PTAS 106 - Treatment Modalities I

7A2. Body system interactions, health, and surgical conditions across the life span, movement sciences, pain and pain experiences, and psychological aspects of health and disability.

BODY SYSTEMS:

• Genital and Reproductive: Identify modality contraindications related to the genital and reproductive regions
• Hematological: Identify modality contraindications for tissues experiencing poor blood flow or a suspected DVT.
• Integumentary: Identify stages of healing for appropriate treatment modality use
• Musculoskeletal:
  • Identify the stages of healing for appropriate treatment modality use
  • Locate skeletal bony prominences and soft tissue structures of the UE, LE, and spine
  • Identify skeletal developmental concerns associated with specific modalities
• Neurological: Explain the process of pain reception, transmission, and transduction associated with the pain gate and neuromodulation

OTHER:

• Recognize indications, precautions, and contraindications for therapeutic modality application to patients throughout the lifespan

7B. Ethics and values, professional development and responsibilities, service, leadership, lifelong learning, along with teaching and learning with an every-changing healthcare environment.

7B1. Standards of Ethical Conduct (APTA) and APTA Core Values for the PT and PTA

• Practice professional behavior in simulated patient scenarios reflecting the scope of a physical therapist assistant
• Dramatize patient interactions that reflect expected professionalism of a physical therapist assistant in a simulated patient scenario

7B3. Practices within the legal framework of one’s jurisdiction(s) and relevant federal and state requirements.

• Follow effectively the federal and state regulations affecting physical therapist assistant application of therapeutic modalities in patient care

7C. Lifelong learning, education, and health care disparities in the ever-changing health care environment.

7C1. Contemporary physical therapy knowledge and practice including evidence-informed practice, interpretation of statistical evidence, and clinical reasoning and decision-making.

• Identify physical and mechanical agents commonly found in physical therapy rehabilitation
• Identify theories of pain reduction through the use of physical and mechanical agents in physical therapy rehabilitation

7C2. Improve skills to educate and communicate in a manner that meets the needs of the patient, caregivers, and other health care professionals

• Apply effective oral communication strategies in simulated patient scenarios within the scope of a physical therapist assistant
• Describe theories of use, effectiveness, physiological changes, and therapeutic outcomes of physical and mechanical agents found in physical therapy rehabilitation

7D1. Implementation of the plan of care established by the physical therapist:

• Obtain and review current information from physical therapy documentation, health records, patient and clients, caregivers, and family members related to general health status, consults, prior and current level of function before carrying out the physical therapy plan of care.
  • Recognize information within a medical record that would indicate that therapeutic interventions are appropriate or inappropriate for a patient scenario
• Recognize need for clarification, supervision, or action by the supervising
  • Report situations that would require modification of the plan of care regarding the use of therapeutic modalities
• Determine when an intervention is inappropriate
  • Identify indications, precautions, and contraindications for physical and mechanical agents commonly found in physical therapy rehabilitation
• Select interventions as determined by the supervising PT based on clinical data, goals, and intended outcomes.
  • Recognize the physical properties of physical and mechanical agents found in physical therapy rehabilitation
  • Apply appropriate use of therapeutic interventions about the plan of care for a simulated patient scenario
• Modify, adjust, and discontinue interventions based on the patient response and clinical data in collaboration with the supervising PT
  • Recognize disorders commonly associated with physical and mechanical agents in physical therapy rehabilitation
  • Identify patient signs and/or symptoms that require treatment modification within the plan of care and/or consultation with the supervising physical therapist
• Contribute to the d/c and follow-up planning with the supervising PT.
  • Report outcomes of physical and mechanical agents regarding the plan of care for d/c and follow-up planning
• Use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF).
  • Effectively explore the ICF model to complete the application of physical and mechanical agents in a patient simulated scenario

7D2. Select and perform components of data collection using appropriate tests and measures for all phases of PT interventions in:

