AHPT 101 - Physical Therapist Assisting I/Lab

• Describe the purpose of skin assessment and demonstrate competence in components of wound management: isolation techniques, sterile technique, application and removal of dressing or agents and identifications of precautions for dressing removal identified in the plan of care established by the PT.
• Define, measure, record vital signs, and apply knowledge to various medical conditions.
• Explain and demonstrate proper positioning for prevention of medical complications and comfort of the patient.
• Perform wheelchair measurements, properly fit and educate on functional activities and proper care of the wheelchair based on patient’s individual patient diagnosis and ability.
• Identify proper body mechanics and posture awareness for lifting, carrying, reaching and push/pull activities and apply knowledge to patient/client scenarios.
• Discuss and apply measures for effective patient and caregiver education that focus on meeting the needs of patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, etc. for interventions presented in this course.
• Describe and demonstrate safe and proper fit and use of various assistive devices and special equipment involved with gait training and functional mobility skills based on the patient’s individual patient diagnosis and ability including educating the patient caregiver in safety of and care of the assistive device.
• Incorporate medical terminology, appropriate abbreviations and communicate an understanding of the plan of care developed by the PT to achieve short and long-term goals by using concise written and verbal communication.
• Demonstrate knowledge and competence when implementing selected components of interventions identified in the plan of care established by the PT including the following biophysical agents: compression therapies, cryotherapy, superficial thermal agents, paraffin, and hydrotherapy.
• Discuss and explain the basic principles of tissue inflammation and edema management and recognize normal and abnormal integumentary changes, including obtaining and documenting accurate anthropometric measurements.
• Identify the different types of pain and pain assessments as well as determine the proper use of a variety of reliable pain assessment tools.
• Explain and exhibit professional conduct to reflect a commitment to meet standards in the profession of physical therapy that are legal, ethical, safe and culturally diverse as it applies to the PTA.
• Describe the PTA’s role in discharge planning and the importance of communication with the PT and the commitment to meeting the expectations of the patient.
• Perform inspection of physical environment, measure physical space and recognize safety issues and barriers in health care, home, community and work environments.
• Utilize the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model to properly identify a patient/client’s impairments, activity, and participation limitations through various learning activities.
• Exhibit an understanding of the importance of medical asepsis through proper procedure including use of standard precautions at all times.
• Perform proper draping techniques for the administration of physical therapy interventions addressed in this course including range of motion activities, functional mobility, modalities, and wound care.
• Demonstrate competence in implementing selected components of interventions identified in the plan of care established by the PT. Interventions include application of devices and equipment: assistive/adaptive devices and prosthetic and orthotic devices; functional training in self-care and in domestic, education, work, community, social and civic life; manual therapy techniques: passive range of motion, motor function training (balance, gait, etc.); and patient/client education.
• Identify components of normal gait and apply knowledge to gait training techniques.
• Recognize effective verbal/non-verbal/written communication with all patients, family, caregivers, and health care providers, third party payers, etc. involved in routine patient care experiences.
• Recognize the various healthcare-billing sources utilized and demonstrate accurate and timely information for billing and payment purposes.
• Demonstrate competence in performing components of data collection skills essential for carrying out the plan of care by administering appropriate tests and measures (before, during and after interventions) for the following areas: aerobic capacity and endurance: measurement of standard vital signs, recognize and monitor responses to positional changes and activities (e.g. orthostatic hypotension, response to exercise); anthropometrical characteristics: measurements of height, weight, length, and girth; mental functions: detect changes in a patient’s state of arousal, mentation, and cognition; assistive technology: identify the individual’s ability to care for the device, recognize changes in skin condition and safety factors while using devices and equipment; gait, locomotion and balance: determine the safety, status, and progression of patients while engaged in gait, locomotion, balance, wheelchair management, and mobility; integumentary integrity: detect absent or altered sensation, normal and abnormal integumentary changes, activities, positioning, and postures that aggravate or relieve pain or altered sensations, or that can produce associated skin trauma and recognize viable versus non-viable tissue; pain: administer standardized questionnaires, graphs, behavioral scales or visual analog scales for pain, recognize activities, positioning, and postures that aggravate or relieve pain or altered sensations; posture: determine normal and abnormal alignment of trunk and extremities at rest and during activities; self-care and civic, community, domestic, education, social and work life: inspect the physical environment and measure physical spaces, recognize safety and barriers in the home, community and work environments, recognize level of functional status; ventilation, respiration and circulation: detect signs and symptoms of respiratory distress and activities that aggravate or relieve edema, pain, dyspnea, or other symptoms, describe thoracoabdominal movements with activity, and cough characteristics.
• Based on a case scenario, demonstrate ability to interview patients/clients, caregivers, and family to obtain information related to prior and current level of function and general health status prior to implementing intervention.
• Apply knowledge of patients’ ability to participate in physical therapy based on the review of health records (e.g., lab values, diagnostic tests, specialty reports, narrative, consults, and physical therapy documentation) prior to carrying out the PT plan of care.
• Report any changes in the patient/clients medical or functional status or progress to the supervising physical therapist.
• Select and implements correct patient care measures related to safety and emergency response in a variety of health care environments.
• Apply knowledge and clinical judgement while considering the patient/client’s level of function, medical status, short term and long-term goals, cultural perspective, and their environment prior to carrying out the plan of care established by the PT.
• Identify circumstances based on a case scenario in which the PTA should report to appropriate authorities suspected cases of fraud and abuse related to utilization of and payment for PT and other health care services.
• Identify basic concepts in professional literature including, but not limited to validity, reliability, and level of statistical significance.
• Review journal articles from peer reviewed journals that represent a high level of evidence and provide a written critique related to physical therapy content presented in AHPT 101.