third entry (fourth year neuro)

S// This entry concerns a patient I was treating for the first time. I had previously assisted my supervisor in performing a mobility assessment with the patient. After several failed attempts to get the patient to attend therapy he finally agreed to participate in a session.
T// I was asked to perform a basic treatment session with the patient.
A// I went through some basic active assisted UL and LL ROM exercises with the patient.
R// During the session the patient vomited on top of himself and over the plinth. As the patient was supine I quickly rolled the patient onto his side to prevent any choking or aspiration. I then reassured the patient and asked a physiotherapist nearby to get me some gloves and towels. I continued to reassure the patient whilst cleaning the vomit off his face and chest. I then transferred him to his chair and asked a PTA to return him to the ward, and I continued to clean up.
E// I feel I handled the situation appropriately, remaining calm and ensuring the safety of the patient before worrying about the mess. I believe my calm reaction was critical as it avoided a potentially embarrassing situation for the patient. In fact very few people in the gym even realised what had happened. I also think my focus on ensuring the patient’s well being, by rolling him to side lying and constantly reassuring him, helped keep the patient calm. My biggest weakness was not getting a handover for the patient, had I done this I may have been warned that such an incident was possible. I then could have prepared towels, vomit bags and gloves prior to treating.S// Following this experience I ensured that prior to treating any patient I got a basic handover from the therapist in charge, as reading the patients notes and getting a full history is not always possible. Although I will not be able to prevent such an incident at least a handover will allow me to prepare for any similar incident occurring in the future. In the future I think a similar strategy of remaining calm and focussing on the well being of the patient will ensure I continue to handle similar situations appropriately.