different in a clinical setting. For instance, the first patient couldn’t tell us anything, so I wasn’t sure what you would put in the subjective area. I really like the fact we get to see a variety of patients in the clinic.  

9/11/06

It was my first day in the clinic today. It was kind of a slow day. Since clinic is just getting started only evaluations were going on. We were supposed to get to watch two evaluations be done, but the first patient canceled. That left us with two hours of free time to do chores around the clinic. My job was to refold laundry.

 Our next project was putting pictures into a document, which was a pain because the computer wasn’t cooperating. It did however give us a chance to listen and watch the St. Scholastica PT students doing evaluations without making them nervous. I saw a little bit of an evaluation on a neural patient. I am not sure what her diagnosis was, but I saw the PT and a second year PTA student doing ROM. It was interesting to watch.

Finally at about three o’clock, the patient we got to watch the whole evaluation arrived. About five months ago the pt. had a hairline fracture at the ulnar part of his wrist. He did not get a cast because it would have interfered with his physical activity. Now today he is still having a little pain when he makes certain movements with his wrist which interferes with his karate. The Physical Therapist did a history, took measurements of the pts range of motion in both wrists, did ultrasound, and gave directions for a home exercises plan. 

It was a good first day. It wasn’t so busy that it was overwhelming. It was a perfect way to ease into the clinical experience. It was really interesting to watch the evaluations.

Hello Welcome to my PT clinic reflection journal. I am in my first year of the physical therapist assistant program and about to start working in the on campus Physical Therapy clinic. Its a couple days before I start working in the clinic, and I am a little scared, but also excited. Even though I won’t be working on patients for awhile, it is going to be fun just watching what I will be getting to do. I think it is going to be an amazing learning experience. Well, stayed tuned to see how my first day goes.