One of my friends told me that she thinks the goal of physical therapists is “alleviating [the] pain” of their patients, which is neither true nor false. The type of pain she was referring to was solely physical, consequently, I chose the image of a masseuse in my meme. Physical therapist (PT) patients are obviously in physical pain, but emotional pain is also a large component of their suffering. Often times, they feel hopeless about their recovery and feel as if they will never go back to normal. Physical therapists indirectly relieve this stress through physical rehabilitation. Another of my friends mentioned that she considers PTs to be doctors, which again, is both right and wrong. In order to be certified, PTs must obtain a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, which gives them the “doctor” title. But, they are not actual physicians,which is what most people think of when …show more content…
The bulk of a PT’s job is obviously treating their patients, but they constantly have to fill out notes as well. As per American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) guidelines, “documentation is required for every visit/encounter” (Gardner). This documentation, collectively referred to as the patient’s “chart,” includes a primary evaluation, treatment session notes, monthly re-evaluations, and a terminating discharge summary (Rebozzi). A patient’s chart is kept confidential, typically only shared with PT assistants and the patient’s referring physician. A referring physician is a doctor who directs a client to a specialist, like a physical therapist, so they can get the specific assistance and treatment they require (“NCI Thesaurus.”). Due to the exchange of notes between the medical professionals in this circumstance, it is very important that physical therapists use a lot of detail when describing patients’ conditions and progress, as well as correct medical