Reflection: 2006 IDS

This reflection was written while on a field work placement in an Intellectual Disability Services (IDS) facility.
2006
Today we took a group of clients to the physiotherapy pool, it’s great how you can see them relax both physically and mentally, they obviously really enjoy it. When it came to dressing the clients afterward I was helping one client in particular, he is 42 and has developmental delay but appears physically fine. For my first time ever dressing an other person I was surprisingly at ease, however obviously not known the client well, I was unaware of his level of tolerance and in an attempt to use backward chaining I put is shoe half on and was asking him to push the other half on. He quickly became visibly agitated but was still trying so I continued to encourage him. He then grabbed me by the arm and began to hit him self in the head with my hand. I was mortified and had no idea what to do. I tried my best to pull away. My supervising therapist quickly stepped in and swung me out of the way and managed to verbally calm the man. Later during an informal supervision she explained that having been in an institution most of his life he was use to having every thing done for him and having just been for a swim was probably exhausted, this was most likely what lead to the out break. I learnt 3 major lessons from this ordeal; to always be watching and reading a client for cues as to any changes in mood or irritation, not to take these incidents personally. Initially after the incident I felt horribly guilty for upsetting the client and thought I must have done some thing to upset him, and in turn was unable to build rapport with clients and would make a horrible therapist. In fact I had simply asked too much of him. And thirdly always find out as much relevant information about a client and their condition before working with them. Next time I would read his cues when they appeared and helped him more in achieving the activity.
GOAL: In week 3 I will work with this client during the dressing portion of the swimming group, and by reading his cues he will remain relaxed through out the task, this will result in no violent or aggressive behaviour.
Julia Coleman