Therapeutic Reflection
I appreciate you for sharing your experience with your patients in your clinical setting. I believe these therapeutic encounters with our patients provide us with an abundance of learning experiences as we engage ourselves in the lifelong commitment of learning. I enjoyed reading your post as it provided a diaspora of information from your experiences as a clinician.
In response to your question, I would like to focus on our role as diagnosticians (Davenport & Sebelski, 2011). Rose (1988) referred to diagnosis at the cornerstone of our practice. As PT, we should be able to provide a diagnosis for us to be able to develop a plan of care for our patients and that would include the ability to refer our patients to other healthcare professionals …show more content…
A review of the medical history of our patients can reveal vital information about any history of falls/trauma, history of spinal fractures and comorbidities. It is important to review the results of any radiography tests (CT scan results, bone densitometry or MRI) as these may reveal the need to have a vertebral augmentation. As we proceed with the evaluation, it would be necessary also to review the current medications of our patients because procedures like kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty patients should be taken off all anticoagulants (Burton & Hamid, 2008). For pain assessment, we need to take note of the activities that can aggravate or relieve the symptoms, and the current level of pain to have a basis for comparison post-procedure from interventional radiology (IR). It is would be good to evaluate the posture/alignment of the patient as this will show if there is any significant clinical correction or improvement after the procedure is done like in cases of vertebral augmentation (Garfin, Yuan, & Reiley, 2001). All in all, it will be the patient and the interventional radiologist who will ultimately decide on the course to follow for the best outcome. Your question indeed, showcases the important role we play, as conduits for our patients to the appropriate healthcare
In response to your question, I would like to focus on our role as diagnosticians (Davenport & Sebelski, 2011). Rose (1988) referred to diagnosis at the cornerstone of our practice. As PT, we should be able to provide a diagnosis for us to be able to develop a plan of care for our patients and that would include the ability to refer our patients to other healthcare professionals …show more content…
A review of the medical history of our patients can reveal vital information about any history of falls/trauma, history of spinal fractures and comorbidities. It is important to review the results of any radiography tests (CT scan results, bone densitometry or MRI) as these may reveal the need to have a vertebral augmentation. As we proceed with the evaluation, it would be necessary also to review the current medications of our patients because procedures like kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty patients should be taken off all anticoagulants (Burton & Hamid, 2008). For pain assessment, we need to take note of the activities that can aggravate or relieve the symptoms, and the current level of pain to have a basis for comparison post-procedure from interventional radiology (IR). It is would be good to evaluate the posture/alignment of the patient as this will show if there is any significant clinical correction or improvement after the procedure is done like in cases of vertebral augmentation (Garfin, Yuan, & Reiley, 2001). All in all, it will be the patient and the interventional radiologist who will ultimately decide on the course to follow for the best outcome. Your question indeed, showcases the important role we play, as conduits for our patients to the appropriate healthcare