Enhancing Physiotherapy Skills: A Reflection on Patient Interaction

This essay is a reflection on a physiotherapy student's experience interacting with a Polish-speaking stroke patient named Smith. The student faced challenges in communicating due to the language barrier, which hindered the subjective assessment. The student reflects on feelings of inadequacy and the importance of non-verbal communication, such as signs and visual aids, in overcoming such barriers. The analysis focuses on the need to enhance communication skills, particularly in special languages and visual aids, to effectively interact with diverse patients. The conclusion highlights the encounter as an opportunity to integrate diverse individuals into communication and emphasizes the importance of a physiotherapist's ability to use various communication methods for easier assessment. The action plan outlines intentions to improve non-verbal cues, visual aids, and exposure to diverse patients through attending physiotherapy clinics and engaging in sign language and other languages to develop essential communication skills. The student aims to manage patient encounters more effectively in the future.

Reflection on Interaction with Patients and Physiotherapy 1
REFLECTION ON INTERACTION WITH PATIENTS AND PHYSIOTHERAPY
By (Name)
Professor’s Name
College
Course
Date

Reflection on Interaction with Patients and Physiotherapy 2
Description:
I encountered a range of patients during my placement. In this case, I encountered a
patient called Smith (inpatient stroke patient staying in stroke ward). He was 58 years old and
came down in wheelchair to the Therapy GYM. He came so that the physiotherapy could do
some stroke exercise with him. This is because he had right facial weakness with dense
hemiparesis in his right arm and leg. Smith could not speak in English as he only spoke Polish.
My mentor tasked me to undertake a subjective assessment of Smith. I had to do some lip read
and show my hands to communicate with Smith about his physiotherapy. This encounter was
different from my previous ones. It was hard to ask Smith questions because I did not know how
to speak in Polish or use signs nor visual aids. I only had to get info about Smith’s health and
physiotherapeutic interventions through examination.
Feelings:
I feel that albeit initially the scenario never felt and seemed novel and challenging, my
ability to converse with Smith was never possible. This is because I never managed to think of a
novel means of phrasing queries. Smith kept looking at my mentor (trained physiotherapist) for
guidance and reassurance with the language being utilized. This influenced me to look also
towards my mentor for assistance (Roberts and Bucksey 2007). When the physiotherapist took
over the assessment and questioned the patient using signs, it aided Smith’s understanding.
However, I felt I had let down both myself and my mentor after being unable to conduct the
assessment. I also felt I had let the patient down because of my inability to converse with him.
My mentor asked him questions by maintaining eye contact with him. This helped Smith to
understand (Potter, Gordon and Hamer 2003).
Evaluation:

Reflection on Interaction with Patients and Physiotherapy 3
I learned from my encounter with Smith that language barrier makes it important to
converse in signs and visual aids. It was Smith who was concerned and worried his stroke. He
was the one dealing with treatment and physiotherapy he received (Lundvik-Gyllensten, Gard,
Hansson and Ekdahl 2000). For a patient who is not fluent in English, therefore, speaking in
different kinds of languages including visual aids and signs make them comfortable to
understand questions.
Analysis:
This encounter has challenged me to enhance my communication skills especially in
terms of special language using signs and visual aids. This will enhance my ability to
communicate effectively with all kinds of patients without the language being a barrier as in the
present case. To do this, I will have to enhance my interaction with patients who are not fluent
in English. I will accomplish this through increased non-English speaking patient exposure.
Conclusion:
The encounter with Smith was not only a challenging one because of a language barrier,
but also an opportunity to integrate diverse individuals into communication without losing
conversation flow. As a physiotherapist, I must be able to speak in signs and different languages
to communicate effectively. This will help me create a good rapport during a physiological and
physical examination for easier assessment.
Action Plan:
This encounter demonstrated that I have to improve my communication skills and
strategies for coping with diverse situations. In future, therefore, I am aiming at increasing my
special languages (non-verbal cues), visual aids and other languages including Polish. I am also
intending to improve diverse patient-exposure level by attending a range of physiotherapy clinics

Reflection on Interaction with Patients and Physiotherapy 4
and conversing with patients in signs and different languages (Gard and Lundvik-Gyllensten
2004). This will help me develop essential communication skills thereby making my encounters
with patients easily and effectively managed.
References

Reflection on Interaction with Patients and Physiotherapy 5
Gard, G. and Lundvik Gyllensten, A., 2004. Are emotions important for good interaction in
treatment situations?. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 20(2), pp.107-119.
Lundvik Gyllensten, A., Gard, G., Hansson, L. and Ekdahl, C., 2000. Interaction Between
Patient and Physiotherapist in Psychiatric Care? the Physiotherapist's Perspective. Advances in
Physiotherapy, 2(4), pp.157-167.
Potter, M., Gordon, S. and Hamer, P., 2003. The physiotherapy experience in private practice:
the patients' perspective. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy, 49(3), pp.195-202.
Roberts, L. and Bucksey, S.J., 2007. Communicating with patients: what happens in
practice?. Physical Therapy, 87(5), pp.586-594.