How to Answer: How do you educate your patients?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Physical Therapist job interview.
28. How do you educate your patients?
How to Answer
The interviewer wants to hear how you assist your patients with their physical therapy needs. The first thing you need to tell the interviewer is that you determine the patient's learning style. Instead of re-inventing the wheel, tell the interviewer that you take advantage of technology when appropriate. You keep family members in the loop and occasionally check in with patients to ensure that they understand your information.
Entry Level
"Like myself, I think most patients learn best by doing so I openly take a hands on approach to educating my patients on the therapy they receive. If I was teaching a patient how to do standing quadricep stretches, I would first demonstrate to them by doing it as well as demonstrating different balance techniques. Then, I would request that they try it. "
Answer Example
"Fist I evaluate how my patient learns best: verbally, visually or both. Once I have identified how to best educate my patients I encourage a question and answer session so they leave with all of their questions answererd."
Experienced
"Over my career, I've learned that education to patients is best delivered by helping them understand the reason why they are doing something. Without being too technical, I explain the physiology in layman's terms while stressing the importance of each step in the process. I've found that as long as a patient understands why they are asked to do something, they become much more receptive to it."
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