Summary of Semester Two
5/2/07
I learned a lot this semester in clinic. I started off the semester not really being to nervous about working with patients by myself because I got to work independently last semester. In the beginning of the semester it took me the full hour and a lot of questions to my instructor to make a treatment plan due to a lack of confidence. I also wasn’t really able to think of different ways to challenge the patient. In addition, it took me several treatments with the same patient to really get comfortable treating them. Now at the end of the semester I am able to make treatment plans quicker and have more confidence doing it. I feel I am also better able to think of new ideas on how to challenge the patient and make their treatment different each time. It takes me less treatments to get comfortable in treating the patient. I have also improved on communicating with the patient. I am able to talk with the patient while also concentrating on the treatment.
There are also several things I would also work on this fall. I need to improve my planning of the treatment. While I feel that I have improved over the semester with making treatment plans, I don’t feel completely comfortable with all patients. I had the hardest time with posture patients finding enough to fill the whole treatment time. I also want to improve the amount of time it takes for me to become comfortable and confident in treating a new patient. Another thing I would like to improve on is my documentation. I feel like I need to improve on the amount of time it takes me to write my documentation and making sure the information is complete. Lastly, I still need to work on my body mechanics during treatment.
I am really happy with the progress I have made this semester. Looking back from the beginning of the semester and even the beginning of the year, I feel I have made huge gain in treating patients with confidence, communication, and competence. There are things that I still need to work on and look forward to clinic this fall.
The Burn
4/30/07
Today was the last day of seeing patient in the clinic for the semester. I worked with new patients this semester. I have worked with these patients last semester, so it was neat to see the progress they have made since the last time I saw them. Both treatments went pretty well. With my first patient the challenge was trying to find the best way to do her exercises. Some of what I was trying to do wasn’t working, but I felt I was able problem solve during the treatment. I also had this issue during the second treatment and was able to problem solve in that treatment too. Both these patients are people who have been coming to the clinic for awhile now and are set in there ways with their treatment. Another challenge was trying to get the patients to try my ideas for treatment. I think I was more successful with my second patient. This is something I need to work on is giving the explanation for why I want to do the treatment another way. This was a great last day of clinic.
