COMMENTARY
What Our Patients Can Teach Us IBIJOKE BETTY AYETIWA, MS, PT, AND SUSAN RITA RUEL, PhD
eadership qualities are needed to produce I carefully folded them and put them on a closet good outcomes for physical therapy patients shelf, but when I returned for my next visit in home care. As a physical therapist (PT) in I found them all back in the exact same spots. Staten Island, NY, I often find that it takes ingenuFinally, while Theresa was out of the home, her ity to work with individual patients, each with family and I orchestrated some safety installatheir own life story, personal circumstances, tions. One grandchild had the idea to decorate dreams, fears, and personal goals. I strive for the her grab bar, which we were pleasantly surprised best outcomes by approaching each patient with to find, made it acceptable to her. respect and enthusiasm, regardless of their One day I noticed Theresa staring out the medical, social, or psychological issues. One window at her car. She yelled: “I would love to go thing I love about being a PT in home healthcare out and warm up my car. But if I move, everyone is the ability to get to know each patient as an hollers, ‘Don’t do that! Sit here! Don’t get up! You will individual. This allows me to craft a realistic plan fall!’” Theresa was letting us know that she’d lost of care that encompasses the patient’s goals confidence and felt frustrated at what she perand recognizes their personal circumstances. ceived as lack of control over her life. With time, We clinicians frequently encounter situations that require us to devise “out of the box” With time, patience, encouragement, and solutions. Drawing on our leadhandholding, we were able to help Theresa ership skills, we make change regain self-confidence and control over her life. happen and deliver results while coping with the unexpected. It’s all in a day’s work. As PTs, we routinely find ourselves doing comprepatience, encouragement, and hand-holding, we hensive assessments for patients and establishing were able to help Theresa regain self-confidence realistic goals focused on improved functioning and control over her life. Although she could not do and mobility, while also meeting that patient’s some of the things she had done earlier in her life, personal goals. We then take fast, appropriate she was able to regain some of the control over her action to achieve the best possible outcomes. life, at least to a point that was acceptable to her. Thinking back on challenging situations makes Theresa died last year, but I clearly remember me recall a patient named Theresa. She lived with how she taught me to understand each patient’s her supportive family who were involved in her goals, feelings, and desires. She helped me to care, but she was angry, as stubborn as a mule, remember that sometimes, angry behavior on and alienated nearly everyone who tried to help the part of patients is understandable. When her. She suffered from end-stage renal failure and patients see us sincerely wanting to help them, required dialysis thrice weekly. My biggest conour leadership can be contagious. With a lot of cern was that she frequently fell. She fought my support and understanding, many times, patients safety suggestions tooth and nail. A Visiting like Theresa become leaders in their own care. Nurse Service of New York social worker proAnd this is the best outcome we can ask for. vided Theresa with supportive counseling and Ibijoke Betty Ayetiwa, MS, PT, is a Physical Therapist, Visiting community resources, including Meals on Nurse Service of New York, Staten Island, New York. Wheels—which of course, she absolutely hated. Susan Rita Ruel, PhD, is the Communications Manager, Visiting On my first visit, I recommended that Theresa Nurse Service of New York, New York City, New York. use assistive devices, including a “grab bar” in The authors declare no conflicts of interest. the bathroom. In her words, a grab bar would Address for correspondence: Susan Rita Ruel, PhD, 435 W. 7th St., Apt. 5-S, New York, NY 10019 ([email protected]). look “hideous.” I also encouraged Theresa to avoid falls by getting rid of her throw rugs. DOI: 10.1097/NHH.0000000000000121
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vol. 32 • no. 8 • September 2014
Home Healthcare Nurse 507
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
What Our Patients Can Teach Us IBIJOKE BETTY AYETIWA, MS, PT, AND SUSAN RITA RUEL, PhD
eadership qualities are needed to produce I carefully folded them and put them on a closet good outcomes for physical therapy patients shelf, but when I returned for my next visit in home care. As a physical therapist (PT) in I found them all back in the exact same spots. Staten Island, NY, I often find that it takes ingenuFinally, while Theresa was out of the home, her ity to work with individual patients, each with family and I orchestrated some safety installatheir own life story, personal circumstances, tions. One grandchild had the idea to decorate dreams, fears, and personal goals. I strive for the her grab bar, which we were pleasantly surprised best outcomes by approaching each patient with to find, made it acceptable to her. respect and enthusiasm, regardless of their One day I noticed Theresa staring out the medical, social, or psychological issues. One window at her car. She yelled: “I would love to go thing I love about being a PT in home healthcare out and warm up my car. But if I move, everyone is the ability to get to know each patient as an hollers, ‘Don’t do that! Sit here! Don’t get up! You will individual. This allows me to craft a realistic plan fall!’” Theresa was letting us know that she’d lost of care that encompasses the patient’s goals confidence and felt frustrated at what she perand recognizes their personal circumstances. ceived as lack of control over her life. With time, We clinicians frequently encounter situations that require us to devise “out of the box” With time, patience, encouragement, and solutions. Drawing on our leadhandholding, we were able to help Theresa ership skills, we make change regain self-confidence and control over her life. happen and deliver results while coping with the unexpected. It’s all in a day’s work. As PTs, we routinely find ourselves doing comprepatience, encouragement, and hand-holding, we hensive assessments for patients and establishing were able to help Theresa regain self-confidence realistic goals focused on improved functioning and control over her life. Although she could not do and mobility, while also meeting that patient’s some of the things she had done earlier in her life, personal goals. We then take fast, appropriate she was able to regain some of the control over her action to achieve the best possible outcomes. life, at least to a point that was acceptable to her. Thinking back on challenging situations makes Theresa died last year, but I clearly remember me recall a patient named Theresa. She lived with how she taught me to understand each patient’s her supportive family who were involved in her goals, feelings, and desires. She helped me to care, but she was angry, as stubborn as a mule, remember that sometimes, angry behavior on and alienated nearly everyone who tried to help the part of patients is understandable. When her. She suffered from end-stage renal failure and patients see us sincerely wanting to help them, required dialysis thrice weekly. My biggest conour leadership can be contagious. With a lot of cern was that she frequently fell. She fought my support and understanding, many times, patients safety suggestions tooth and nail. A Visiting like Theresa become leaders in their own care. Nurse Service of New York social worker proAnd this is the best outcome we can ask for. vided Theresa with supportive counseling and Ibijoke Betty Ayetiwa, MS, PT, is a Physical Therapist, Visiting community resources, including Meals on Nurse Service of New York, Staten Island, New York. Wheels—which of course, she absolutely hated. Susan Rita Ruel, PhD, is the Communications Manager, Visiting On my first visit, I recommended that Theresa Nurse Service of New York, New York City, New York. use assistive devices, including a “grab bar” in The authors declare no conflicts of interest. the bathroom. In her words, a grab bar would Address for correspondence: Susan Rita Ruel, PhD, 435 W. 7th St., Apt. 5-S, New York, NY 10019 ([email protected]). look “hideous.” I also encouraged Theresa to avoid falls by getting rid of her throw rugs. DOI: 10.1097/NHH.0000000000000121
L
vol. 32 • no. 8 • September 2014
Home Healthcare Nurse 507
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
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