An annual component added to the curriculum in recent years is for students to spend a day in the professional field with a licensed naprapath to observe their work.
During this day, students get to see how things work out in the field regarding patient interaction, treatment techniques, treatment planning, and everything else the job entails. The school provides a set of questions they want us to reflect on. These questions cover professional conduct, health and illness, equal treatment, a biopsychosocial approach, and our own learning needs. These are good questions to ask, and it is interesting to see how today's licensed naprapaths handle them, even though a day of observation offers so much more. Depending on who you visit, you get different perspectives on their viewpoints and their work to promote patient-centered care.
Reflections
I noticed that I paid attention to different things during the two days I have completed so far. The first day, which was last spring, gave me an insight into the wide spectrum of people we work with and treat. It was an eye-opener regarding the importance of understanding what the patient expects from their visit; this day showed me that the clinic was working with patient-centered care, even though I had a negative impression of the clinic when I sought help there many years ago.
The most recent day gave me a different perspective, showing me that I have come a long way on my journey to becoming a naprapath. I was able to follow the reasoning behind how the patient should be treated, and I reflected on how one can explain how the body works to a patient in a simple yet effective way as part of educating them about their situation. The day served as a reminder that I have developed on a professional, personal, and clinical level, even if it sometimes feels like I am just going through the motions.
The value of exchanging experiences
I believe it is important to visit different clinics, therapists, and other colleagues from time to time to see how they work, handle daily life, and exchange experiences in order to develop and gain the energy to keep going.
The seminar held in connection with these days is a place to exchange thoughts and experiences, and it is interesting to see how differently people work at various clinics. It can become a bit monotonous to go through the same questions year after year, especially since there is so much else that could be more rewarding to share with each other regarding clinical work, particularly when the provided questions are written in a somewhat complex way.
Best regards,
Naprapathy student, 2nd year