Management of Neurological Disorders Syllabus for 2015-2016
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Instructor Information

Course Information

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Course

PTHA-2431-001 Management of Neurological Disorders

Prerequisites

Course Description

Comprehensive rehabilitation techniques of selected neurological disorders.

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Department Expectations

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Hours

(4 sem hrs; 3 lec, 3 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Physical Rehabilitation: Assessment and Treatment by O’Sullivan and Schmitz, 6th ed.

Case Studies in Rehabilitation by Ghikas

Improving Functional Outcomes in Physical Rehabilitation by O'Sullivan and Schmitz, 1st ed.

Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques by Kisner and Colby, 6^th ed.

 

 

Supplies

\  1 scantron for each major exam

Student Performance

COURSE DESCRIPTION:    Advanced course integrating previously learned and new skills/techniques into the comprehensive rehabilitation of selected long-term pathologies.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:  This course is designed to give the student the knowledge needed to treat patients with long term and chronic disabilities.  It also provides the student the opportunity to pull together all of their knowledge of treatment approaches from previous courses.

COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
a.    Goals: Given the course textbook, personal notes, handouts, and other material, the student should:
i.    Demonstrate effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
ii.    Demonstrate a commitment to meeting societal expectations for healthcare providers.
iii.    Demonstrate understanding of the plan of care established by the physical therapist.
iv.    Demonstrate competence with components of selected treatment interventions.
v.    Perform selected data collection skills.
vi.    Understand causes/implications/characteristics of chronic disabilities as well as specific treatment indications.
vii.    Within the plan of care, discuss alternatives to treatment interventions.
viii.    Identify changes in patient status that prohibit intervention.
ix.    Discuss appropriate ways to report changes in patient status to the supervising physical therapist.
x.    Review current physical therapy literature.

The student will know that these goals have been successfully completed if he or she earns a final grade of “C” or higher as evaluated by the faculty of the department.

B.    Objectives:
a.    Given the course textbook, personal notes, handouts, and other material, the student should be able to do each of the following on a written and/or practical examination with an accuracy of 75% or higher as evaluated by faculty of the department:

1. Utilize correct medical terminology and abbreviations
2. Predict the effect various neurological diseases/conditions will have on patient answers to the ICF checklist
3. Describe the educational materials published by organizations focused on particular conditions, including intended audience
4. Perform selected testing procedures for measuring muscle strength in pediatric and neurologically involved patients
5. Perform selected testing procedures for measuring muscle tone in neurologically involved patients
6. Develop a treatment intervention supported by at least one peer-reviewed article that is consistent with plan of care for a given case example
7. Analyze results from peer-reviewed journal articles about various treatment interventions
8. Given case scenarios, use information from peer-reviewed journal articles to defend selection of given treatment interventions
9. Demonstrate competence in implementing selected components of interventions (developmental activities, balance and coordination training, posture awareness training, range of motion exercises, stretching exercises, strengthening exercises, breathing exercises) identified in the plan of care established by the physical therapist
10. Discuss the role of intervention as related to achievement of the goals in the plan of care
11. Using patient-centered terminology, explain the rationale for selected interventions
12. Demonstrate appropriate teaching strategies for patient-centered instruction regarding disease/condition, treatment interventions, and HEP in a role play situation
13. Explain expected patient/client progress as a result of interventions
14. Identify incremental stages for exercise progression within the established plan of care for a given example
15. Describe the modifications required to ensure patient/client safety and comfort for a given example
16. Describe situations where the physical therapist should be consulted due to lack of progress with patient/client interventions
17. Apply the laws and regulations governing physical therapy practice to course-related skills
18. Recognizes when intervention should not be provided due to changes in the patient’s status
19. Recognizes when the direction to perform an intervention is beyond that which is appropriate for a physical therapist assistant
20. Recognize changes in the direction and magnitude of patient’s state of arousal, mentation, and cognition
21. Describe the safety, status, and progression of patients while engaged in gait, locomotion, balance, wheelchair management, and mobility
22. Identify methods to produce or relieve trauma to the skin that may be caused by assistive, adaptive, orthotic, protective, supportive or prosthetic devices and equipment
23. Write a home exercise program that is consistent with the plan of care for a given case example
24. Describe the instruction required to prevent further injury or deterioration for a given case example
25. Given a case scenario, create a functional training program for domestic, education, work, community, social, and civic life
26. Identify generalized treatment responsibilities for members of the rehabilitation team in response to patient scenarios

