If you are an employer, or thinking about being one - this one is for you.
I began my Physiotherapy journey 15 years ago. I sat in a class at Dalhousie University with 55 other people - a couple I knew from my Kinesiology class from Memorial University, the rest - just strangers I was about to spend my next 2 years with.
Physiotherapy school wasn't hard per se, it was just A LOT. A lot of information being thrown at you from 3-6 different directions depending on the semester and how many classes we had. Tears, sweat, stress, anger, depression, anxiety, and uncertainty flood all of our minds and body at one point I'm sure... if it didn't for you? Good on you for having super powers.
Why do I start here? At one point I wasn't sure if I wanted to finish my testing and I doubted that I made the right decision. Was it some tremendous event that occurred for me to go down this spiral? No. I was in my second last placement and I learned close to nothing (I was done all my schooling, just two - 6 week placements were left... and I was done!). The only thing that stuck with me was that I would never want to work there and that there are actually 2 important stretches for the calf, not just 1.
My two last placements consisted of a private practice and a rehab facility. Within those 12 weeks my mind had completed many 180's.
My private practice placement I learned my glorious 2 stretches, all while learning to expertly ultrasound feet and empty garbage cans. That is not what I went to school for. I was confused, concerned, and ultimately frustrated and how poorly I was educated in a practical learning space. What a terrible placement.
Not knowing what to expect, I hesitantly started my very last placement. I opened up to my clinical instructor how my last placement went. She assured me it would not be the same, and she was there to teach me. I was a sponge, I wanted to know as much as possible, I love learning - I still do. Regardless, while under the wing of my clinical instructor, I wanted to just be better equipped with knowledge, experience and have as many not so "textbook" cases to learn from as I could possibly handle. I would soon be fresh out of school (I knew a lot but I also knew nothing), I was about to hit a large learning curve out in the real world.
I had a couple of placements during my Kinesiology degree as well with some not so nice clinical instructors. One actually interrogated and lectured me for when I went to bed at night as I yawned at work.
Fresh out of school I started in the hospital system. Within the first year I moved to a couple different services - general medicine, outpatient orthopedics, then one I loved - inpatient orthopedics. All the fresh surgeries from injuries and joint replacements that I could get my hands on to get people moving. It was fabulous.
However, dealing with nurses, managers, and all the various personalities in the physiotherapy department wasn't easy. It was like high school all over again.
It was dog eat dog, if you looked better than anybody else - you knew it. It wasn't about patient care there, it was get these people out the door as fast as possible, who cares about your professional boundaries, oh and if you don't do what I say, I'm probably going to make your life hell. I even had manager call me into her office one day and said "you'd make a better therapist if you'd actually smile." I was a little mortified, I didn't have my voice yet as a person, so I just took the criticism and thought something was wrong with me. The kicker? I am very much an animated, positive person. I was happy to leave the toxicity and negativity of that place to begin private practice full time months later.
I'm not sure about you, but I just can't keep up with narcissistic, toxic people. It drains me. Being in my late 30's now, I just don't have time for it. Life is too short and precious. If you want to make my life miserable because your miserable - well, to bluntly put it, you can get F@$%ed. I wont be sticking around. My mental health is significantly important, but it took me a long time to realize that.
I spent a lot of my life not feeling good enough or being told I'm not good enough. I devoted myself to being the best person I could be, doing what I could when I could. But, I could not please some people no matter how much I achieved. I spent my life waiting for an approval or a "I'm so proud of you" that I will never get. I didn't do the right things that other people wanted. It was my life and it didn't matter.
A couple years had passed and I had made some major life changes, dealt with depression, and got some help. Once I started figuring out who I wanted to be, I knew what I needed to do - LEAVE.
This my friends, was my turning point. Did I still struggle for a couple of years? Sure did. Was it worth it? I would do it again 1000x over.
I was hired in a clinic in Alberta that didn't deal with any of the regular physiotherapy modalities (TENS, IFC, etc). GAME CHANGER. It forced me to use my hands and learn the skills I know now. I had to experiment a lot - this can be for another time - this thought can change any therapists treatments for the better!
