I just finished my first clinical, in an Outpatient Rehab setting. I wanted to jot down a few things to help out the folks who would be heading out to their clinicals in the future. The following items are in no particular order of importance:
- Since we're non-trads and a bit older than the typical PT student, I have the feeling that the bar is set slightly higher for us, esp. when it comes to "Professionalism", "Accountability" and "Communications". Those are 3 of about 20 items you'll be graded on by your Clinical Instructor (CI). So make sure you behave accordingly. Personally, I found it very easy to talk to patients and put them at ease but my CI said a lot of students tend to be a bit awkward in front of patients. Ah, the benefits of maturity...
- No task should be too menial for you. Come in a few minutes before the official starting time and wipe down the mats, tidy up the equipment, make sure there are clean sheets and towels on the racks, etc. Also review the day's caseload quickly; you don't need to know all the details, but at least be aware that Ms Brown is coming to PT because she just had a hip replacement, and whether she has any complications from the surgery. That way, you can greet her intelligently when she shows up.
- For the first few days, have a notebook or a tablet where you can quickly jot down how to do certain things and how to navigate the Electronic Health Records system in use at the clinic. Many large hospitals use Epic, so if you've seen or been exposed to it during your volunteering, you're ahead of the game. Be mindful of HIPAA, and make sure you put away or shred stuff with PHI that you printed out, at the end of the day.
- I can't say this enough: always try to use your past skills to see if you can improve things, so people will remember you better (and in a good way!). Being an ex-engineer, I use my math/physics knowledge to produce a couple of charts to use with a Total Gym machine. The PTs loved that info. And it doesn't have to be that complicated: since you're seeing the operations with fresh eyes, you'll probably spot lots of things that can be improved. Think about them carefully, and don't be shy in suggesting improvements. With your maturity, I am sure you can do it in a tactful way.
- Be nice to the admin staff: the schedulers, the front desk folks, even the cleaning people that come in at the end of the day. They can all teach us something. It turned out the cleaning lady in our office used to be a middle-school teacher... When she got laid off by the school system, that cleaning job was the best she could find. In a way I wasn't surprised to find out, because she sounded very educated when I first talked to her.
- Ask lots of questions, soak up the knowledge, and write down the interesting stuff that you find. You may remember them now, but next year they'll become fuzzy - unless you write them down. And conversely, if you have had a previous career, you should be able to show some interesting stuff to your CI. Lots of PTs have only been in one field and may not be aware of what's going in others.
- On your last day, bring donuts for everyone in the office. You'll be a big hit and people will remember you fondly. Guaranteed.
- Since we're non-trads and a bit older than the typical PT student, I have the feeling that the bar is set slightly higher for us, esp. when it comes to "Professionalism", "Accountability" and "Communications". Those are 3 of about 20 items you'll be graded on by your Clinical Instructor (CI). So make sure you behave accordingly. Personally, I found it very easy to talk to patients and put them at ease but my CI said a lot of students tend to be a bit awkward in front of patients. Ah, the benefits of maturity...
- No task should be too menial for you. Come in a few minutes before the official starting time and wipe down the mats, tidy up the equipment, make sure there are clean sheets and towels on the racks, etc. Also review the day's caseload quickly; you don't need to know all the details, but at least be aware that Ms Brown is coming to PT because she just had a hip replacement, and whether she has any complications from the surgery. That way, you can greet her intelligently when she shows up.
- For the first few days, have a notebook or a tablet where you can quickly jot down how to do certain things and how to navigate the Electronic Health Records system in use at the clinic. Many large hospitals use Epic, so if you've seen or been exposed to it during your volunteering, you're ahead of the game. Be mindful of HIPAA, and make sure you put away or shred stuff with PHI that you printed out, at the end of the day.
- I can't say this enough: always try to use your past skills to see if you can improve things, so people will remember you better (and in a good way!). Being an ex-engineer, I use my math/physics knowledge to produce a couple of charts to use with a Total Gym machine. The PTs loved that info. And it doesn't have to be that complicated: since you're seeing the operations with fresh eyes, you'll probably spot lots of things that can be improved. Think about them carefully, and don't be shy in suggesting improvements. With your maturity, I am sure you can do it in a tactful way.
- Be nice to the admin staff: the schedulers, the front desk folks, even the cleaning people that come in at the end of the day. They can all teach us something. It turned out the cleaning lady in our office used to be a middle-school teacher... When she got laid off by the school system, that cleaning job was the best she could find. In a way I wasn't surprised to find out, because she sounded very educated when I first talked to her.
- Ask lots of questions, soak up the knowledge, and write down the interesting stuff that you find. You may remember them now, but next year they'll become fuzzy - unless you write them down. And conversely, if you have had a previous career, you should be able to show some interesting stuff to your CI. Lots of PTs have only been in one field and may not be aware of what's going in others.
- On your last day, bring donuts for everyone in the office. You'll be a big hit and people will remember you fondly. Guaranteed.
