10 Things to Ensure Safe Patient Care

As providers, we want our patients to succeed in their treatment and get the most out of their care. One way to ensure this is by creating a safe, comfortable space promoting wellness and healing. Each patient has their own story and reasons for being in your clinic. Their history can affect their feeling in your clinic and about being your patient. Considering that around 70% of the world has experienced one traumatic event in their lifetime, we as providers can enhance their experience by creating an environment that supports their growth and progress. So, how can we do this?

1. Be Your Patients’ Biggest Cheerleader

When providing care, you are your patient’s biggest cheerleader and partner on their wellness journey. Approach care with an unbiased and flexible mindset that will allow you to work alongside your patients to ensure they succeed each step of the way.

2. Ask Questions

Asking questions about your patients’ preferences and limitations helps create a more welcoming environment. For example, “I saw that exercise made you feel scared. Can you tell me what happened?” This can help the patient feel supported and reach their goals.

3. Understand What Your Patient Needs to Feel Safe

We are all different and come from unique backgrounds. It makes sense that what we need to feel safe would be different as well. Keep an open dialogue with your patients and check in with them along the way to ensure comfort throughout their care. Ask your patients what they need in order to feel safe during their evaluation, as well as at the start of each of their sessions.

4. Share Your Game Plan

For some patients, physical therapy is new. They don’t know what the process is going to be like. For patients who may have been through a traumatic experience, this allows them to be on the same page with no surprises. You can even ask the patient what their thoughts are about your game plan to empower them.

5. Take Care of Yourself

If we are not in the right mindset, we won’t be able to give patients the care that they deserve. Our energy and mood can be seen and felt by the patient. The patients we see are less likely to feel safe if we are angry or defensive. It is important for us to be physically and mentally healthy. If you have paid time off, use it! If you need to talk about how you are feeling, do so with a mental health provider or with a colleague. We are emotional beings, and those emotions need to be heard.

6. Ask for Permission

Manual therapy has many benefits, but for some, touch is uncomfortable and could be a trigger. Ask for permission before placing your hands on their body. By asking, it gives them control and makes them feel safer during their session. When asking, tell them where you will be placing your hands and explain why so they can better understand the process and he clinical benefit. You should also be asking when you need to place your hands on the patient for transfer assistance and tactile cues for an exercise that they are performing.

7. Meet Them at Their Level

Often, we are above the patient as they are in a chair or lying on the table. That can feel overpowering for the patient. We want them to feel safe and to feel empowered during their treatment. When communicating with the patient, bring yourself to their eye level, be soft with your facial expression, and avoid using language that is too clinical.

8. Give Them a Voice

Ask your patients how they feel and listen actively. They want to be heard and validated. Be empathetic and compassionate by placing yourself in their shoes. Also, give them options during their treatment to help them feel empowered. One example may be to show them three different hip abduction strength exercises and let them choose which one they would like to do. Giving them a voice allows them to be a part of their treatment.

9. Modify the Exercise

Continue to ask your patients questions about what they need to feel comfortable and modify exercises based on the information they share.

10. Provide Calming Exercises

By teaching patients breathing, somatic, and mind-body connecting exercises, they will be able to feel safer within their bodies and in their environments. Covering posture exercises can also bring confidence and empowerment.

As providers, we want what is best for each of our patients, and them to achieve their goals. We can help them by making it a safe experience. We can accomplish this by asking questions, giving them a voice, teaching techniques to help them feel safe, putting ourselves in their shoes, and caring for our mental health. If you are passionate about providing exceptional patient care and are looking to join the Athletico team, explore our available roles today!

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The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.

References:
1. “Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart/The Language of Emotion and Human Experience.” Performance by Brené Brown, season 1, episode 1, Max, 2022.
2. Dunleavy, Kim, and Amy Kubo Slowik. “Emergence of delayed posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms related to sexual trauma: Patient-centered and trauma-cognizant management by physical therapists.” Physical Therapy, vol. 92, no. 2, 1 Feb. 2012, pp. 339–351, https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20100344.
3. Fleishman, Joan, et al. “Trauma-informed nursing practice.” OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, vol. 24, no. 2, 31 May 2019, https://doi.org/10.3912/ojin.vol24no02man03.
4. Fletcher, Jeremy. “Trauma-Informed Pain Care.” Integrative Pain Science Institute, members.integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/courses/trauma-informed-pain-care. Accessed 12 May 2024.
5. “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 27 May 2024, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/post-traumatic-stress-disorder#:~:text=Around%2070%25%20of%20people%20globally,in%20their%20lives%20(2).