Elizabeth Oliver

Core Skills

• Undertook comprehensive specialist assessments of patients, planned and implemented an appropriate programmes of physiotherapy care using advanced clinical reasoning and determined most appropriate treatment methods from a range of physiotherapy options.

• Interpreted a range of clinical and non-clinical facts relating to individual patients, many of which may be complex.

• In conjunction with MDT colleagues, significantly contributed to the development of comprehensive discharge plans for patients onward transfer from the hospital setting.

• Communicated effectively and worked collaboratively with the wider multi disciplinary team in specialty area including medical, nursing and other therapy colleagues to ensure delivery of a coordinated multi-disciplinary service to patients. This includes attendance at ward rounds, case conferences and ad hoc situations on the ward, communicating the physiotherapy aspects of patients care and ensuring its integration into the patients overall treatment plan.

• Communicated effectively and worked collaboratively with the primary care/local authority teams who were involved in the ongoing management of patients care post discharge including community nursing services, GPs, domiciliary physiotherapy services; communicating the physiotherapy aspects of patients care and their progress.

• Advanced understanding of physiotherapy clinical practices and procedures within OPM and an awareness of different criteria for Community Care settings e.g. residential care/nursing homes.

• Maintained accurate comprehensive and up to date treatment records for each patient in line with legal requirements.

• Provided daily statistics for use by the rehabilitation department to monitor and evaluate service activity levels.

• Be part of the emergency duty on-call rota (overnight emergency respiratory cover) and keep up to date with associated competencies.

Management skills

• Developed specialist clinical and managerial competencies in Older Peoples Medicine (OPM). This included completing probatory and supervisory meetings and follow up written drafts for staff within my therapy team.

• Attended, actively participated and lead team in-service training sessions within the OPM team.

• Identified, discussed and implemented areas for service improvement or change based on evidence and knowledge with team leads / line managers

• Delegated work to Technical Instructors and Therapy Assistants within agreed clinical protocols in the specialty area and ensured work is undertaken to a satisfactory level.

• Lead as a clinical educator of physiotherapy students.

• Completed yearly appraisals.

• Completed appropriate training and be an appraiser for designated therapy staff.

Personal Skills

• Lead on OPM physio team wellbeing initiative, including running wellbeing workshops and foster collaborative meetings for team and personal development.

• Open and approachable team member.

• Established and maintained effective working relationships with MDT management leads to improve patient care and ward outcomes.

Continuing Professional Development

• To be responsible for own continued professional development / Maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence-based practice in Elderly Care / OPM, developing specialist knowledge of conditions and patient groups (such as Parkinson’s, frailty, orthopaedic injuries, dementia and delirium etc).

• Carry out all duties in accordance with the requirements of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy / trust policies and procedures / HCPC standards / local clinical protocols and standards in the specialty area.

Core skills

• Comprehensive assessment of patients and their physiotherapy / rehabilitation needs and goals.
• Observed patient recovery progress and modified treatment to address identified concerns.
• Collaborated with patients to develop meaningful treatment programmes and safe home practices.
• Educated patients on expected treatment outcomes and methods for optimised recovery.
• Ensured optimal patient care by staying updated on latest physiotherapy techniques.
• Maintained documentation of patient history and progress in keeping with local and national protocol.
• Helped people with challenging behaviour to overcome physical and mobility challenges.
• Managed caseloads efficiently under high-pressure circumstances.
• Coordinated with multidisciplinary teams for comprehensive care plan development.
• Peer support through talking reflections and in-service training
• Worked with in my experience remit and sought support and advice from seniors and more experienced team members as required.
• Stayed up-to-date with regulatory requirements to maintain consistent compliance with safe working practices.

Specific experience and skills developed during junior rotations

Acute Major Trauma unit (9 months)

• Complex orthopaedic and head injury polytrauma assessment, treatment plan development, rehab evaluation and intervention adjustment, onward referral and discharge planning.

General Surgery Intensive Care Unit (6 months)

• Complex critical care respiratory skills developed. Including respiratory assessment, treatment, adjustment for ventilated patients post cardiac arrest, post major surgery such as Subtotal Oesophagectomy (STO’s) and burns patients.
• Ventilation weaning therapies. Including, tracheostomy and Non-invasive ventilation weaning programmes as appropriate.
• Post Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay physical rehabilitation.

Older People’s Medicine (6 months)

• Completed comprehensive geriatric assessment, treatment plan development, revaluation and intervention adjustment, onward referral and discharge planning.
• Established effective communication strategies to support complex discharge planning meetings.

Paediatric Intensive Care unit (PICU) and Respiratory wards (6 months)

• Wide variety of complex PICU respiratory and rehabilitation assessment and management plans. Including patients effected by, rare neurological conditions, spinal cord injury, major head injuries, genetic disorders, post bone marrow transplant surgeries, Tracheo-esophageal fistula (TOF) surgeries.
• Post PICU rehabilitation in relation to paediatric developmental milestones. Examples include, hydro pool sessions with tracheostomy patients and group sensory sessions with a mixture of ventilated and non-ventilated patients.
• Incorporated play into rehabilitation strategies on PICU
• Promoted kangaroo care (skin-to-skin) contact for families on PICU during therapy sessions (included being part of planning of International Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) Awareness Day on Cardio PICU).

Occupational Health Musculoskeletal (MSK) clinics (6 months)

• Completed comprehensive (MSK) assessments, treatment plan, prognosis and promotion of general health awareness, including physical activity, nutrition, hydration and sleep.
• Frequent exposer to pathologies such as, radiculopathies, tendinopathies, repetitive strain injuries, rotator cuff tears, frozen shoulder, non-specific back pain and greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
• Developed telephone triage and initial assessment techniques.
• Ran physiotherapy lead one to one gym rehabilitation sessions.
• Direct management of own timetable.
• Focus on maintenance and improving the health and working capacity of employees by preventing and treating work-related musculoskeletal problems.