I have just realised how little some other health professionals think some physios do. Last week there was a meeting held mainly between orthopaedic surgeons and the anaesthetists to try and establish what the best form of anesthetic was to enable early mobilisation and post-op recovery. Members of the allied health team were also there to provide input when appropriate.
In a nut shell, the surgeons were asking if there was any evidence-based literature to support a form of surgery where patients didnt need to have an epidural or regional anaesthetic and therefore had less chance of a motor block preventing standing on day 1.
What shocked me was that several anaesthetists boldly said they thought mobilising day 1 post -op had little benefit. When the physios and surgeons promptly told them that yes it was infact beneficial, they asked why a few orderlys couldnt just stand them up and support the quads if a motor block was in place. Most people were shocked by this statement as it showed just how little these anaesethetists knew about physio and patient treatment. This therefore highlighted to me the need to be able to rationalise our treatment choices and have a strong justification for what we do as there will be many people out there who try and challenge our choices.
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I too have been amazed at what some other members of the healthcare team think physios do. During my last prac the physio department received a staggering number of inappropriate referrals, or requests for us to do things that were not appropriate. I'd like to see what your ignorant surgeons patient outcomes would be like if we didn't see their patients for a job that an orderly could apparently do!!!!! Go physio!!!!
I too have seen how other health professionals have no idea what it is we do. I have found on many pracs. particularly the outpatient based ones that patients are often handballed to physio when no one else knows what to do with the patient. If it is something that is out of our scope it can then look like we make no diffrence at all which is very untrue.
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