Organisation(s)

AECC University College

Laurence Jardine

Student physiotherapist (year 2 of 2 year MSc). Worked on respiratory inpatient wards at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust.

Summary of placement

The placement was a total of seven weeks:

Initial weeks: independent research into the effects of respiratory conditions on ADLs, understanding the effects of immobility on patient health in the hospital setting.

Creation of study protocol (four week total):
Aim: increasing patient exercise volumes to 45mins a day to avoid functional and cognitive deconditioning, to avoid re-admission and long term reduction of quality of life. Created experience and objective measures to assess the effects of this intervention on patient.

Overall findings: intervention was beneficial to patients who enjoyed the experience and demonstrated improved functional outcomes for the most part.

Benefits

  • Increased understanding of the effects of deconditioning on patient re-admission and quality of life

  • Understanding that hospital culture needs to be adapted to ensure patients do not become deconditioned in hospitals

Challenges

  • Heavy workload, possibly an optimal two student placement experience

Advice you’d give to others

  • Good supervisor leadership, milestone, and SMART goals allowed me to achieve placement goals, learning more about the implementations that would improve
    patient outcomes in the NHS inpatient environment.