wk2: reflection number 3!

I was asked to do a mobility assessment on a patient admitted to my placement with dementia and referred to the physio department due to concerns on her falls risk.

I was a little nervous at being asked to assess this patient as I hadn't seen her before. To orientate myself to the patient I read through her notes to find out more of her medical history. As I knew she suffered from dementia I made sure I used strategies that would help in her assessment. Using these strategies really helped in getting her to understand what I was asking her to do.

I think I managed the assessment fairly well. I think I communicated well which helped in assessing what the patient could do independently and what she needed help with. At the start of my assessment I forgot that she was blind in her right eye and happened to stand on her right side giving her directions on what to do. and although she was still able to follow what I was asking her to do I did realise my patient was having difficulties with knowing which direction to go in. once I moved to her left side so she could see better the directions I was pointing to she improved and the assessment went a lot smoother.

At first I was a bit nervous; as the assessment went on successfully I grew in confidence.

I would make sure I asked or check the medical notes if the patient had any vision or hearing loss and if so to what side and where was the best place form them to see/hear me.

I would makes sure I keep on incorporating the strategies used with dementia patients and older adults as at my facility a lot of the patients are in the older age demographic and many of which have dementia. But I will also be mindful that not all these strategies will work with all patients and it is important to be adaptive to the individual patient in their treatment, assessment etc due to their behaviour, limitations etc...