Special Topics in Physical Therapy Syllabus for 2020-2021
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Instructor Information

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

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The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

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Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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Course

PTHA-1391-001 Special Topics in Physical Therapy

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: PTHA 1301, 1405, 1413, 1431, 2301, 2409, 1321, and 1260 Corequisites: PTHA 2431, 2435

Course Description

This course will cover advanced knowledge and skills within the scope of practice of the entry-level physical therapist assistant, particularly in the area of orthopedics. The focal point of the special topics covered in this course would concentrate on orthopedic knowledge, concepts, conditions, injuries, disorders, skills, and related physical therapy interventions relevant to the professional development of the physical therapist assistant. 

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

REQUIRED:  Dutton M. Orthopaedics for the Physical Therapist Assistant. 2nd edition. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2019.

ISBN: 9781284139310

Supplies

Laptop or tablet computer with internet access

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the curriculum was rearranged for this single year only. This course was moved from the Fall of 2020 to the Summer 2020. The exceptions to the information above is the schedule of the class. The class will meet remotely from 8 AM to 10 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The student will be required to view a minimum of 2 hours per week of additional video content either internally or externally available through websites.Tests will be scheduled outside of those hours. 

Student Performance

This course is focused on the management and treatment of primary and secondary issues of orthopedic patients using a biopsychosocial model.

Special Topics in Physical Therapy  

1. Identify common orthopedic diagnoses and symptoms seen in a physical therapy setting.

2. Describe how injury, pathology, and co-morbidities affect orthopedic structures in the human body and outcomes in management of orthopedic primary and secondary issues.

3. Demonstrate the ability to educate a patient in common treatment plans for orthopedic conditions and post-operative physical therapy protocols.

4. Design a treatment session and progression for a patient with an orthopedic diagnosis from within the physical therapist's plan of care, utilizing appropriate evidence-based methodology.

5. Integrate knowledge of joint specific structure and function of joints in the design of a treatment session according to the physical therapist’s plan of care. 

5. Describe the general and applied concepts of non-thrust peripheral joint mobilization.

6. Identify adverse responses and complications associated with orthopedic conditions, which requires additional assessment and management by the physical therapist.  

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

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

Expected Student Behavior

Students are to read the Amarillo College "Student Rights and Responsibilities" information with emphasis placed on the Academic Information, Student Conduct and Responsibilities, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Education/Prevention Program sections.

Students will not use cell phones in the classroom, unless the instructor allows use for a specific activity. All such devices must be placed on silent mode and kept stored. If a student expects that there may be some type of emergency situation, the student should inform the instructor prior to the beginning of class. Unauthorized use of cell phones in class will result in the student being asked to leave the class and being counted absent for the lecture/lab.

Student participation is a required element during Lecture and Lab classes. If a student refuses to participate actively in a discussion or activity, the student will be asked to leave class and will be counted absent for the day.

Students in the PTA Program are expected to dress conservatively and professionally, as expected in the clinic.  Upon request of the faculty, the student will attend class in professional dress including black, navy, or khaki pants and cobalt blue polo shirt with the PTA logo. Athletic shoes in good condition should be worn during all class and lab activities. Amarillo College Badge/ID's should also be worn during all off-campus class and clinical activities.

Jewelry and cologne are to be kept to a minimum. No tattoos are allowed to be seen at off-campus activities. All jewelry should be conservative and limited to a minimal amount. The student's professional dress is subject to approval by the course instructor. If professional dress code is not followed, the student will receive a 0 grade for the day, will not be allowed to accompany the class on assignment, and will not have an option to makeup the assignment.

Courtesy and respect are expected between the student and instructor. Students are expected to be attentive to instructor, guests, and other students during presentations. Students are required to extend highest respect to patients/clients/others when making off-campus contact. Lack of regard to this expectation at any time by any single student or group of students may result in immediate dismissal of the student/s from the situation by the instructor, guest lecturer, or patient/client/other.

Dishonesty in the classroom or in completing any assignment will not be tolerated. Students demonstrating academic dishonesty as defined in the "Student Rights and Responsibilities" publication will receive a grade of "F" in the course and will be subject to all PTA Program policies regarding course failure.

