FIRST PHYSIO POST HELP!!

HI,

I AM A NEWLY QUALIFIED PHYSIO AND AM ABOUT TO BEGIN MY FIRST ROTATION IN THE OUTPATIENT SETTING.

I AM VERY NERVOUS AND EXCITED ABOUT FIRSTLY BEING LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET A JOB AND SECONDLY STARTING IN OUT PATIENTS, HOWEVER HAVING ONLY HAD ONE OUTPATIENT PLACEMENT IN FIRST YEAR, I WOULD LOVE ANY TIPS ADVICE WHAT TO READ UP ON ETC

MANY THANKS

Hi!
welcome to the active feild of Physio's.
IN my view.....Be thorugh with the Examination part....As, if u had taken good history and can replicate the symptoms or identify the reasons well, u are done with half of the work

Rest is the experience.
Sana

A new edition of Magee's Orthepedic Assessment is already out. I find it a good book to help you in your evaluations (which is one of the most important things). It has everything from things to ask and look out during the subjective portion of the assessment and of course an extensive comparison and list of tests you can use for your diagnosis/impression. Much luck to you!

Gerald

[alophysio]

Hi!

Try also Clinical Sports Medicine by Brukner and Khan. Good for Sports Injuries. Seems to be a bit of a "bible" amongst the sports physcians i know.

My other piece of advice is...don't become a electrotherapy physio or an exercise only physio. Our skill is in our hands. Develop your skills in your hands because anyone can prescribe general exercises - your job is to sort out which ones are appropriate and when!

All the best!

Yes!! a thorough assessment and listening to the patient is half the battle.

Use all of the tools at your disposal (electro,education, taping,exercise, manual) depending on the situation. Don't throw away any of these useful tools, just use them wisely.

Keep learning,listening,thinking and caring and you can't go wrong. Marj

Welcome to one of the most challenging and interesting specialities in Physiotherapy. Assessment is the key. Try and think laterally and use all your skills to determine what brings the patient to your door (so to speak). Most omportantly don't follow the guru's blindly, think things out for yourself and have FUN.

Claire, it is always scary doing a rotation that you have only did once as an undergraudate and many moons ago.

I have and still is supervising many junior/senior PTs in an outpatient settings. Most of the junior PTs have lamented the same feeling and student clinical experience as you have.

Well, I always tell them. You are a qualified PT. You already have the knowledge and skills. It is just translating them to what you see and feel. If it does not feel right, test them again. Confirm your hypothesis with 2 or 3 more tests. Don't feel pressured to give a diagnosis. And if you are maitland trained, always remember pain relief vs stiffness/hypomobility vs hypermobility when it comes to choosing treatment.

I believe there should be someone senior that you can turn to for help. Don't be shy to ask the seniors or IC for help. That is why they are call seniors or IC anyway...

And one earlier writer put it rightly, listen to patients and hear their problems/symptoms especially those relating to functions. Your treatment goals should be based on those functional problems.

Good luck Claire - best speciality to get! Do a thorough assessment and you will soon start to see patterns develop. I always found the Cyriax orthopaedic assessments very useful.