Pool Therapy and New Grads
I started work this week doing pool therapy/floating (NOT aquatic therapy)...it was a nice position that would give me some experience at the hospital before the residency begins in July. I would be able to jump between IP and OP. I have a few days off each week to study for the boards. Pool therapy was, in my mind, an ideal way to begin as a new grad- balancing some work with some time off, and working in multiple settings in the hospital.
I learned today that it is NOT an ideal way for a new grad to begin.
First, there is no consistency of patient caseload. I'm picking up odds and ends of other therapists. (What this also implies is that my patients aren't receiving very consistent care--a separate topic to discuss.) And, since I'm not in the same clinic each day, it's not like I am at least familiar with who the patients are and have a general idea of their plan of care. And, since I'm not in the same clinic consistently, I don't know my coworkers that well.
I arrive to work in the morning and try to read up on as many patients as I can, but when my patients are back to back, I have 4 evaluations each day.... I don't have time to read all the notes of each patient--just the eval and most recent treatment note, if I'm lucky. There is a lot of stuff in between those two notes that happens, but I don't have time to read up on all of it.
In conclusion, I would never recommend a floating PT position to a new grad. Ever.