There are many situations where a certified lymphedema therapist may choose to take additional and advanced training in some aspect of lymphedema management, wound care, or in specifics of treatment. Attending these advanced or refresher types of lymphedema training programs is a great professional opportunity to not only go over the basics but to also learn about new patient care techniques and advanced care options for patients.
Typically, advanced lymphedema training programs are offered over a few days, and many of the schools offer a discount to their alumni. They are usually held in training facilities across the country, which means that the lymphedema therapist can choose a location close to where they live or one that is convenient for them to attend.
What to Consider
While the price for lymphedema training programs is comparable to other types of professional training, these programs are usually designed to be a good mixture of both theory and practice.
This means that you will not only review the basic foundational components of lymphedema treatment, but you will also move into the actual hands-on practice of the basic and advanced techniques taught in the program.
All participants in the program will have guided practice, with everyone in the course taking turns to be both the therapist and the patient. This is a very eye-opening experience for therapists and makes it much easier to understand the treatment from the patient and therapeutic side.
Questions and Case Studies
With the advanced and refresher types of lymphedema training programs, attendees, all who will be certified lymphedema therapists, are often asked to submit interesting case studies, challenges they are experiencing with patients or even specific questions.
These are then used throughout the course, without any identifying patient information, to provide the class with the ability to work through complex real-world problems they are facing.
Not only is this beneficial for the individual therapist facing the challenge, but it also provides a framework for problem solving and working with complex issues that are common with lymphedema patients.
The best lymphedema training programs provide challenges and new concepts and ideas that benefit attendees immediately as they return to work. While there will be theory and some review, the bulk of the training and practice will be on building competence and understanding in new research, patient care concepts, and in advanced treatment options.
