{APTA CSM Preview} Caring for Patients on Their Worst Days: Trauma-Informed Care and De-Escalation in Oncology Physical Therapy

You’ve probably heard that “the soft skills are actually the hardest skills.” But what happens when your interpersonal skills are put to the test in the most chaotic and emotionally charged moments of patient care?

In this episode, we unpack why so-called “difficult” patients behave the way they do, how fear and loss of control drive conflict, and why oncology physical therapists are uniquely equipped to navigate these moments with clarity and confidence.

You’ll hear practical strategies for anticipating patient needs, managing escalating situations, collaborating across disciplines, and checking your own bias before it checks you.

This conversation goes beyond protocols and productivity metrics to focus on what actually determines success in high-stress encounters: trauma-informed care, de-escalation, emotional intelligence, ethical boundaries, and clinical communication.

This episode will challenge how you think about conflict, remind you that human connection is a clinical skill, and leave you with tools to turn tension into therapeutic opportunity.

🎧 Listen in, and if you’ll be at CSM, add this session to your schedule:
AC-24501 - Managing the Unmanageable, the a-Holes of the Emergency Department

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