As I started getting comfortable in my new found self and my new found skills, a pandemic hit. Which, with COVID-19 I learned many new things, I new perspective was very much one of them. I also realized my worth conveniently enough with my month off when the world was completely shut down. I asked for a raise and was denied. I was the highest earner, and I was still denied. I was single and LOVED working. I was good at what I did. I finally convinced myself and gained the courage to say, "How many people do I need to see to make this amount - I will do it." It was full proof, I would make more money, and they would make more money. They weren't losing any money as a business, just gaining. Denied. Denied. Denied. I wasn't valued.
I got so busy I was booking 5-6 weeks out with a 30-35 person waitlist. I had a second waitlist for those who really needed in ASAP. That's when it started, people became numbers and so did I, as an employee. A new therapist was hired, they were trying to make them busy. I get it. One of my regular clients had their mother come see me, everything was going great and she was happy with her progress. I seen her once a week (I seen most all of my clients once a week - I personally think it's a waste of time and money for multiple sessions with one practitioner a week unless aggressive therapy is needed - which is why I use my multidisciplinary team to help me). This lady turned into a WCB client - now, if I had a client I was actively seeing that needed in more often, I would make it happen. Why? Because I care about that individual and their needs are important to me - its my damn job.
She came in for treatment, I was behind the desk waiting for my next client to show up. They said hey! Your new therapist will be with you shortly, immediately she said well what happened to seeing my regular therapist? Oh well you needed in 3 times a week and we couldn't get you in to see her for a while so we just booked you with the new lady. WHAT.is.HAPPENING!! This was just the beginning, I counted over 25 of my regular clients were moved directly over to this new therapist without my knowledge, no asking or communicating that an individual really needed in to see me. Nothing.
They needed help and they were told they just couldn't get in with me. What were they to do? They didn't have a choice and they needed help. I don't blame them for taking care of their needs. But it most certainly could of been handled much better than oh hey surprise! We don't care who you see we just want your money. At least that is what it felt like. I'm an easy going person, so some communication sure would have been nice.
After some time and convincing, I decided to branch out on my own. People can be people again. Not numbers that do not matter. I want people to be cared for and FEEL cared for period. I started with just me, myself in a one room rental. Now that you have the background for my decision, lets fast forward a little bit. 2.5 years later? I have 24 employees and two locations. Why? Any chance I get, I tell my employees they are appreciated. Every couple of months I send a text, email or a quick in person chat to see how work life is going. Can I do anything to make your life easier? Any suggestions that could improve our (<----THIS IS A BIG WORD) business), any feedback, questions, comments or IDKs (I don't knows). Just about every holiday I give them a treat - For example, valentines day I get them all a rose and a box of chocolates - new staff sometimes get weirded out by this, so I just say, "bring it home to someone you care about." But there is Easter, Halloween, National Receptionist day, etc. We do staff events and challenges that they can win prizes and get engaged with one another.
Another important thing? INCLUSION - that word up above that says "our" is very important. Why? My clinic and company would not be what it is without the people inside it that makes it what it is. My company IS NOT ONE PERSON. This is huge. If you think you are the be all, end all in a company with many employees, I may have to disagree with that mentality. That's ego, that's employee turnover, that is toxicity as its finest. That mentality doesn't give you the growth that we have experienced either, if it does? Don't worry, it may not last long. I see therapy business's explode from the inside many times.
When an individual feels appreciated, they will be loyal, they will be honest, and they will work hard. Therapy my friends, is hard. No matter what form it is - for the individual receiving the treatment or for the therapist providing the treatment (I mean, providing they are actually working for their money and not just doing the regular heat, machines and exercise). Any client can spend $300.00 or less to get a Cadillac of a heating pad and tens machine, then "Dr.Google" any exercises. They would likely get more from it in fact. People pay for YOUR service. Not to be hooked up and walked away from after 5 minutes.
It is also important to be as humble as possible. Don't be that employer that says, "They don't need money, they don't have a family." Um, WHAT? This is scary. Very scary. When do people stop being people. Sure, money makes the world go around and you need to bring in money to succeed in your business. But don't sacrifice good values, karma comes for the "assholes." Don't be one of them.
Be the best you can be as a human and help others, our world definitely lacks it my intrigued followers. Until next time.
-KR