When we think of physiotherapists, we often associate the profession with liberal. Practice in the office. Savanna Medical Centre However, even if they only. Representing 20% of the workforce, hospital physiotherapists play a major role in the care of hospitalized. Patients, often as soon as they are admitted.
What are the Specificities of Hospital Physiotherapy?
The daily life of the hospital physiotherapist, contrary to the liberal exercise, is marked by early management of the patients which can take place in emergencies. Indeed, the patient is seen very early: for example, after a stroke. The physiotherapist sees the patient for the first time within 24 hours of the accident. After a hip prosthesis operation, the patient will be seen, the next day, in rehabilitation with a physiotherapist from the hospital.
As part of all care, the physiotherapist should also aim to fight against iatrogenic. Linked to hospitalization such as immobilization syndrome and the risk of developing functional disabilities, particularly in geriatrics.
It is not the same work of rehabilitation, nor the same objective as in liberal: in the hospital, the work in a multidisciplinary team allows each professional to have a global vision of the patient, including his problems. social. Indeed, the physiotherapist collaborates with doctors, occupational therapists, nurses and caregivers, speech therapists, psychologists, and social workers.
In addition, another particularity of the exercise in a hospital environment is that it concerns all sectors. The physiotherapist will intervene in intensive care, pediatrics, gerontology, medicine, orthopedics… or directly in rehabilitation services. In general, hospital physiotherapists are versatile even if everyone has their area of expertise. It is varied, sharp and formative work. However, there are hospitals where the physiotherapist is affiliated with a sector or a specialty and is therefore more isolated from his profession.
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What are the Different Roles of The Hospital Physiotherapist?
The first role of the physiotherapist in a hospital environment is of course the care of patients, both early to carry out the first assessments and in overall rehabilitation.
He also plays a full role in the therapeutic education of the patient with a view to his recovery and discharge and participates in the education of the family and careers.
In addition to their participation in multidisciplinary staff meetings, the hospital physiotherapist is also involved in the training of students and their young colleagues.
What are the Main Difficulties Encountered?
One of the main difficulties encountered by the physiotherapist working in a hospital environment is undoubtedly the glaring lack of staff which forces patients to be prioritized and often forces them not to be taken care of. This often induces a certain psychological burden on the practitioner. The constant turnover and the obligation to constantly train his young peers also contribute to this burden.
Corollary of understaffing, fatigue. Indeed, in addition to their working week, hospital physiotherapists often have to chain shifts on weekends and public holidays.
What does a Typical Day Look Like For a Physiotherapist in The Hospital?
The physiotherapist generally works 35 hours per week. He takes office at 9 a.m. The day begins with a team debrief on the technical platform and then with the reading of the prescriptions. Then the care of the sick begins with obviously oral transmissions with the nurses, the doctors, and often the family. The morning ends with the updating of patient files which are then completed.
After a short lunch break, patient care resumes, then the files and the day generally end with a meeting of the multidisciplinary staff.
Guards take place on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. They are not remunerated but caught up afterward. The specialties mainly concerned during these guards are respiratory physiotherapy for children and adults, initial post-stroke assessments, emergency traumatology and orthopaedics and exits from recovery rooms. There may also be special cases at the request of doctors.
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