Management of Neurological Disorders Syllabus for 2016-2017
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Course

PTHA-2431-001 Management of Neurological Disorders

Prerequisites

Course Description

Comprehensive rehabilitation techniques of selected neurological disorders.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

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 and Clopper

Improving Functional Outcomes in Physical Rehabilitation by O'Sullivan and Schmitz, 2^nd. ed.

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

Neurorehabilitation for the Physical Therapist Assistant by Umphred and Lazaro, 2^nd ed.

 

Supplies

 Laptop computer

Student Performance

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

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

COURSE GOALS:  Given the course textbooks, personal notes, handouts, and other material, the student should demonstrate the following:

1. Effective verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills.
2. Understanding of the plan of care established by the physical therapist.
3. Competency with components of selected treatment interventions.
4. Performance of selected data collection skills.
5. Understanding of causes/implications/characteristics of chronic disabilities as well as specific treatment indications.
6. Within the plan of care, understanding of alternatives of treatment interventions.
7. Understanding of precautions and contraindications due to changes in patient status.
8. Appropriate communication with the physical therapist regarding changes in patient status.
9. Competency in reviewing current physical therapy literature for guidance in evidence-based physical therapy practice.

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.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:  Given the course textbooks, 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 74.5% 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 responses 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 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 implementation of 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. Recognize when intervention should not be provided due to changes in the patient’s status
19. Recognize 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 activities
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. Present caregiver instruction appropriate for a home program for a pediatric clien

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 Movement Therapy, Body-Weight Supported Gait Training, 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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Expected Student Behavior

Grading Criteria

                                                                                                     

 

Grading Criteria
Fact Sheets, Case Studies	10%
Quizzes*	5%
Tests	30%
Lab Practicals	30%
Final*	25%

 

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

** Students who do not meet minimum proficiencies during a lab practical will be given one opportunity to re-test before the course is completed.  The first test grade the student attains is the recorded grade. Students are required to demonstrate proficiency in ALL critical safety elements before being allowed to pass the course.  Any student scoring a 79 or lower on a test or practical is REQUIRED to contact the instructor to schedule a remediation session.  IT IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO SCHEDULE THIS SESSION.

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.  

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) classes 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

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.
 

 As previously stated, tutorials are mandatory if a student a score of 79 or lower on a practical or exam but will be optional for all other students in the course.

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.  Due dates as well a grading rubric for the case studies will be provided by the course instructor.

FACT SHEETS

Fact sheets 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.