Okay Day
11/28/07
P: Today I worked with two new patients. The first patient was post CVA and I mainly worked on getting the patient to balance on the unaffected leg and using the appropriate muscles on the affected leg. I did this by using reciprocal stepping and alternating stair stepping. The patient was unable to do this with out substituting today, so we had to back up and just practice getting the right muscle to contract in sitting.
My second patient was post knee replacement. I worked on strengthening the quads and increase both knee flexion and extension. I mainly did therapeutic exercises. The exercises I practiced today were the Nustep, lunges with the right leg on a step, wall climbing, SLR with external rotation, and a prolonged prone stretch to the hamstrings with the cool pack to the anterior knee.
O: Today I observed one of my instructors show me how to facilitate the muscle of my first patient. I also observed my first year student do goni measure to the knee of my second patient along with apply a cold pack.
L: Today I learned how to work on muscle re education on CVA patients. My instructor really helped my on how to facilitate the muscle to contract and how to pick an appropriate exercise depending on how the patient is doing that day.
K: I already knew how to perform the therapeutic exercises on my second patient. I have used these types of exercises on other patients before in the clinic. Although for each patient exercises are done a little different. I feel fairly comfortable adjusting the exercises from person to person.
A: I felt like today could have gone a little better. It wasn’t my best day this semester. The treatments went well today. I just need to practice working with people post stroke and look over my notes. I also plan to make sure my first year is really understanding the treatments. I also need to make sure the first year is more involved in the planning of the treatment. This week was kind of hard to have the first year plan because I had two new patient, so during the prep time I was concentrating on learning about the patients. Hopefully next week will go better.
