A while ago now I was on an orthopaedic placement managing mainly total knee/hip replacements. I was asked by a patient(TKR) wether they could rest a pillow under their knee whilst lying supine, I replied to the patient that in the interest of regaining a straight leg, no you can't, I apologised for the tough love and suggested they could actively flex to relieve pressure on posterior structures. Moments later I was in earshot of this patients room and heard a nurse tell the patient that I didn't know what I talking about and she lets all her patients do it and know one has had a problem.
I returned to the patients room, sat down and explained in greater depth the rehab progress and desired outcomes. Tried desperately to regain some rapport and explain that I knew something about TKR's. I tried to do this all without disrespecting the nurse. In the end I put the responsibility on the patient to get the best for themselves, with correct advice put the onus of rehab back on them. I found that this worked really well and was a pretty good motivator for the patients/
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2 comments:
It can be really frustrating when someone who doesnt have the knowledge we do about something tells patients the opposite to what we are telling them and the patient wil just listen to what they want to hear. All you can do is educate the patient but in the end they will make their own decisions.
I have also had this to me when the consultant came it to see one of my pts and i dont think he realised who i was as he interupted my Rx session, ignored me completely and then told the pt that physios didnt know what they were talking about. I was in shock because i was still in the room at that time. I dont know what you can really do it this situation except try and back up your treatment and edu with clinical reasoning but in my opinion it is unlikely that a pt will ever believe a physio student over a doctor
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