Today was the 3rd day of my internship at ---- Physical Therapy. I got a glimpse of their system PTOS and the health informatics in me really wanted to get my hands on it and learn it. Already I was thinking of ways to make it better.The appointment schedule looks a bit like MS Project but vertical. The colors are so varied and the blocks so huge that I would rather look at the black ink highlighted in neon yellow on printer paper. I got more done today. After two days of not knowing what to do and --frankly-- being stop-scared of helping the patients for fear of causing harm... I actually felt useful. The number one reason I felt scared to help the patients is because the population is mostly geriatric. Some seem frail, others just seem to be in so much pain. And I'm empathetic before I can compartmentalize. But I realize that although they have a sense of independence because they agree taught their workout routine and need little assistance, they still need a trainer. They need someone to at "do it!", "yes it hurts but do it", "yes you're leg is trembling but do it", "You CAN do it." They're tired, in pain, in a bad mood, and some just want attention.
{Side note: it reminds me of when I was introducing tens and ones in math to my kindergarten students. One of them felt so bad that she wasn't catching on as quickly that I could see her shrink into herself. She would start to distract herself, take off and put on her shoe under the table, suck her thumb, and then stop looking at the board altogether. I had to stop the lesson to give her a pep talk. I told her " I am here to help you, your classmates want you to understand too, nobody gets it right all the time. You are smart." afterwards she hugged me, and within minutes she was offering up the answers, and they were correct!}
I'm hoping I get to volunteer in the pediatric or women's department for acute care. I'd love to help pregnant / post-pregnant women or kids who want to PLAY.
Is there anything enlightening about this experience so far?
Yes. "Old people" are extremely resilient.
Oh and my "homework" is to find out what PT school is the cheapest in America.
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