I recently completed an inpatient prac which was my first in-hospital experience, and quite overwhelming when having a unique situation such as mine. I covered two floors, a total of 4 wards, had 5 different supervisors during that time and on top of that the normal drama of finding the relevant nurse, OT, resident and coordinator. The biggest challenge was managing to effectively interact with the multiple teams of medical professioals I was needing to coordinate with for the patient. But with each ward is a different staff, so I was constantly the new kid on the block - not good for the patient nurses. However, I really learned how important our interpersonal skills are - and not just with patients, as we tend to focus on. You often don't know the authority, level of knowledge, experience and skill that the individual's possess when you approach them for the first time in that kind of setting. You really have to maintain proffessionalism but also be sensitive to their angle, humble enough to take what's given when they sound like they know what they are talking about, be prepared for a lot of give and take with what you hoped to achieve and what they need to achieve as well.
I can confidently say I did not achieve such a level of interpersonal skill as I think is necessary or advantageous to such a situation. But I definately will focus on how important it is to be clear on your terms, your aims, the connection to the person you approach and being aware that you are depending on their graciousness a lot of the time as you bumble through in our student way. Very much a "think before you speak so that it makes sense and saves time" kind of thing.
Patients are not the be all and end all of our profession. Professionalism is the key to relating not just to patients, but to the wider health team that is also focused on the patients well-being. A good lesson to learn, I think.
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You are right to say that it is quite important not to assume how much knowledge another health professional has and to always maintain a professional demeanor at all times. My current prac requires us physio students to interact with other health professionals on a regular basis and it has helped me a lot in terms of organising my time and even gain more knowledge on the patient's condition.
I think it will definitely be one of those things that come easier with practice. As a student, I know I can sometimes feel a bit intimidated approaching other health professions as occasionally it can feel like I am stepping on their toes. I guess it’s just a matter of being confident in our own abilities and also being respectful of what the other members of the team have to contribute, as despite how big or how small another member appears to contribute, it’s important to realise that by working together we will be able to provide the most effective level of care for a patient.
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