Statement of Initiative:
Physical therapy, much like other health care careers, has a stigma against asking for help or being unsure. New health care professionals are expected to know all of the answers without hesitation or doubt. For the improvement of health care for patients and employees alike, there is a need to create an environment where not knowing the answer to every question and asking the help because of that is appropriate and necessary for learning and improvement.
In the career pathway, asking for helping or advice is seen as inappropriate. This creates stress in the work place and can leave employees unhappy with their position. The demanding nature that the career obtains in some places of work create poor outcomes (Campo et al., 2009). Many employees of multiple careers spend fifty hours a week at work (Stokes et al., 2006). With all of this time spent at work, the conditions in the work environment will have impact (of varying degrees) on each employee. Having a demanding or negative work environments could also inhibit an employee from feeling comfortable enough to ask questions and to not have all of the answers. This could effect the patient’s outcome. In order to serve patients with top tier quality care, therapists must be able to learn and adapt each day. Feeling comfortable enough to ask questions creates
Solutions:
In order to create an environment where a physical therapist (as well as other health care professionals) can be further educated and grow as a professional by asking questions and for help, I have recommended steps that could be implemented.
Implementation:
Demonstration
As head physical therapist in the clinic, I will personally be a model of proper patient care. I will demonstrate to my fellow physical therapists and assistants that asking for help, no matter what your title, is appropriate and necessary for excellent patient care. As I demonstrate asking for help is appropriate and necessary, my fellow therapists will feel able to ask for answers as well. I will also practice a healthy lifestyle myself, so that I can be ready and able to give my patients the best version of myself. As a professional, I cannot ask of my fellow team members what I myself will not do. It is vital to demonstrate all that I expect of them. I will hold regular meetings with the rest of the staff to ensure that we are all following protocol of checking behind ourselves and one another in a balanced and systematic manner. These meetings will also serve employees by allowing them to have input on protocol and how it can be further improved. Each individual has an important role in patient care, and each role combined makes an enormous impact on each patient’s experience.
Balance, Rhythm, Systematic
Having balance in the work place will create a rhythm that will enable employees to have a systematic way of handling patient care. In this rhythm, each member of the team will have a specific role in providing patient care, whether it is administering the physical therapy or following up with a patient’s progress questions. Each member of the team needs to be completely sure of what their role is and their role must be carried out each day to the best of their ability. When each person is assigned a duty, this creates less confusion on who is in charge of what aspect of care. This also creates less stress to complete task on time because there is a systematic protocol. This also minimizes distractions. Each member can focus on their specific task and handle their task well without worry of other task.
Rechecking
Avoiding vulnerability by rechecking after one’s self and each other is a step in the protocol that cannot be eliminated. Members of the team that are informed of other member’s roles should check behind other’s work. This should not be seen as an insult, rather as precaution and help. This is the act of protection the patient and putting their best interest first. This avoids vulnerability in the health care system and improves protocol. Again, the primary goal is patient care, the employee comfort is secondary. Employees will be able to check after one another if roles are known. Rechecking will never eliminate all error or mistake, but the goal is to provide the best care possible. This does not mean perfection. For example, the therapist involved in creating exercise routines for the patients will need to collaborate. This is a vital role in patient care as will. During this stage, it is required that physical therapist check behind one another. Members of this process need to constantly verify and recheck behind one another to be sure the routine is suitable for the patient before the patient beings therapy. Therapy routines are not “one size fits all.” This involves communication about the patient’s medical records, goals, and reason for attending physical therapy.
There are many aspects in which a physical therapist can check after himself or herself. It is commonly known that nurses must check medicines three times before administering it to patients. It is also known that they have to check the name of the patient in at least two different ways before administering any care. A similar method can be implemented in physical therapy. To avoid providing the wrong rehabilitation plan to the wrong patient, each physical therapist and assistant should ask the patient their name before administering care. This means verifying names even if an employee has already worked with the patient before to avoid the vulnerability of administering incorrect care. Therapist can also recheck how the patients move their body during rehabilitation. This means being actively involved in patient care. Even if a physical therapist has worked with a particular patient before, I will implement that all care providers recheck patients during movement so that injury can be avoided. Hyperextension of a limb or lifting materials that are too heavy could cause the patient injury. To avoid the vulnerability of a patient being unhappy with their care, it will take a team checking after one another not only in creating the plan but also for those leading the patient through rehabilitation.
