As a travel physical therapist, your day-to-day routine is much different than someone who works a typical, nine-to-five office job. Instead of sending e-mails and calling clients on the phone, you're working with patients face to face all day, helping them recover from injuries and manage with disabilities.
However, just because you're not necessarily on the computer throughout the day doesn't mean you couldn't benefit from using technology while on a travel assignment. If you own an iPhone or iPad you can utilize the apps on your device to provide the latest information to your patients, stay in touch with friends and family and make the most of your assignment. Consider these top five apps for travel physical therapist and download your way to a more successful and fulfilling assignment.
1. Goniometer – Now you don't have to have a Goniometer in your pocket to measure a patient's range of motion (ROM), all you have to do is pull out your trusty iPhone. This app has great customer reviews for its accuracy and ease of use. You can also use this tool to determine the extent of a patient's injury or expected recovery speed. Furthermore, you can encourage your patients to download the app so they can push and measure flexion and extension at home. At $3.99, it's a pretty good deal.
2. KanDo Performance – Use this interesting and fun app to measure your patient's recovery. In the Health and Fitness category in iTunes, it is only $0.99. The app tests hand-eye coordination, finger dexterity, quickness and steadiness and reaction time. The best part is that a patient's last 100 results are stored and graphed for a comparison over time.
3. Motion Doctor – This app was featured by Apple as New and Noteworthy in What's Hot April 2011, and for a good reason. It offers a variety of exercises useful for someone undergoing physical therapy, so consider downloading it yourself and then showing your patients how they can use it at home. It's pricier than some of the others at $14.99, but could be well worth the money if it helps your clients.
4. Skype – You've probably heard of Skype before, but if you haven't used it yet you should try it on your next assignment. This free app is a fantastic way to stay in touch with loved ones while you're away. Whether you're in New York City or Omaha, your family will now only be a video chat away.
5. AroundMe – When you're in a new city it can be tough to find your way around. However, this free app uses your GPS to find the closest thing that you're looking for. What to go to a Chinese restaurant? Type it into the app to locate the nearest restaurant and the address.