Physical therapy deals with impairment and disability and is one of the most important professions in the health care industry. Since you are responsible for helping the patient regenerate and treat the injury, how would you deal with a patient who simply isn’t doing his or her prescribed exercises? How will you answer the interviewer if you’re faced with this question? Here are some tips on how to answer this question convincingly.
1. State the reasons why the patient dislikes exercising.
It’s normal for patients to feel lazy or too exhausted to exercise. Sometimes they’re simply not in the mood to move and be active. This is normal, especially if the patient is not in his or her best mood. Understanding the reason why the patient refuses to cooperate can help you determine how to keep the patient on track.
2. Share your experiences with your previous patients.
The hardest part is to convince the patient that he or she needs to exercise. Perhaps you may wish to share some of your experiences with previous patients and how they recovered so fast in a short period of time.
If you haven’t encountered this situation, be honest and tell the interviewer. However, this is not an excuse for you to skip the question. Go to the next step to learn more.
3. Think of strategies to encourage the patients to exercise.
Let the patients know that going to therapy isn’t forever as long as they follow the program. Making the patients feel alive and well is one of the best gifts you can give to them. Perhaps you can be more sincere with your patients and let them know that you’re not just a therapist, but also a friend. Once you’ve established a strong sense of rapport, let your patient know why he or she needs to exercise. Be polite yet persistent because their health depends on it.
Dealing with uncooperative patients is normal, especially if you’re a physical therapist. However, the most important thing is to know how face this situation in a calm and professional way. Show your patients that you care by convincing them to do their exercises so they can live a better, healthier life.