Health and Wellness
Finally, having employees practicing a lifestyle to better themselves in the field is important for development of rehabilitation. Having the employees embody everything it means to live in the best version of themselves for improvement of life provides the patient with an example of how to improve their own quality of life. A healthy lifestyle can only further improve rehabilitation and therapy. The goal of every physical therapist should be to leave the patient better than before they were ever in need of therapy. By rehabilitating and providing the patient with help on overall healthier habits However, employee health and wellness does not only consist of the employee eating healthy and practicing a healthy lifestyle at home. Employee wellness does include aspects of the employee on the job. Wellness can incorporate eating habits, mental and emotional wellness, environmental circumstances and much more. Physical therapy practices and organization need to promote an environment that provides the space to practice wellness. This may mean allowing employees to take longer lunch breaks, or providing employees with information on mental health. I will evolve a work space that does not create unnecessary stressors, but a place that provides employees with a feeling of accomplishment and purpose.
Evaluation:
I will understand that my protocol is working when:
Physical therapy, much like other health care careers, has a stigma against asking for help or being unsure. New health care professionals are expected to know all of the answers without hesitation or doubt. For the improvement of health care for patients and employees alike, there is a need to create an environment where not knowing the answer to every question and asking the help because of that is appropriate and necessary for learning and improvement.
In the career pathway, asking for helping or advice is seen as inappropriate. This creates stress in the work place and can leave employees unhappy with their position. The demanding nature that the career obtains in some places of work create poor outcomes (Campo et al., 2009). Many employees of multiple careers spend fifty hours a week at work (Stokes et al., 2006). With all of this time spent at work, the conditions in the work environment will have impact (of varying degrees) on each employee. Having a demanding or negative work environments could also inhibit an employee from feeling comfortable enough to ask questions and to not have all of the answers. This could effect the patient’s outcome. In order to serve patients with top tier quality care, therapists must be able to learn and adapt each day. Feeling comfortable enough to ask questions creates
Solutions:
In order to create an environment where a physical therapist (as well as other health care professionals) can be further educated and grow as a professional by asking questions and for help, I have recommended steps that could be implemented.
- As head physical therapist, I will demonstrate how asking for help is necessary.
- The workplace will also be an environment that has balance and rhythmic protocol to reduce distractions.
- Employees must recheck behind one another and ones self to ensure that patients are being provided the best care.
- Employees should also practice a healthy lifestyle that aligns with their own goals and that aligns with patient goals and outcomes.
Implementation:
Demonstration
As head physical therapist in the clinic, I will personally be a model of proper patient care. I will demonstrate to my fellow physical therapists and assistants that asking for help, no matter what your title, is appropriate and necessary for excellent patient care. As I demonstrate asking for help is appropriate and necessary, my fellow therapists will feel able to ask for answers as well. I will also practice a healthy lifestyle myself, so that I can be ready and able to give my patients the best version of myself. As a professional, I cannot ask of my fellow team members what I myself will not do. It is vital to demonstrate all that I expect of them. I will hold regular meetings with the rest of the staff to ensure that we are all following protocol of checking behind ourselves and one another in a balanced and systematic manner. These meetings will also serve employees by allowing them to have input on protocol and how it can be further improved. Each individual has an important role in patient care, and each role combined makes an enormous impact on each patient’s experience.
Balance, Rhythm, Systematic
Having balance in the work place will create a rhythm that will enable employees to have a systematic way of handling patient care. In this rhythm, each member of the team will have a specific role in providing patient care, whether it is administering the physical therapy or following up with a patient’s progress questions. Each member of the team needs to be completely sure of what their role is and their role must be carried out each day to the best of their ability. When each person is assigned a duty, this creates less confusion on who is in charge of what aspect of care. This also creates less stress to complete task on time because there is a systematic protocol. This also minimizes distractions. Each member can focus on their specific task and handle their task well without worry of other task.
