The Profession of Physical Therapy Syllabus for 2016-2017
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Course

PTHA-1301-001 The Profession of Physical Therapy

Prerequisites

Course Description

Introduction to the profession of physical therapy and the role of the physical therapist assistant.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Introduction to Physical Therapy, 5th ed. by Michael Pagliarulo

What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith

Supplies

Computer with internet access

 

Student Performance

This course is designed to provide student with a knowledge of the history, purpose, and scope of physical therapy and to help students recognize the roles and responsibilities of the Physical Therapist Assistant in physical therapy and the health care system.

Given the course textbook, personal notes, handouts and other material, the student should begin to demonstrate competence with components of the following requisite skills identified by CAPTE.

Course Objectives:

 

1. Demonstrate an understanding of physical therapy and the role of the physical therapist assistant.
2. Describe the history and development of the physical therapy profession.
3. Describe the American Physical Therapy Association, its function and structure.
4. Define the roles, responsibilities, and functions of the physical therapist, physical therapist assistant, and physical therapy aide.
5. Interpret the components of the Standards of Ethical Conduct for the PTA and laws governing physical therapy.
6. Recognize the components of value based behaviors for the PTA
7. Demonstrate how to perform duties consistent with the Guide for Conduct of the PTA from the APTA
8. Identify the benefits available from participation in professional and service associations.
9. Recognize the role of the PTA in the clinical education of the PTA student
10. Demonstrate an awareness of social responsibility and the non-clinical roles of the PTA.
11. Identify opportunities available for the licensed physical therapist assistant including specializations, continuing education, and research opportunities.
12. Identify the role of the PTA in discharge planning and follow-up as directed by the supervising physical therapist.
13. Demonstrate an understanding of the health care delivery system and the physical therapist assistant's role within the system.
14. Identify various physical therapy settings within the delivery system.
15. Recognize legal, fiscal, and ethical issues that affect physical therapy and the health care delivery system as a whole.
16. Identify the members of the interdisciplinary team and the roles of each member.
17. Describe factors having legal/ethical implications on patient interactions in physical therapy.
18. Identify the importance of patient and family education.
19. List commonly held stereotype beliefs about the following groups (cultural/ethnic groups, injured workers, and physically challenged.)
20. Compose a paper on cultural competence issues
21. Demonstrate understanding of patient confidentiality requirements and regulations.
22. Identify components of the Texas Practice Act and Rules and Regulations regarding the role of the physical therapist assistant.
23. Recognize societal expectations of members of a profession.
24. Describe how cultural diversity age diversity can impact communication with patients and family members/caregivers
25. Demonstrate the ability to effectively perform an interview with a patients and caregiver.
26. Recognize the role of the PTA in discharge planning and follow-up as directed by the supervising physical therapist.
27. Recognize various models of disability, including the ICF model
28. Identify the psychosocial aspects of patient care including disability and death/dying issues
29. Recognize the signs of abuse of vulnerable populations.
30. Describe the process for reporting suspected abuse of vulnerable populations to the appropriate authorities.
31. Identify and utilize abbreviations common to the medical profession, with emphasis on those used in physical therapy.
32. Identify quality assurance activities used in physical therapy settings.
33. Define concepts and principles of continuous quality improvement.
34. Recognize the role of both verbal and non-verbal communication in physical therapy.
35. Discuss professional behaviors appropriate in both the classroom and clinical settings.
36. Compose a research paper on a physical therapy related organization
37. Review a peer reviewed journal article for clinical and statistical significance
38. Outline the organization/structure of typical physical therapy departments and healthcare organizations.
39. Compare common reimbursers for Physical Therapy and other health services
40. Integrate appropriate resources on healthcare reimbursement for mock patient case scenarios.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

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Expected Student Behavior

Grading Criteria

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.

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.

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.

If a student is asked to leave a class due to disruption or lack of participation, the student will be counted absent for that entire class.

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.

Calendar

Additional Information

 

If you are in need of additional resources throughout the semester, please visit the following site https://www.actx.edu/resources/