A Day in the Life: Mary Yonkaitis, Physical Therapist

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Physical therapists (PTs) play a critical role on the care teams at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab —helping patients regain function and improve balance, mobility, strength, endurance and range of motion.

Follow along for a day in the life of Mary Yonkaitis, a PT in the Margaret & Mark Stephan Legs + Walking Lab at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s flagship hospital in Chicago, where she primarily cares for patients recovering from stroke. 

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It’s time to start the day! Four days a week, I wake up extra early to go to the gym to stay strong — that way, I am always ready to help my patients safely practice transfers and walking. I like to prepare my lunch and work bag the night before so that I can get every last minute of sleep in the morning!

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I arrive at the flagship hospital with a coffee in hand. In the mornings before my first patients arrive, I review my schedule to plan treatments for the day and complete assorted tasks: I order my patients’ equipment, write progress notes, and talk to my fellow allied health team members about upcoming patient discharges. We are always collaborating to make sure our patients and their families are well prepared to transition home or to the next level of care.

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My first patient arrives. Many of my treatments involve stair training, trialing different assistive devices and braces, and overground and treadmill walking. My patients know I always love to throw on some ankle weights to increase the intensity of their training. My favorite part about my job is seeing my patients’ reactions to their newfound skills. Whether it’s increasing independence with transfers, their first steps after hospitalization, or learning to propel their wheelchair by themselves, I am always inspired by their hard work and dedication.

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Every day at this time, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, care managers, medical team, nurses and psychologists gather on our floor to discuss each of our patients. This daily meeting is a crucial aspect of the care we provide. By reviewing patient progress across a range of metrics, we’re able to make sure we’re all on the same page about which patients need to make further gains, and when they will be ready to be discharged.

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It’s time to break for lunch. My teammates and I like to use this time to document our morning sessions and catch up on any other documentation. If this were a Tuesday, you would find me competing in trivia with my 24th Floor colleagues. Each week, one of us picks a topic and leads the quiz.

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Back to patient treatment sessions and I’m putting music on the Legs + Walking Lab speakers. I love being the unofficial lab DJ, but I always take requests.

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I also lead family training sessions throughout the week. In these sessions, the family and friends who will be assisting patients at home come in and get hands-on practice assisting with bed mobility, transfers, stairs and walking. I enjoy seeing my patients interact with their family members, and I get to put faces to the names I’ve heard so much about during treatment!

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With my last patient treatment session complete, I finish my notes from the afternoon and head home.

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It’s hard to say exactly when I’ll get home, due to the ever-changing nature of Chicago traffic but, once I arrive, I like to make myself a nice dinner and end the day with a good book or a new show.