PHT 2931 - Trends in Physical Therapy

Health Science Department

Credit(s): 2
Contact Hours: 32
Effective Term Fall 2019 (565)

Requisites

Prerequisite PHT 2220 with a minimum grade of C and
Prerequisite PHT 2220L with a minimum grade of C and
Prerequisite PHT 2252 with a minimum grade of C and
Prerequisite PHT 2252L with a minimum grade of C and
Prerequisite PHT 2162 with a minimum grade of C and
Pre- or Co-requisite PHT 2810L with a minimum grade of C

Course Description

This course is a seminar-type class which will explore the newer trends involving the role of the professional team, the professional organization, legal and ethical implications and legislation (including state regulations as well as Medicare and Medicaid regulations). Historical patterns in the development of the profession of physical therapy and projections of future directions in light of influence from the past will be explored.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. Upon completion of this course, the student will explain the effects of disease, injury, death and dying on the client and the client's family.
    1. Describe the effects of terminal illness on the patient and the patient's family and approaches to assist patients and families with the grieving process.
    2. Discuss the physical, socioeconomic, and psychological aspects of alcoholism and drug addiction.
    3. Discuss the economic impact of illness on the patient, the family, the employer, the health care system, and the nation's economy.
    4. Discuss selected, complex medical conditions, including the physical and psychosocial implications to the patient and family
  2. Upon completion of this course, the student will exhibit entry-level employability skills.
    1. Compose a concise, informative, well-formatted, professionally appearing, typed resume and letter of application.
    2. Demonstrate effective job interview skills.
    3. Describe stress management techniques, including recognizing signs of, and preventing job burnout.
    4. Identify effective study strategies and test taking skills necessary to pass the national PTA licensure exam.
    5. Describe the procedure for applying for the state licensure examination as a physical therapist assistant.
  3. Upon completion of this course, the student will demonstrate behavior consistent with the ethical and legal expectations involved in working as a physical therapist assistant.
    1. Describe the legal aspects of state and federal laws regulating physical therapist assistants.
    2. Describe the American Physical Therapy Association Standards of Practice for Physical Therapy.
    3. Describe the Standards for Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant, and the Guide for Conduct of the Physical Therapist Assistant.
    4. Describe selected aspects of legal liability and malpractice for the physical therapist assistant and other health care providers.
    5. Identify strategies to address ethical, moral and professional dilemmas given a case scenario.
    6. Identify an appropriate plan of action for an ethical situation that demonstrate sound moral reasoning congruent with core professional ethics and values given a case scenario.
    7. Describe the signs of abuse and the responsibility to report to appropriate authorities suspected cases of abuse of vulnerable populations.
    8. Describe the performance improvement activities (quality assurance) that take place in the clinical setting.
  4. Upon completion of this course, the student will display appropriate verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills.
    1. Identify communication strategies to address socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, gender, and other differences of patients, a patient's family, colleagues, health care providers, and the public.
    2. Demonstrate effective verbal communication skills, including identifying and sending clear, assertive, non-judgmental messages and using active listening skills in all interactions in class.
    3. Identify effective communication strategies to use with patients who are severely depressed, aphasic, etc.
    4. Interpret the nonverbal communication of other students involved in pantomime activities.
  5. Upon completion of this course, the student will explain contemporary issues in physical therapy and the impact on the role of the physical therapist assistant.
    1. Discuss selected physical therapy specialties in the changing health care system.
    2. Discuss the impact of contemporary physical therapy procedures/interventions.
    3. Discuss how changes in levels of authority and responsibility, time management, supervisory process, performance evaluations, policies and procedures impact the physical therapist assistant.
      1. Analyze the organizational planning and operation of the physical therapy services found in an inpatient facility.
    4. Describe the role of the physical therapist assistant in discharge planning and follow-up care.
  6. Upon completion of this course, the student will act with consideration for the cultural, ethnic, gender and other differences of faculty, peers and others in the classroom setting.
    1. Discussing the impact of cultural diversity on health care delivery.
    2. Demonstrate the appropriate interpersonal skills for interacting with patients and patient's families in a specific culture or ethnic group.
  7. Upon completion of this course, the student will describe the impact of managed care or a current physical therapy-related trend on health care delivery.
    1. Compare and contrast the medical, Medicare, and other contemporary reimbursement models including requirements regarding timely information of documentation, billing and payment.
    2. Discuss how changes in reimbursement systems can impact the delivery of healthcare and specifically physical therapy care.
    3. Identify strategies to help meet patients’ physical therapy needs within the current health care delivery system.
  8. Upon completion of this course, the student will discuss physical therapy management of patients with complex conditions.
    1. Describe tests used to evaluate a patient’s cognitive status to include:
      1. “Mini Mental”
      2. Glasgow Coma Scale
      3. Ranchos Los Amigos Scale
    2. Describe tests used to evaluate a patient’s functional independence to include:
      1. Functional Independence Measure (FIM)
      2. Fugl-Meyer
      3. Barthel Index
      4. Katz Index of ADL
      5. Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OAIS)
    3. Describe tests used to evaluate a patient’s pain to include:
      1. pain ratings
      2. pain scales
      3. pain behaviors
    4. Document pertinent information regarding a patient’s pain, relative to the documented goals and plan of care
    5. Formulate an appropriate plan of action in emergency situations given a scenario
    6. Identify architectural barriers encountered by individuals with participation restrictions and suggest adaptations/modifications in the home and other environments.
    7. Describe OSHA regulations regarding infection control, including methods of protecting oneself, the client, family, and other health care workers from cross contamination relative to any communicable disease or condition.
    8. Identify activities, positioning, and postures that aggravate or reduce pain or alter sensation commonly encountered with patients with complex conditions to include neuro-rehab patients (e.g., autonomic dysreflexia in SCI patients or shoulder subluxation in hemiplegic patients).
    9. Describe the use of standardized questionnaires in the rehabilitation process and how the information is used to make clinical decisions.
  9. Upon completion of this course, the student will have participated in a professional or community organization activity related to advocacy and/or leadership in the physical therapy profession.
  10. Upon completion of this course, the student will demonstrate competence in performing components of data collection skills essential for carrying out the plan of care by administering appropriate tests and measures for the following areas:
    1. Balance: Berg Balance test, Romberg test (using balance scale)
    2. Gait & locomotion: Timed Up & Go test, Functional Gait Assessment

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 78% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

Revised 8/15/83 Revised 8/84 Revised 7/85 Per NLS 4/87 Revised 7/88 Reviewed C&I 10/23/90 3 Yr C&I Review 8/95 C&I 4/16/96 Effective Session 19961 C&I 3/13/01, DBT 4/17/01, Effective Yr Trm 20011. 3 Year Review 2004. “C” grades added, eff 20081. 3 Year Review 2008. C&I Approval: 09/16/2011, BOT Approval: 10/20/2011, Effective Term: Spring 2012 (450). C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Spring 2017 (525). C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Spring 2018 (540). C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Fall 2018 (550).
C&I Approval: 02/14/2019, BOT Approval: 03/19/2019, Effective Term: Fall 2019 (565)

Related Programs

  1. Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA-AS) (640) (Active)