While all the knowledge you gained is important for becoming a PT, there are a few skills that I think are very crucial to become a better one.
Observation skills: This got to be solid. I think one should start observing the patient the moment he walks in. This gives a PT an idea of hidden malalignment which will be functional in nature and gives an overall picture of patient’s biomechanics.
Master tip: keep an eye on the gait, pelvis being the focus. (Everything above and below will follow)
Documentation: This skill is a savior. Documenting everything that the patient presents and skills used to treat them can actually save you from a lot of liability issues. Besides, this is an effective way to reflect on what treatment can be done for the patient and how his progress is. Better the documentation skill you have, patient transfer becomes even easier.
Master tip: always mention crucial behavioral changes of the patient.
Social skills: You don’t to be social, but you definitely have to know how to engage your patient during treatment. Patients tend to guard their muscles in defense to pain, which in turn can be an obstacle in treatment. Hence, this skill will distract him and help him relax. Another crucial aspect of treatment is building a rapport. This brings in positive attitude towards treatment and helps the patient open up with the therapist to be able to discuss his problems.
Master tip: ask questions like,’Any plans for the weekend?’, to start a conversation.
Empathetic: Pain is not everyone’s deal to handle. Some may come in with high tolerance to pain and treatment but some can be apprehensive to slightest touch. This is when showing empathy plays an important role. Being empathetic towards patients can make them comfortable and confident to stay patient towards the effects of physical therapy. That’s when they know the therapist really wants to understand their problem and not just get done with them.
Master tip: say that you understand what they are going through.
Learning: Every PT is learning at every phase of their career. This field has a potential to constantly upgrade with new research and evidence to invent new techniques which can be beneficial for betterment of a patient’s health. Hence, being open to learning new ideas and techniques can make one a better clinician.
Master tip: take CE courses and discuss cases with fellow colleagues to know their opinion.
Good listener: Listen to them. Patients want to be heard and understood. A good clinician should be able to listen and solve the puzzle patient comes with, so that their problem starts to make sense and solution seems to available.
Master tip: listen to the patient once he gets started without interrupting.
Evidence based practice: Stay updated. With more and more available treatment approaches and continuous ongoing research, a good therapist must be updated with better techniques both for patient betterment and faster recovery.
Master tip: read research articles for effect of treatment techniques.
Compliance: Exercising can get boring. It’s our job to educate the importance and effects of doing them to every patient we treat. It is a skill to make sure that every patient prioritizes his impairments, makes time to treat them and doesn’t let it become a bigger problem in future. It is both, the therapist and the patient who are responsible to treat the problem.
Master tip: ask the patient if they exercised everyday and give them 5 best exercises or group their exercises
Patience: Since PT is a sustained therapy without medications and surgery, it could take a little longer to see and feel the difference. Patients can get negative and impatient about therapy especially in chronic cases. Hence, they need to be educated and emphasized periodically as to why they have a certain impairment and how much it takes to treat it.
Master tip: educate them what chronic means and pathological reasoning behind it.
Treatment plan: This skill is my favorite. I believe that without a solid treatment plan, its impossible to achieve patient goals. A quick design for weekly plan of action helps a PT to predict certain changes in patient’s impairments and work on them accordingly. This makes treatment easier and helps achieve specific goals faster.
Master tip: make a quick mental POC (plan of care) in regards with patient short terms and long term goals.
All the discussion points and tips mentioned above are through my perspective and experience. I will love to hear from you, what you think is the most important skill to become an awesome physical therapist like yourself. Share your experience in the comment box below.
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