By Sophie Payne
In this blog, you will learn:
- The role of a Senior Physiotherapist.
- How to maintain a good work-life balance when working in physiotherapy.
- Rewarding parts of working in physiotherapy.
Key qualities that make a successful Physiotherapist.
Where the latest Physiotherapist jobs are and how to apply for them.
Ever wondered what physiotherapy looks like from the inside? We had the opportunity to speak to a Senior Physiotherapist, Precious, to uncover more about the role in Nigeria.
Precious began his physiotherapy journey in 2010 and graduated from the University of Nigeria in 2016, before finding an interest in cardiopulmonary physiotherapy.
Precious has now dedicated his career to enhancing patient care and advancing the field of physiotherapy.
Throughout the interview, Precious discusses what inspired him to enter the wonderful world of physiotherapy and how he maintains a good work-life balance in a country where healthcare practice is very demanding.
Tell us about your career so far.
I trained as a Physiotherapist at the University of Nigeria. I gained entry into the university in 2010 and graduated in 2016.
I then started my career as an intern Physiotherapist at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, after which I progressed to do a one year government approved service program.
During this one year program, I found an interest in cardiopulmonary physiotherapy and decided to do a one year voluntary service in the same institution to sharpen my skills as a Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapist.
After 3 years at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, I decided to further my career as well as develop my skills in other specialties in physiotherapy, especially Neuro and Orthopaedic.
I then got a job with Naphtali Physiotherapy and Wellness Clinic in the city of Port Harcourt, Rivers State where I practised as a Physiotherapist.
After two years in this role and having undergone training, CPDs and certifications, I decided to advance my career in another establishment and applied to Wellpath Physiotherapy Clinic, where I now practise as a Senior Physiotherapist.
What does the role of a Senior Physiotherapist consist of?
The role of a Senior Physiotherapist can be quite challenging and tasking to say the least. It comes with more responsibilities ranging from managing caseloads, assessments and treatments of patients. I also supervise and train junior, intern and student Physiotherapists.
I’m also responsible for ward rounds, clinical meetings, care and discharge plans and audit meetings. In a typical work week, I see a minimum of 40 patients which can be demanding when I have so many other tasks to take care of.
What inspired you to become a Physiotherapist?
I never knew what physiotherapy was all about but I have always been medically inclined and one day I was having a conversation with someone who told me about an area of medicine that sparked an interest for me and that was physiotherapy.
I then went and did my own research and decided I wanted to study physiotherapy and become qualified. I was really excited about the idea and looked forward to the experience.
What part of working in physiotherapy do you find most rewarding? Have you got any particularly memorable experiences that you would like to share?
Physiotherapy has so many rewarding aspects as your job role is to help individuals. However, when my patients start recovering it’s rewarding to see the smiles all over their faces.
I’ve worked with stroke, fracture and amputee patients who have come in needing support and after a few sessions of physiotherapy, they have returned to their normal life with minimal or no support.
I’ve also worked with patients who have come to me with excruciating pain and after my help, they are all happy and able to return back to their activities of daily living.
One particularly memorable one would be when I treated a child who was born with certain development disorders and after treatment they were able to perform and behave like their peers. I can go on and on and on but these experiences are the most rewarding.
What challenges do you commonly face in your role and how do you overcome them?
Every role has their challenges but one of the challenges specific to this role is a gap in knowledge. You have to keep updating yourself with current practices because you are tasked with supervision and training of the juniors, interns and students.
For this challenge, I try to engage in as many training sessions and seminars as possible.
The job is also physically demanding and energy sapping so if you are not careful enough, you predispose yourself to some musculoskeletal conditions.
What advice would you give to aspiring Physiotherapists?
One of the pieces of advice I was giving as a Physiotherapist is not letting money be the deciding factor in my professional growth and decisions. As unrelated and insignificant this might be, I have found it to be a deal breaker in having a successful career path.
Another would be to have a good knowledge of anatomy because physiotherapy cannot be separated from anatomy.
Protect yourself and practise safely. As a growing Physiotherapist, I was over zealous and wasn't paying attention to my body and the need to rest it. Over time, I started having some work related musculoskeletal conditions.
In your opinion, what are the key qualities that make a successful Physiotherapist?
Key qualities that make a successful Physiotherapist:
- Clinical skills.
- Empathy.
- Patience.
- Good time management.
- Effective communication.
How do you maintain a work-life balance in a demanding profession like physiotherapy?
Truly, the physiotherapy profession is very demanding and even worse in a country like Nigeria where the healthcare practice is very poor and demanding.
To maintain a work-life balance and navigate burnout has to be a conscious effort from yourself and as for me, I try to engage in leisure activities on my off days, as well as spend quality time with family and friends.
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