We successfully finished our first whole day at the rehabilitation hospital! We arrived at the hospital early and met the therapists. There are three PTs who work there all with bachelors degrees from various different programs. They are overseen by a physiatrist who is in charge of patient case load. The PTs names are Danielle, Marco, and Sylvia. We were also greeted by the local news crew who gave us an introduction and shared their gratitude on live TV. It was pretty cool!
We were then given a tour of the facility and I was quite impressed! They had about six different areas each dedicated to a certain treatment component. They had a main room (only one with AC) where they had treatment tables and modalities set up. They had various modalities including e-stim, ultrasound, and parafin. They utilized a type of magnetic therapy I was less familiar with as well. There was a big gym area with parallel bars, stairs, and even a body weight support system. They had a room with a small tub/ pool as well. We later found out they use this area for aquatic therapy treatments.
We spent the day observing various treatment sessions and getting to know how the PTs treat their patients. I was surprised to see how many pediatric patients we worked with. The language barrier was challenging but we had two translators with us which really helped. We were asked to intervene with a few challenging neurological patients that presented with unique qualities. We worked as a team to brainstorm diagnoses and treatment ideas. I soon realized that the therapists practice a more passive way of treating patients. They emphasized modalities such as e-stim and magnetic therapy as well as passive range of motion. A majority of the patients traveled extremely far to receive therapy. I understood why our role here is important because it is crucial these patients get the most out of each treatment session. We discussed how tomorrow we want to show the therapist some therapeutic exercises and manual techniques to add into their treatment sessions. They are all eager to learn from us and I have already learned so much from them. I was with Sylvia for most of the day and was blown away by her tone management skills and patient handling. She appreciated our suggestions about treating neurological patients and is willing to learn even more.
We were able to donate the canes, therabands, and other equipment collected prior to the trip. The therapist were beyond excited and were very appreciative.
The day ended around 4pm and we made our way back to the hotel. The bugs haven’t been too bad yet *knock on wood* although there is the occasional visit from a giant beetle in the hotel. It was extremely hot today and we were eager to shower by the end of the day. You really can’t walk outside without sweating!
The food here has been great. We went to the same place for dinner two nights in a row now because of the fun atmosphere and good food. Typically we eat standard Bolivian foods which includes white rice, meat, and some vegetables. I realized that I really like cicharron which is basically fried fish pieces. Tonight I was boring and got pizza but I have been trying lots of different Bolivian foods.
We were then given a tour of the facility and I was quite impressed! They had about six different areas each dedicated to a certain treatment component. They had a main room (only one with AC) where they had treatment tables and modalities set up. They had various modalities including e-stim, ultrasound, and parafin. They utilized a type of magnetic therapy I was less familiar with as well. There was a big gym area with parallel bars, stairs, and even a body weight support system. They had a room with a small tub/ pool as well. We later found out they use this area for aquatic therapy treatments.
We spent the day observing various treatment sessions and getting to know how the PTs treat their patients. I was surprised to see how many pediatric patients we worked with. The language barrier was challenging but we had two translators with us which really helped. We were asked to intervene with a few challenging neurological patients that presented with unique qualities. We worked as a team to brainstorm diagnoses and treatment ideas. I soon realized that the therapists practice a more passive way of treating patients. They emphasized modalities such as e-stim and magnetic therapy as well as passive range of motion. A majority of the patients traveled extremely far to receive therapy. I understood why our role here is important because it is crucial these patients get the most out of each treatment session. We discussed how tomorrow we want to show the therapist some therapeutic exercises and manual techniques to add into their treatment sessions. They are all eager to learn from us and I have already learned so much from them. I was with Sylvia for most of the day and was blown away by her tone management skills and patient handling. She appreciated our suggestions about treating neurological patients and is willing to learn even more.
We were able to donate the canes, therabands, and other equipment collected prior to the trip. The therapist were beyond excited and were very appreciative.
The day ended around 4pm and we made our way back to the hotel. The bugs haven’t been too bad yet *knock on wood* although there is the occasional visit from a giant beetle in the hotel. It was extremely hot today and we were eager to shower by the end of the day. You really can’t walk outside without sweating!
The food here has been great. We went to the same place for dinner two nights in a row now because of the fun atmosphere and good food. Typically we eat standard Bolivian foods which includes white rice, meat, and some vegetables. I realized that I really like cicharron which is basically fried fish pieces. Tonight I was boring and got pizza but I have been trying lots of different Bolivian foods.