I’ve been going to a Physical Therapy practice for a few months now: I go in, receive electrical stimulation therapy, perform my home program, work out on the bicycle, and finish with a stretching session, ultrasound, and cryotherapy-- the latter three administered by a therapist.
It seems to be a small staff in what can quickly become, with a lot of clients, a snug space. When I’ve
been there, clients always appear to be waiting: for an available station/ bed,
a machine, or a therapist. The other day, after my exercises, I, once again,
found myself sitting around, waiting for a therapist.
PT 1 was working on someone and apologized for the wait
time. I asked him how long he thought it
might take. He replied, “Ten
minutes.” I told him I’d check upstairs
for availability.
On the first floor, two therapists were sitting by one of
the office desks stations. PT 2 was on
his cellphone, and PT 3 appeared to be resting (she seemed to have come in with
an injury that day—she had been moving slowly earlier). Addressing my question to another employee, I
asked G if someone was available since PT 1 had a client downstairs.
G turned to PT 2, but his expression and body language
indicated reluctance and exasperation.
I’m not certain, but he may have just finished with a client not too
long ago. I am certain that he felt it
was PT 3’s turn to take a client.
Judging by her body language and expression, PT 3 was also reluctant,
which, maybe, had something to do with her physical state. The upshot was PT 3 would work on me.
As I watched G get out the cleaning supplies, walk over and
begin getting a station ready, I was still replaying the exchange between her
and her colleagues. It was clear that
these PTs did not want to take a client at that precise moment. But that exchange shouldn’t have happened in
front of me—especially since, on the surface, it just looked like they were sitting
around. Because it did take place in
front of me, it was unprofessional and should have been acknowledged via an
apology or an explanation, or both.
I approached G, told her I would wait for PT 1 then
left.
Downstairs, I sat at a station until PT 1 was
available. When he came over, he
apologized again for the wait time.
PT 1, an older gentleman, only works at this site once a
week. PT 2 and 3, possibly in their mid
to late twenties, are the primary PTs for the practice, along with the owner
and two others. I didn’t say anything to
the owner. I’ve been coming to this
practice for a few months now and, based on the observations I’ve made, I
didn’t feel telling the owner would help. Even now, a day after the incident, I still
stand firmly by that decision. But I
might speak to G since she bore witness to it all and let her do what she wants
with the information...
I feel I did the best I could in those circumstances; I took
ownership of what I could.
Energetically, after their exchange, it didn’t sit well with me to have
PT 2 or PT 3 work on me. Since I had the
time, I would wait and work with a therapist who wanted a client.