 

Sensory Processing

27. Define sensory processing
28. Identify treatments to stimulate the tactile sense, vestibular sense, proprioceptive sense, visual sense, auditory sense, and oral sense
29. Identify treatments to promote motor planning

 

Reflexes

30. Perform testing procedures for righting and equilibrium reactions
31. Perform testing for selected developmental reflexes
32. Identify treatment techniques for persistent reflexes

 

Developmental Milestones

33. Demonstrate performance of selected test procedures to determine gross and fine motor milestones
34. Compare and contrast gross and fine motor milestones of individuals with neurological conditions to development of normal gross and fine motor milestones

 

Motor Skill Development (Neonate, Infant, Toddler, Child, and Adolescent)

35. Review normal motor skill development
36. Identify age-appropriate treatment interventions to promote motor skill development
37. Modify a presentation to be appropriate for a pediatric client given the instructional materials intended for adults

 

Degenerative Diseases

38. List characteristics of degenerative diseases
39. Explain potential differences in treatment interventions used for patients with degenerative diseases

 

Toy Safety

40. Discuss importance of following safety precautions with pediatric equipment
41. Develop rating system to evaluate safety of toys used in pediatric therapy

 

Diseases/Conditions

Cerebral Palsy

42. Identify etiology, pathology, types, and signs/symptoms of Cerebral Palsy
43. Discuss therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat patients with Cerebral Palsy
44. Examine the long-term physical, mental, and social effects of Cerebral Palsy

Spina Bifida

45. Identify etiology, pathology, types, and signs/symptoms of Spina Bifida
46. Discuss therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat patients with Spina Bifida
47. Examine the long-term physical, mental, and social effects of Spina Bifida

Down Syndrome

48. Identify etiology, pathology, and signs/symptoms of Down Syndrome
49. Discuss therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat patients with Down Syndrome
50. Examine the long-term physical, mental, and social effects of Down Syndrome

Autism

51. Identify etiology, pathology, and signs/symptoms of Autism
52. Discuss therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat patients with Autism
53. Examine the long-term physical, mental, and social effects of Autism

Muscular Dystrophy

54. Identify etiology, pathology, types, and signs/symptoms of Muscular Dystrophy
55. Discuss therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat patients with Muscular Dystrophy
56. Examine the long-term physical, mental, and social effects of Muscular Dystrophy

Spinal Cord Injury

57. List etiology and pathology of spinal cord injuries and identify special problem areas associated with SCI’s
58.  Outline the disabilities associated with lesions at various segments of the spinal cord and describe PT management of SCI.
    Traumatic Brain Injury
59. Perform cognitive testing to assess mental function
60. Demonstrate characteristics of patients at each level of the Rancho Los Amigos scale
61. Classify patients according to the Rancho Los Amigos Cognitive Scale and determine appropriate treatment interventions for patients at each level of the scale.
62. Classify patients according to the Glasgow Coma Scale.
63. Differentiate between different states of arousal (i.e. coma, persistent vegetative state, stupor, delirium)
64. Observe and describe signs of agitation in a patient/client receiving neuromuscular re-education following a TBI

Stroke

65. State etiology and pathology of cerebral vascular accidents
66. Identify the various synergies associated with CVA’s
67. Describe traditional and non-traditional approaches to the treatment of CVA.

Multiple Sclerosis

68. Identify pathology and types of Multiple Sclerosis
69. Describe the typical signs and symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis
70. Discuss treatment interventions used for patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

71. Identify etiology, pathology, and signs/symptoms of ALS
72. Discuss therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat patients with ALS

Guillain Barre

73. Identify etiology, pathology, and signs/symptoms of Guillain Barre
74. Discuss therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat patients with Guillain Barre

Parkinson Disease

75. Identify etiology, pathology, and signs/symptoms of Parkinson Disease
76. Discuss therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat patients with Parkinson Disease

Post-Polio Syndrome

77. Identify etiology, pathology, and signs/symptoms of Post-Polio Syndrome
78. Discuss therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat patients with Post-Polio

Mental Health

79. Identify characteristic signs/symptoms of various mental health disorders
80. Discuss the potential effect of mental health disorders on physical therapy treatments
81. Identify treatment suggestions for working with patients with various mental health disorders

