Introduction
Physical therapy education is a field of education that involves training and theory regarding physical impairments and improving mobility and functioning via the application of force and mechanical pressure, manual treatment, physiotherapy, and electrotherapy. The person’s quality of life is improved via evaluation, diagnosis, forecast, treatment approaches, and patient education (Wentink et al., 2019). This is the reason why the training of such a professional must be of high quality and include many practices and approaches, including direct observation (Anderson et al., 2020). With proper education and direct observations, learners become acquainted with the diagnosis, proper treatment, weaknesses, and strengths.
Discussion
Direct observation is a routine part of my training in physical therapy, and the level of observation in my training is sufficient. If not enough observation is used in training, a future professional can make many mistakes during their practice. The most common errors and mistakes in physical therapy are the application of physiotherapy techniques when unnecessary, violations of technique and methodological approach of procedures, and non-optimal pairing of restorative physical factors. In my practice, I do not worry about becoming a poorly qualified expert since my educators help me focus on my mistakes and weaknesses and guide me in terms of treatment plans of physical therapy procedures, the judgment of concurrent chronic conditions, and adequate use of physiological properties in the complicated therapy of patients.
However, I believe that strategies should be employed in order to ensure proper observations and learning processes. Some complications during physical therapy procedures may arise due to violations of safety precautions. Sometimes when carrying out galvanization and drug electrophoresis, possible changes in hemodynamic parameters. The application of physical influences leading to active hyperemia should be limited as they can cause exacerbation of the inflammatory process in the periodontium and activate vascular bone tissue resorption. Additional classes with experienced specialists should be introduced to increase the use of direct observation in training. This will help students gain experience in practice, and they will also have the opportunity to ask questions and expand their knowledge. Therefore, training with professionals and their direction can be helpful for students.
When direct observation is used inadequately, misunderstandings may arise between the student and the professional. The result of such a situation is the fact that a learner will require further explanations due to a lack of understanding of the topic. If this happens, the specialist should explain to the student what the problem is and how to solve the issue. Consequently, the student will develop the required base of knowledge and vital skills, such as stress tolerance and flexibility.
Conclusion
In order to increase the inclusion of direct observation, the student must be ready to employ methods that make the input they receive as valuable as possible. The usefulness of being actively observed is maximized by being conscious of one’s learning requirements and taking the necessary steps to increase one’s knowledge and skills (Aujla et al., 2021). Self-regulated studying refers to a continuous process that includes planning for learning and self-monitoring during a task and making necessary modifications to maximize performance (Aujla et al., 2021). Finally, one will have to reflect after a task to determine if an objective was accomplished or where and why challenges were experienced (Aujla et al., 2021). In this case, these strategies enhance the inclusion of direct observation.
References
Anderson, D. K., Kenyon, L. K., & Frost, J. S. (2020). A survey of physical therapist education: Relationships among pediatric curriculum delivery, faculty, and clinical education. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 34(1), 28-32. Web.
Aujla, N., Chen, Y. F., Samarakoon, Y., Wilson, A., Grolmusova, N., Ayorinde, A.,… & Lilford, R. J. (2021). Comparing the use of direct observation, standardized patients and exit interviews in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review of methods of assessing quality of primary care. Health Policy and Planning, 36(3), 341-356. Web.
Wentink, M. M., Siemonsma, P. C., van Bodegom-Vos, L., De Kloet, A. J., Verhoef, J., Vlieland, T. P. M., & Meesters, J. J. L. (2019). Teachers’ and students’ perceptions on barriers and facilitators for eHealth education in the curriculum of functional exercise and physical therapy: A focus groups study. BMC Medical Education, 19(1), 1-8. Web.