Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Top Attributes That Aspiring Physical Therapist Should Possess

By Claudine Hodges


It is easy to accuse someone who is living an unhealthy lifestyle as irresponsible. But airing this criticism is a personal insult especially if you are guilty of the same thing. Sometimes, bad habits like smoking and not getting enough sleep becomes a daily activity that we do not notice how they have become a habit and how they are ruining our health.

The increased number of people who need medical assistance is the reason why researchers and medical practitioners do not stop in their pursuit of a better way to cure illnesses. Medical experts like the physical therapist San Francisco are always open to address problems concerning our health. If you believe you have something to contribute and want to be a part of them, be sure to have the following characteristics.

First, is knowledge. The only way for you to treat the unique and specific condition of your patient is if you know exactly what it is all about. Your knowledge should not stop in the academe. Read journals, newsletters, news and any recent updates about your field. You will need them.

Second is a positive mindset. You might have heard the importance of this one to some motivational talks and experts do not just talk about this to inspire. Positive mentality works regardless of what you are doing. As a therapist, it is a must that you exercise this attitude especially that you are dealing with people who might be anxious about their condition. Being positive has a psychological effect to those you are treating.

Third quality is good communication skills. Part of your job is constantly communicating with your patients and their families as to the progress of the therapy. This means that you need to be able to translate those highly technical terms into something more intelligible for them. You also need to be relatable. The more approachable you are, the more your patients will trust you.

Healthy body and mind. You have heard of the saying that goes, action speaks louder than words. No matter how good you are in giving recommendations about healthy living, it will fall in deaf ears if you are unhealthy. As therapists, you should also pay close attention to your own health to ensure that you are at your best every time you see your patients.

Fifth is compassion. Different patients have their own share of burdens. You may encounter someone who in a worse condition that the other and that person may be venting all his frustrations to you or to his family. He may even decide to give up. As the therapist you have to understand what they are going through and be willing to constantly provide them with the right motivation to continue treatment.

Resilience. Just because you are a therapist does not mean that you are totally immune to diseases. If you overdo your work and deprive yourself of rest, your health will soon be affected. The moment you decide to enter the field, you should already know the demand required to you by the job. With this in mind, you should prepare yourself mentally and physically so as not to suffer stress, which can eventually affect your performance.

Being a therapist may sound easy at first. As long as you are well versed with the technicalities and responsibilities of the job, then things may look just fine. But at the end of the day, you still deal with people. And dealing with people with different personalities is never easy. Having the qualities mentioned on above will help you a lot.




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