I’m currently on my musculo inpatient’s prac and am learning how valuable it is to work together with the nurses. In the short time I have been on this prac I have observed the way that the physios work together with the nurses in the care of the patients. On numerous occasions I have seen the physio liaise with the nurse when standing a patient or walking a patient and timing this with when the nurse would like to take them to the toilet, to the shower or change the bedding.
I have only had one previous placement in a hospital this year and although I did have to work together with the nurses it was mainly to check when the patient might be ready to come to the physio gym. I also feel that in some ways, it is difficult to strike up a good team relationship with the nurses as they are often quite busy and don’t always have the time for a physio student. In theory I have always known that it is good to work together with the nurses, as they are ultimately the ones who spend the most time with the patients and it’s great to see this in practice. My previous experiences as mentioned above did not really lend themselves to fully exploring the workings of a nurse/physio relationship, but in the past week I have seen how working closely with the nurses can really benefit the patient and also the nurses themselves. By standing the patient and walking them to the bathroom ready for a shower can cut down at least a small part of the work that the nurses do. Nurses are also incredibly valuable when you need a quick update on how the patients are going, which can affect your decision on how much exercise to do with the patient. In addition to this we can then feedback to the nurses as to how the patient is going and they can reinforce the exercises you want the patients to do whilst you are not there. This greatly benefits the patient’s rehab.
So as I’ve said, in the past week I have began to fully understand the value of a strong nurse/physio relationship for the benefit of all those involved. In future I feel that I will make much more of an effort to work closely with the nurses, and not only the nurses but all staff who are working for the good of the patient. In my opinion a multi-disciplinary approach will always provide the best outcome for the patient.
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2 comments:
I totally agree! In ICU it's essential that you coordinate your treatment with the nursing staff, especially if you need the patient in a different position as they will be the ones to tell the HSA's what position to put the patient in (we aren't allowed to move them). It's also really important because most of the patients are sedated and thus the nurse will be able to tell you the important information you need to know about their condition. As you said they spend the most time with the patient-so they are invaluable (as both an informant and ally) and they definitely appreciate whatever we can do to make their lives easier! If you are able to work in conjunction with nurses you can provide a much better treatment to your patient, and by updating the nursing staff about their response to treatment and their current condition you ensure that they will get the best possible care.
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