Reflection Paper On Physical Therapy

1047 Words5 Pages
My first venture in physical therapy came at the Shea Center for Therapeutic Riding in San Juan Capistrano. The Shea Center specializes in Hippotherapy – physical, occupational, and speech therapy while the patient was on horseback. My role during the internship was mostly observational, I walked beside the patient as the therapist conducted the lesson. Nevertheless, I learned that physical therapy is a field where one can find a niche, be creative, and curate care for patients. Moreover, I was exposed to a team-based approach to therapy much like the environment created by St Augustine’s curriculum. My short time at the Shea Center sparked curiosity in the entire physical therapy scope of practice, and was a significant stepping stone in my…show more content…
One patient that comes to mind is Viki, she was one of the first patients I worked with. Viki was coming in to the clinic due to her chronic knee pain. Our therapist recommended that she lose significant weight to relieve the stress on her knees. Viki had been battling with her weight her whole life; that afternoon she was ready to give up. As an aide, all I could bestow upon her was compassion and motivation. Viki appreciated the time I took to listen to her that day. When she was ready, I took her through her exercises slowly, making sure that she could easily accomplish each movement. I built up her confidence as I taught her the exercises. At the end of the session Viki was proud of herself and eager to return the following week. Three months later she was well on her way to accomplishing her goals. My time with Viki opened my eyes to the intrinsic value of compassion, empathy, and motivation in physical therapy. After just four months of being employed at PROPT I was promoted to lead aide. My boss noted my proficiency in exercise, patient interactions, and leadership as the reasons for the opportunity. At the time of my promotion I was also the least tenured aide currently employed; I was now in charge of overseeing other aides as well as training incoming aides and interns. Furthermore,…show more content…
For example, I realized that insurance has a large effect on the practice of a therapist. One of my responsibilities became sending and receiving documentation to primary doctors and insurance companies. I saw first-hand insurance companies approve only 6 visits when the physical therapist asked for 12, or patients simply not being able to afford treatment due to high premiums and deductibles. Thus, many times our therapist’s treatment plans revolved around the patient’s insurance situation as opposed to the other way around. For these reasons, I feel obliged to be at the forefront of the conversation regarding healthcare going
Show More
Related

  • Memory: The Process Of Memory

    1786 Words  | 8 Pages

    Memory is a very important aspect in every individual’s life; it is a process in which information is encoded, stored, and retrieved. Without past memory individuals will not be able to operate in present or think about the future. According to Sternberg (1999) the means by which an individual recollects its past experience so that he/she can use the information in the present is called memory. Learning or understanding would have become impossible without memory. “Memory is the process of maintaining

    Read More

More about Reflection Paper On Physical Therapy

Open Document