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What is the work environment like?
#Physical-Therapy #Rehab #therapy #PT
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Cathy Doyle
Physical Therapist and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
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Cathy’s Answer
Depends on where you choose to work:
1. Private practice: clean and orderly front reception desk, small semi private treatment rooms, small open gym for instruction in Home exercise programs.
2. Hospital in patient: sterile, can be noise and hectic, more fast paced, lots of walking to see patients in their rooms. Having to deal and work with many other disciplines.
3. Rehabilitation centers or nursing homes: have to deal with various unpleasant smells and noises. Lots of walking around facility. See patients in their rooms or bring them to the PT department gym for exercises. Having to deal and work with many other disciplines.
4. Home health: the most diverse, as you have to see patients in their own homes. Could be really nice upscale home in a rich neighborhood or you could be seeing a hoarder in a sketchy part of town, or a homeless or low Income person in shared housing that may not be very clean or flea infested. Because it’s their private homes, they sometimes have guns out or dogs that bite you. It’s very unpredictable. And you work alone. Lots of driving which increases your risk of a car accident. You also see patients that live in retirement or Assisted living centers, which have fairly strict schedules. So you have to time your visit around their meal times, classes, events, and hair appointments.
1. Private practice: clean and orderly front reception desk, small semi private treatment rooms, small open gym for instruction in Home exercise programs.
2. Hospital in patient: sterile, can be noise and hectic, more fast paced, lots of walking to see patients in their rooms. Having to deal and work with many other disciplines.
3. Rehabilitation centers or nursing homes: have to deal with various unpleasant smells and noises. Lots of walking around facility. See patients in their rooms or bring them to the PT department gym for exercises. Having to deal and work with many other disciplines.
4. Home health: the most diverse, as you have to see patients in their own homes. Could be really nice upscale home in a rich neighborhood or you could be seeing a hoarder in a sketchy part of town, or a homeless or low Income person in shared housing that may not be very clean or flea infested. Because it’s their private homes, they sometimes have guns out or dogs that bite you. It’s very unpredictable. And you work alone. Lots of driving which increases your risk of a car accident. You also see patients that live in retirement or Assisted living centers, which have fairly strict schedules. So you have to time your visit around their meal times, classes, events, and hair appointments.
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Venneisa’s Answer
As Cathy stated , the environment can be very diverse because of the various work settings and client populations. Whatever your personality, there is probably an environment that will work for you. Some settings are hectic, busy, seemingly chaotic and others are more laid back dependent on the size of the facility, organization, and location. As telehealth extends into the world of physical and occupational therapy, a new environment is emerging. When you have a passion to help people, mixed with a hugh dose of patience, negatives can become positives.
Pediatrics can be a fun setting. In a school system and some outpatient settings, therapy is performed outside as well as indoors. Therapeutic play is the focus of the peds population.
Pediatrics can be a fun setting. In a school system and some outpatient settings, therapy is performed outside as well as indoors. Therapeutic play is the focus of the peds population.