Just wondering if anyone else has taken what is called a workstep functional assessment exam? I took it and was amazed by it!!! They tell you before they start that several people fail...up goes my anxiety and BP (and I have never had high BP). They then have you take your shirt off and the PT does several measurements. He was actually very rough and I felt like a herded cow getting measured and prodded for the sale or butcher shop. He gave me very brief one or two word commands, and barely waited for me to assume the position or do the thing asked.... At one point he grabbed me by my upper arms and pulled my shoulders back with such force that I was left bruised....I was thinking OMG if I say anything they will fail me. Next I am laying on a table while he is pushing all the way down my spine... he says get up and my shoe catches the paper from the table and my gown is falling off. Here I stand with my bra showing feeling so intimidated and humiliated.
Next, they take me into another room where they have you do a brief stair step thing that is timed and check your pulse--no problem. The next machine is this thing that you hook your back legs under and rest your thighs on while putting your hands behind your back you lift your torso up (nothing below) and hold this suspended position until a timer goes off several minutes later....if you are overweight it may be pretty difficult and akward. It looked so bizzare. The final part is taking a 150 pound dummy from an exam table to the floor by yourself, rolling it onto a draw sheet and dragging it down the hall. There is also some proper lifting using weighted boxes...that seems appropriate for the job BUT is it appropriate to make one feel so much like a common animal, induce such anxiety, and leave them sore and bruised????
Sorry so long...I don't know if I should laugh or cry....I do feel like crying when I think I went into this thing feeling good and came out with an aching bruised body!
Opinions or others take this screen? I did pass by the way, but, for those out of shape and overweight it may be difficult...and those really tiny people may have trouble with that dummy. You know health care is teamwork...we work together to get the job done (if a 90 pound co-worker needs help lifting and turning a big patient it is my duty to help).
I am distressed about this, because, is this a reflection of how I am looked at as an employee...like another cow in the herd? Our profession is already hard enough...along with the abuse we take from patients and employers..must I be shamed and humiliated too???
if you want the job, i have little to say....if you dont, or dont get it.....i would consider battery charges against the PT. there is no need to touch, never mind forcefully enough to bruise.....in retro spect, you should have put your foot done and told him to back off.....good luck
Specializes in ICU,PCU,ER, TELE,SNIFF, STEP DOWN PCT.
When I went for a Tech in a hosp I work at now, we had to do steps, move weights, push football weighted skids like used in practice to simulate a pt bed, walk with weights and Heaven knows what else I do not recall. It was in the hosp Gym/PT area. I was sweaty, exhausted and wore out by time I was done and I go to the gym. I feel for you!
I too came out bruised.
I HAD never been to a test like that and I thought my Paramedic test was difficult LOL. I was told "IF" and when I apply for RN I have to RETAKE the same thing but with a few less exercises.
HUGS TO YOU and rest up.
Thank goodness I was not poked or prodded like that.
Yes, they have faith that they can cause you trauma!
lol that's true! I am tired from the whole ordeal....I think my best option is to report this person to their board....and let them see if it is appropriate. Funny that my 6 year old said, after seeing my arm, "I hope my Dr. doesn't do that to me". Pathetic, really!
Yes, I think that's a good idea to report this to someone. He should have told you what he was going to do ahead of doing it, and getting bruised by this brut is uncalled for. He could use a little communication skill training!
When I read what you went through I thought most of my peers wouldn't get hired having to do all that! LOL.
Have had several jobs where things similar to this occurred. As long as they do it to ALL employees, they are allowed by law. If you single out one employee then you get in trouble, but if you do it to all and then some fail, then you can get by with it. In one area I was at, ALL the hospitals did this. So you either moved, drove 2+ hours one way to find a job, or did it like everyone else. I can see this happening more and more as insurance rates and worker's comp claims increase.
Run fast, complain loudly ! There must be some kind of right issue here. If you decide not to take the job, please post where this occurred, Nothing like pear pressure and voicing such things to get such practice stopped. This sounds like the kind of thing that shoud be on the 6 :00 news. Was this a "staff nurse" postition ?
When I applied for my last job I went though something a little like this but nothing really so brutal. And no bruses. I just had do do some really really challenging physical stuff. When I was done I was given some exercise to strengthen my weak areas found in the test.
I thought I would have to do this annually but the next year I did not have to repeat it.
Have had several jobs where things similar to this occurred. As long as they do it to ALL employees, they are allowed by law. If you single out one employee then you get in trouble, but if you do it to all and then some fail, then you can get by with it. In one area I was at, ALL the hospitals did this. So you either moved, drove 2+ hours one way to find a job, or did it like everyone else. I can see this happening more and more as insurance rates and worker's comp claims increase.
There ain't no way I would subject myself to this humiliation. I'd move.
I've had to do this in two different jobs I've applied for in the past. (I got both jobs by the way). Lots of physical stuff, and it was darn hard! But nobody poked around on me, what was the purpose for that?
morte, LPN, LVN
7,015 Posts
if you want the job, i have little to say....if you dont, or dont get it.....i would consider battery charges against the PT. there is no need to touch, never mind forcefully enough to bruise.....in retro spect, you should have put your foot done and told him to back off.....good luck