Being a PT can sometimes be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, we enter the profession because we love to help other people in a meaningful way, but on the other hand, many times as soon as people find out we’re PTs, they immediately regale us with long-winded stories of old injuries or pepper us with questions about treatment. And then there are the people who contact us only when they want free advice and services …
I find that although it’s tempting to simply hand someone a business card and change the subject when they pounce upon me socially, it’s not always so easy, especially when it’s a family member! But sometimes I’m just tired and would prefer to rest during those rare moments called “free time.”
How do you handle demands for your professional services when you’re away from your workplace? Do you smilingly tell people, “… Then, don’t do that!” when they say, “It hurts when I do this …”? Or, do you simply comment, “You know where I work; why don’t you make an appointment?”
What do you do?
Anne Ahlman, MPT
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