What is the most difficult part of a physical therapist job?

"Dealing with people." is the answer to both "What is the best part of a physical therapist's job?" and "What is the most difficult part of a physical therapists job?"

Technically a physical therapist works with people to regain mobility, dexterity and reduce their pain. When it works, it's great! When it doesn't ...

Looking at the bad aspects:

Loss:

Some patients are nice, they co-operate and joke with you. You buy into them and their problems. Then they up and die. Since patients at any treatment centre usually have something wrong or are elderly, their chances of checking out are higher. You'll feel bad when this happens

Frustration:

Some patients will not co-operate. You work out programs and explain things but they unravel it through spite, ignorance, or just not caring. All your good work is for nothing

Failure:

Sometimes no matter what you do nothing works, worse than that, it gets worse. All your training is for nothing

Guilt:

Sometimes no matter what you do nothing works. All your trianing is for nothing ... then you see you've made an obvious mistake. They've suffered for years and it's all your fault! Some people don't get the results they want and play on your sense of "shouda done better"

Pain:

From time to time any professional that deals with people is going to get abused - emotionally and physically. Patients in pain react in anger. Some folks just are not nice.

Monetary Loss:

Some people don't get the results they want and sue