Dementia

82. Identify characteristics of dementia
83. Develop suggestions for working with patients diagnosed with dementia

 

Therapeutic Interventions (PNF, Therapeutic Guiding, Constraint-Induced Therapy, Body-Weight Support, NDT, Vestibular Rehab)

84. List indications and contraindications for interventions
85. List precautions and safety considerations for interventions
86. Describe the expected outcomes for a given intervention
87. Demonstrate competence in the application of procedural interventions

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

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In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

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Grading Criteria

GRADING CRITERIA:
Quizzes/Skill Checks*                          5%                                                                                                           

Fact Sheets/Case Studies                   5%         

Tests                                                    30%

Lab Practicals**                                   30%

Final                                                     30%

Students are responsible for correctly completing their scantron sheets.  Once the scantron is turned into the instructor, no changes will be allowed on the scantron.  Therefore, we strongly recommend you are careful with imprinting your responses.

The student's lowest quiz grade will be automatically dropped.

** Students who do not meet minimum proficiencies during the lab practical will be required to re-test until proficiencies are met before the course is completed.  The first test grade the student attains is the recorded grade.

In addition to passing the above tests, the student will be required to complete all assigned case studies.  If these items are not submitted, the student will receive an "F" for the semester.

GRADING SCALE:
A = 100-92.5
B = 92.4-83.5
C = 83.4-74.5
F=74.4-0

Note: A grade of C or better is required to complete the PTA major.
 

MAKE-UP POLICY: There will be NO make-ups on quizzes.  Make-up tests and practicals will be scheduled at the mutual convenience of the student and instructor during the week of finals.  The make-up exam may vary in format from the original exam and a five-point penalty will be subtracted from the score of the make-up test or practical.
 

 

Attendance

\ ATTENDANCE: Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement.  Therefore, it is the responsibility of the learner to attend class.  At the beginning of each lecture and lab, learners will be expected to sign the roster provided by the instructor.  Failure to sign in will result in the learner being marked absent for attendance purposes even if he/she is present in class and seen by the instructor.  

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\ Each learner will be allowed only one absence for lecture only courses and two absences for lecture/lab courses.  After the absence(s), a penalty of five (5) points will be deducted from the final course grade for each subsequent absence.  For example, a learner who misses three (3) lectures will have five (5) points deducted from the final grade for the course.

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\ Full attendance of class time is also expected.  A learner will be counted as "absent" if the learner is out of class more than 20 minutes of a class time.  For example, if in a given day a learner arrives 10 minutes late to class, takes an extra 5 minutes for break and leaves class for 5 minutes for any reason (phone calls, appointments, bathroom breaks, illness), that is considered an "absence" for the day.  This type of absence counts in the total number of absences resulting in lowering of the final course grade.  

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\ Following an absence, the student is responsible for getting missed notes/assignments/copies of handouts, etc. from classmates.  The student is also responsible for getting any needed clarification of missed information from the course instructor. 

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Calendar

Additional Information

The 3 hour lab for this course meets on Mondays from 8-11, lecture meets on Tuesdays from 8:30-11 and is taught by the PTA department.
 

If a student receives a failing grade on a practical or exam, the student must attend a tutorial session for the class.  The student will not be allowed to take any future exam/practical in the course until they complete the tutorial session.

Tutorial sessions for this course will be from 1:00 – 2:00 every Wednesday in room 165.  As previously stated, tutorials are mandatory if a student has failed a practical or exam but will be optional for all other students in the course.

Tutorials are part of an adult learning environment thus, no children, pets, spouses, roommates, etc. will be allowed to attend the tutorial sessions.

CASE STUDIES Students will be assigned case studies to complete utilizing the Ghikas textbook. Case studies due dates will be provided by the instructor. To complete the case study the student will be required to post a 30 minute treatment plan designed to treat the patient at his/her current functional level in the setting indicated by the text. Posts will be made using the "Discussion Board" found in Blackboard. Students need to respond tactfully, succinctly, and meaningfully to at least two other students treatment plans as they answer questions about the treatment plan. Due dates as well a grading rubric for the discussion postings will be provided by the course instructor.

FACT SHEETS

Fact sheet due dates are provided in the course syllabus. Fact sheets may be typed or hand-written but should be fully completed with APA style citations as appropriate. The student is expected to combine all fact sheets in a 3 ring notebook with labels to separate each fact sheet. Fact sheet notebooks will be turned in at the 2nd practical.