Rechecking
Avoiding vulnerability by rechecking after one’s self and each other is a step in the protocol that cannot be eliminated. Members of the team that are informed of other member’s roles should check behind other’s work. This should not be seen as an insult, rather as precaution and help. This is the act of protection the patient and putting their best interest first. This avoids vulnerability in the health care system and improves protocol. Again, the primary goal is patient care, the employee comfort is secondary. Employees will be able to check after one another if roles are known. Rechecking will never eliminate all error or mistake, but the goal is to provide the best care possible. This does not mean perfection. For example, the therapist involved in creating exercise routines for the patients will need to collaborate. This is a vital role in patient care as will. During this stage, it is required that physical therapist check behind one another. Members of this process need to constantly verify and recheck behind one another to be sure the routine is suitable for the patient before the patient beings therapy. Therapy routines are not “one size fits all.” This involves communication about the patient’s medical records, goals, and reason for attending physical therapy.
There are many aspects in which a physical therapist can check after himself or herself. It is commonly known that nurses must check medicines three times before administering it to patients. It is also known that they have to check the name of the patient in at least two different ways before administering any care. A similar method can be implemented in physical therapy. To avoid providing the wrong rehabilitation plan to the wrong patient, each physical therapist and assistant should ask the patient their name before administering care. This means verifying names even if an employee has already worked with the patient before to avoid the vulnerability of administering incorrect care. Therapist can also recheck how the patients move their body during rehabilitation. This means being actively involved in patient care. Even if a physical therapist has worked with a particular patient before, I will implement that all care providers recheck patients during movement so that injury can be avoided. Hyperextension of a limb or lifting materials that are too heavy could cause the patient injury. To avoid the vulnerability of a patient being unhappy with their care, it will take a team checking after one another not only in creating the plan but also for those leading the patient through rehabilitation.
Health and Wellness
Finally, having employees practicing a lifestyle to better themselves in the field is important for development of rehabilitation. Having the employees embody everything it means to live in the best version of themselves for improvement of life provides the patient with an example of how to improve their own quality of life. A healthy lifestyle can only further improve rehabilitation and therapy. The goal of every physical therapist should be to leave the patient better than before they were ever in need of therapy. By rehabilitating and providing the patient with help on overall healthier habits However, employee health and wellness does not only consist of the employee eating healthy and practicing a healthy lifestyle at home. Employee wellness does include aspects of the employee on the job. Wellness can incorporate eating habits, mental and emotional wellness, environmental circumstances and much more. Physical therapy practices and organization need to promote an environment that provides the space to practice wellness. This may mean allowing employees to take longer lunch breaks, or providing employees with information on mental health. I will evolve a work space that does not create unnecessary stressors, but a place that provides employees with a feeling of accomplishment and purpose.
Evaluation:
I will understand that my protocol is working when:
- Patients are happy with their care and their rehabilitation.
- Employees are able to converse about their roles and mistakes without ill feelings.
- My demonstrations lead to other employees practicing the protocol
- Employee alertness and mood is improved through the acts of practicing health and wellness and providing tools to achieve these goals.
- Employee stress is relieved and retention is improved due to the protocols set in place
- Error involving handling patient files and information are minimalized
- Injury and or error involving patient exercise and rehabilitation are minimalized.
Artifact
I created this employee questionnaire to allow employees to have their input on the protocols set in place at work. This also provides me with feedback on the protocols I have developed. By utilizing this form, I can adjust the protocols for better care of the patients and better performance by the employees.
References
Campo, M.A., Weiser, S., & Koeing, K.L. (2009). Job strain in physical therapist. Physical Therapy, 89(9), 946-956.
doi:10.2522/ptj.20080322
Stokes, G.C., Henley, N.S., Herget, C. (2006). Creating a culture of wellness in workplaces. N C Med J, 67(6), 445-448.
doi:10.2522/ptj.20080322
Stokes, G.C., Henley, N.S., Herget, C. (2006). Creating a culture of wellness in workplaces. N C Med J, 67(6), 445-448.