Student Grievance: A student who has a problem with the course or course instructor should make every attempt to resolve the problem with the course instructor. If that is not successful, the student may appeal the decision of the instructor to the program director, Allied Health Dean, Dean of Instruction, and the Amarillo College President - IN THAT ORDER.

Grading Criteria

GRADING CRITERIA:

Attendance                                               10%

Lecture Exams                                         70%

Final                                                         20%

• *Exam grades including the final grade will be averaged to create one test average. This average must be at least 74.5% for the student to successfully pass the course. In addition to passing the lecture exams/final exam, the student must successfully complete all assignments and meet course objectives in order to pass the course.

Any student scoring a 79 or lower on an exam is REQUIRED to contact the instructor to discuss remediation. IT IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO SCHEDULE THIS SESSION. The student will be required to schedule and attend tutoring at one of AC’s tutoring centers. Locations for tutoring can be found at https://www.actx.edu/tutoring/. The required number of tutoring sessions will be determined at the discretion of the instructor. The student will be required to bring verification of attendance at tutoring to the instructor.

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 FOR LECTURE EXAMS: There will be a penalty for make-ups on exams. Any unexcused absence from an exam results in a 10-point deduction from the earned grade. The make-up exam will vary in format from the original exam. The student must present verification for the absence in order to take a make-up exam without a penalty The instructor may choose what type of verification is needed. 
The student should expect to take the make-up exam on the day the student returns to class, unless otherwise notified by the instructor.

For the final determination of course grade, it is the sole decision of the instructor to determine if any option of dropping the lowest exam grade or adjustment of grades is justified in the determination of the course grade. However, the final exam grade is not an option for drop. If chosen, the instructor will apply the method to all students in the class without any selective application to any individual. 

Attendance

ATTENDANCE: Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class. At the beginning of each lecture, attendance will be recorded by the instructor or a sign-in sheet will be available.  

Following each absence in lecture classes, a penalty of ten (10) points will be deducted from the attendance grade. For example, a student who misses three (3) lectures will have a grade of 70 for attendance. Late arrivals to class will result in a 5-point deduction. The attendance grade is calculated in the course grade as weighted by the instructor. 

Full attendance of class time is also expected. A student will be counted as "absent" if the student is out of class more than 20 minutes of a class time. For example, if in any given day a student arrives 15 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.

The rules above apply to all unplanned absences. Prior approval of absences and approval of excused absence are solely at the discretion of the faculty based on the circumstances and reasons for absence. Written validation is required for any absence that is considered excused and exempt from this policy. 

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

REQUIRED READING: The student is expected to complete all reading assignments. This information is testable material, which may not be covered in the lecture/lab portion of the class.

LAB DRESS CODE: THERE IS NOT AN ASSIGNED LAB TIME FOR THIS CLASS. OCCASIONALLY, THE CLASS MAY BE HELD IN THE LAB AREA FOR DEMONSTRATION AND PRACTICE. DURING THOSE TIMES, THE FOLLOWING RULES WILL APPLY. 

Appropriate dress is required during scheduled lab times.

Females: shorts, sports bra, halter, or swimsuit top (fasteners need to be in the back), athletic clothing as a cover-up

Males: shorts, T-shirt, athletic clothing as a cover-up

Jeans, leggings, yoga pants or tights of any kind are NOT proper attire but can be worn over shorts and removed for specific tasks.

LAST DATE TO DROP/WITHDRAW:  . Any student not withdrawn by November 20, 2018 will receive the grade earned.

SAFETY PROCEDURES: In case of an emergency, the student needs to call the Safety and Security department at 9-371-5163.  In an emergency situation, use the nearest phone that is available.  The student should also know in case of a medical emergency, the following procedure should be performed and in the order written:

1. call 9-911 for an ambulance
2. call safety and security

 

PHYSICAL RESTRICTIONS: There are no physical restrictions associated with this course.

 

Amarillo College Resources Link: https://www.actx.edu/resources

The lead instructor reserves the right to modify and edit the course plan by notifying students of the change as soon as the change is planned or implemented.