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Testing treatment

Discussion in 'Teaching and Learning' started by DiaryofaPodStudent, Oct 27, 2012.


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    Hi,

    The other day in my clinical simulation lecture we practised padding and strapping, nail cutting and instrument handling. That day I had padding strapped to both my arches, instead of taking them off at the end of clinic I decided to test them out and wear them to work that evening.

    I found that at first my Lt. Lat. was hurting as I walked and my Rt. was fine. Then after a couple of hours standing on my feet at work this was reversed.

    This made me wander why, when practising as students, we don't have to test these out? We havent cut each others nails, only plastic models yet we are to start patients in a weeks time and same goes with debriding callus, we have only used scalpels on blocks of wax.

    I was very surprised at how I felt wearing the pads and it made me think how patients must feel.

    Any thoughts on this?

    Christine
     
  2. Heather J Bassett

    Heather J Bassett Well-Known Member

    Hi Christine, interesting to empathise and then sympathise with a client.

    If you are asymptomatic and having padding your response may be different to your client?

    Wax and models is a good start.... no secondary complications..... the real thing will be different EVERY time.. good that you are observing.. will make you a good practioner

    Cheers
    Heather
     
  3. Thank you Heather! :D,

    I had club foot as a child and now have hammer toes and a high arch so I thought it might be useful to test out the padding as this is something I would most likely be given as a temporary measure if I myself went to see a podiatrist (which I havent :eek:)

    I will keep observing the results of mine and my cohorts treatments, it is getting interesting!

    Christine
     
  4. Kaleidoscope

    Kaleidoscope Active Member

    Hi Christine
    Good luck with your studies and well done for trying to walk in others shoes - It certainly helps if you can empathise with your patients, and as you have problems with your own feet, you will understand how others might feel/cope.

    A tip that another seasoned Pod told me whilst I was training (as I too felt it odd that we would be let loose on fairly ill patients without much prior practice!) was to practice on pomegranites!

    Place one, preferably on a solid base (like a block of wood with a large nail drilled through it) and take a 15 blade (to begin with) and pare away the outer skin which is rather like callus on a foot! If you take too much off you start to get too near to the red seeds below but you want to remove as much of the outer skin as possible without leaving bits behind! Ultimately you end up with just the middle layer with (hopefully) none of the actual fruit showing through! Apparently others practised on cardboard boxes also.

    What you will also find challenging is assessing patients different coloured skin which is often (in books) described as only from an caucasian perspective ! It is often described as white or pink etc. when in fact virtually most of my fellow students' skins were collectively yellowish, brown and very dark brown and almost black. It was of immense value having us display our different coloured skins to each other to see the amazing variations we were likely to come across in clinics - so that we were not surprised when we treated patients.

    The Arena is a great resource to learn from, as I have found everyone on here more than happy to answer questions and give salient advice, when needed, even when it was sometimes fairly obvious to those who dealt with it every day!

    The very best of luck to you.

    Regards
    Linda
     
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