During a placement I was working with a patient in a busy physiotherapy gym. The session was running smoothly and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Until…….
a patient started screaming and crying and screaming – very loudly! The commotion got the attention of everyone in the gym. I looked over to where the fuss was and saw that one of the most well respected senior physiotherapists was with the patient who was yelling and crying and red in the face and obviously upset and distressed. I thought that the patient must be in safe hands if the well respected senior physiotherapist was there and in charge. However, just after this thought crossed my mind I witnessed the senior physiotherapist say “F*%^ off to you too” to the distressed patient before wheeling them out of the gym. The patient I was working with had his back turned to the situation but was trying to turn around to see what the fuss was about and began asking me who was making all the noise. I redirected his and my attention back to what we were doing.
That situation has entered my thoughts a few times since it happened and I feel bothered by witnessing it. It was my understanding that it would never be professionally or ethically acceptable behaviour for a physiotherapist to swear at a patient. I don’t know the details of the situation that lead to the patient becoming upset and the physio swearing at the patient, but it disappoints me that a senior I would look up to as a mentor and to learn from would behave in this manner, regardless of the circumstances. I have definitely lost respect for this senior physio and will think twice before following their advice. Also I will make an effort for my own professional behaviour and integrity to continue to improve as I become more qualified.
Hey, I find that VERY interesting and shocking. I think I would probably think that physio was an idiot. But also try not to be too harsh on the physio at fault, because who knows what else they have going on in their life and dont forget we all make mistakes. So even though you've lost respect for the PT, they still might be a good person and PT and might give you really good advice. but maybe not :P
ReplyDeleteHi, I also have witnessed physiotherapists treating their patients badly and from what I could tell they seemed to be insensitive and uncaring. Maybe this happens after years of practice, seeing multiple patients, they might become desensitised and just lose the empathy and sensitivity that they might have started with? Good blog topic, it was a very good point.
ReplyDeletehey that sounds pretty intense. By the sounds of it that physio has lost enthusiasm for their job. I would be interested to know what their attitude/behavior was like outside of that incident.
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