Heather Sharp

Angela Bailey
PTA 1010 002
April 3, 2017
Clinical Observation Reflection
The first day of my observation was so exciting. I couldnt wait to see and

experience the field of physical therapy. What do I wear? I knew that this was

covered in class lecture, but I still tried on a few different outfits. My first impression

must be a good one. I couldnt wait.

The Physical Therapist that I observed was Steve Woodhouse, Mountain Land

Physical Therapy of Stansbury Park, Utah. This is an outpatient Clinic where I could

observe several different patients with injuries, diseases and patients that were

post-surgery. We went on a home health care appointment also.

The profession of physical therapy is incredible. It was just as I thought.

People from all walks of life are being helped to have a functional, quality life. The

patient is someone who has feelings and concerns. The physical therapist showed a

caring and professional manner. Specifically, he was good at making the patient feel

at ease and comfortable by explaining the diagnosis and prognosis. The patient

could and would ask questions with the PT about their care. The types of people

that came into the clinic ranged from high school students to the geriatric

community, post-surgery patients to patients that were hurt in a work environment.

My impression of physical therapy hasnt changed, but only gotten better. I enjoyed

observing and seeing people feeling better and happier.

A woman patient had gotten hurt badly from an accident that happened on

the job. She was specifically hurt in the shoulder that resulted in a shoulder surgery.
She then was referred by her surgeon to PT Woodhouse. Part of her plan of care was

to see the PT three times a week for six weeks. At the end of the six weeks she was

released to all duties in the workplace. This is a perfect example of how important

physical therapy is to the individual and the community. This patient needed to

work and the company needs their workers to be in good health.

Physical therapy is utilized across a wide variety of individuals including those

people that have faced a lifetime of polio, those who have had childhood disease,

people with injuries, those who have cardio pulmonary conditions, birth defects, and

the list goes on.

In our class discussion, we talked about how polio in a large part is

responsible for how physical therapy came to be. There was a huge need for

rehabilitation as the polio epidemic was sweeping across our nation. Many lives

were lost and many others lost their quality of life to this disease. Through my

observation in the clinic, I met a man of 90 years old that contracted polio as a

child. He was lucky that he wasnt one of the hundreds of thousands of people that

had lost their lives. I was extremely impressed that he was functioning as well as he

was. The reason for his initial visit was to gain function to his body. He was very

unbalanced and unable to get up from sitting to standing especially with his left

side. The left arm was especially weak. The pt worked with him through a plan of

care and the 90 year old man was able to do more things now than he had been for

the last 10-20 years. He continues to come in 3 times a week on a special deal that

mountain land has with their geriatric patients. It has changed his life.

So from a 90 year old man, we went to the next patient that was injured while

playing basketball on her high school team. She had pain in her knee from a bad
twisting motion of her leg. Then we saw a patient that was suffering from low back

pain that was suggested that it was a tightening of muscles that ran through the

hips and gluteus. In general, most people can benefit from a PT at some point in

their life.

There are certain rules and laws established to make physical therapy

successful. The physical therapist and the physical therapy assistant must follow

the principles and standards of the Code of Ethics. If a physical therapist or

assistant violates the ethical conducts, it can result in disciplinary actions or firing.

As I observed the PT, I noticed a certain relaxed feel of the clinic. Some patients felt

more comfortable and some felt like they were forgotten or unimportant. But, PT

Woodhouse was very knowledgeable, great at keeping up his skills and abilities. I

asked the PT about his continuing education and other certifications he attained.

The list was extensive. He thought it was good to keep learning. He was organized,

helped the needs of all people, made sound professional judgments, and he fulfilled

his legal and professional obligations.

I did observe some questionable judgments on the PTs part. A patient would

be given instructions on how to do a certain exercise. The PT often would leave the

patient to do their exercise by themselves. The patient seemed confused or did the

exercise the best that they understood. Guarding was not used very often. I also

noticed that there was unprofessional relationship integrity with his colleagues

and sometimes students and patients. It may or may not be a breach on the code of

ethics, but it made me feel uncomfortable.

The Utah Practice Act was observed by the physical therapist. I was able to

study the PT examining, evaluating, and testing an individual who has a physical
impairment or injury. This is very important for me to see. I need to know how the

PT comes to certain conclusions if Im going to understand how to help the patient

as an assistant. I witnessed many different therapy interventions and modalities. He

used the ultra sound, electrotherapy, and heating pads. The PT used massage and

manually moved the patients joints and muscles. He was successful in using these

within the parameters that are set for the practice act.

The physical therapist has a few aids on staff and no assistants. The aids are

allowed to do ultra sound and placing the electrodes and setting the electrotherapy.

They also place hot pads and wet pads. While the PT prescribed the intervention,

the aid helped the patient with the intervention. The aid also did many other duties

like getting each station ready for the next patient, cleaning, folding towels, and

prepping what ever was needed by the PT. I observed that the PT didnt adhere to

the Utah Practice Act when pertaining to what the aids are legally able to do.

This clinic had a certain welcoming energy to it. All are welcome. There was a

great cultural professionalism with all of the staff. It didnt matter who you were or

what you looked like. It was about healing the patient. The PT was very good at

paying attention to what the patient was communicating. The communication could

have been relayed through dress, verbally, or posturally. The PT and the staff also

dressed in a very professional look.

Throughout this observation I learned many things. The physical therapist

was very willing to teach me and answer my questions. He would pull out books,

posters, and models to show me how the body moves and functions. He would ask

me what I would do for intervention with clients. He is knowledgeable and was

willing to share. He has been in the physical therapy field for many years and has
been in many different specialties. With that kind of experience he could explain

physical therapy very well. It was especially exciting to listen to different stories.

My desire to help people in the capacity of physical therapy has increased through

the observation. I was able to observe outpatient care and one home health visit.

Outpatient is always moving and changing. The PT has many patients walking

through the door. I like the pace of the clinic, everyone was always busy. I loved to

see how the patients would progress with every session.

Home health was something that I thought I would enjoy, and I was right. The

home health visit was very personable. The patient was glad to see the PT. The PT

used the patients chair and helped him with walking exercises. The patient had

recently gone through knee surgery and was working on getting ROM and

movement through the leg. I still believe that this is a great career choice for me. I

would like to observe other specialties within the field of physical therapy, but I

would do well in home health care.

Challenges were raised as I went through the observation. My first challenge

was setting a time to observe that was conducive to my family life. Followed by the

challenge of being in a new atmosphere where I didnt know them and they didnt

know me. I was unsure of the dynamics of the clinic. Subsequently, I found that it

was a challenge not to help. It is very difficult to just observe when I really wanted

to help out. At that time, I realized that I still have a long road of schooling ahead of

me which presents another challenge, to be patient. Now, the challenge of writing

the reflection that has me thinking about the many, many aspects that I left out that

I wanted to write about. I have learned so much, yet realized I know nothing.