• Cardiovascular system
  • Locate pedal pulses and compare extremities related to safe modality application
• Neurological system
  • Demonstrate strategies for assessing sensations for the safe application of various physical and mechanical agents
• Musculoskeletal system
  • Demonstrate effective, accurate, and safe manual muscle testing for given muscles in simulated patient scenarios within the scope of a physical therapist assistant
  • Identify the normal active range of motion measurements of the joints of the UE, LE, and spine
  • Demonstrate effective, accurate, and safe goniometry for given joints in simulated patient scenarios within the scope of a physical therapist assistant
• Integumentary and lymphatic system
  • Identify normal and abnormal integumentary changes for contraindications and effective application of various physical and mechanical agents
  • Identify normal and abnormal lymphatic changes for contraindications and effective application of various physical, mechanical, and manual interventions.
• Pain and pain experiences
  • Apply pain scales in simulated patient scenarios
• Psychosocial aspects
  • Recognize psychosocial factors in the acquisition of informed consent
• Mental health aspects
  • Recognize factors of mental health and cognition that affect the application of modalities, including directions and contraindications

7D3. Select and perform physical therapy interventions for each of the following as identified in the plan of care established by the physical therapist to achieve goals and outcomes:

• Pulmonary conditions
  • Apply effective positioning to maximize the function of the respiratory system during the provision of therapeutic modalities
• Musculoskeletal conditions
  • Electrotherapeutic agents
    • Identify safe and effective procedural applications of electrotherapy
    • Identify appropriate parameters regarding treatment effectiveness and safety
    • Apply electrotherapy effectively and safely with appropriate regard to patient comfort, positioning, and dignity
  • Superficial and deep thermal agents
    • Identify safe and effective procedural applications of thermal agents
    • Identify appropriate parameters regarding treatment effectiveness and safety
    • Apply thermal agents effectively and safely with appropriate regard to patient comfort, positioning, and dignity
  • Cryotherapy
    • Identify safe and effective procedural applications of cryotherapy
    • Identify appropriate parameters regarding treatment effectiveness and safety
    • Apply cryotherapy effectively and safely with appropriate regard to patient comfort, positioning, and dignity
  • Traction:
    • Define characteristics of traction related to spinal structures in physical therapy rehabilitation
    • Identify safe and effective procedural applications of traction
    • Apply mechanical traction effectively and safely with appropriate regard to patient comfort, positioning, and dignity
  • Biofeedback
    • Identify safe and effective procedural applications of biofeedback
    • Identify appropriate methods of biofeedback
    • Apply biofeedback effectively and safely with appropriate regard to patient comfort, positioning, and dignity
  • Hydrotherapy
    • Define characteristics of water-related to physical therapy rehabilitation
    • Identify safe and effective procedural applications of hydrotherapy
    • Identify appropriate parameters regarding treatment effectiveness and safety
  • Light Therapy
    • Identify safe and effective procedural applications of light therapy
    • Identify appropriate parameters regarding treatment effectiveness and safety
    • Apply light therapy effectively and safely with appropriate regard to patient comfort, positioning, and dignity
  • Therapeutic exercise
    • Identify safe and effective procedural application of isokinetic motion, including continuous passive motion
    • Identify appropriate parameters regarding treatment effectiveness and safety
  • Manual Therapy
    • Explain the types of soft tissue mobilization techniques used in physical therapy
• Integumentary and lymphatic conditions
  • Identify approaches of treatment for acute and chronic wounds in physical therapy rehabilitation
  • Identify safe and effective procedural applications of compression therapies
  • Identify normal and abnormal integumentary presentation pre and post-therapeutic modality application
• Pain and pain experiences
  • Discern and apply effective therapeutic modalities for pain reduction
  • Respond effectively when the application of therapeutic modalities is not producing the desired results

7D4. Delivery of Physical Therapy Services: Complete documentation according to legal framework of one’s jurisdiction, practice setting, and regulating agencies.

• Recognize physical and mechanic modality parameters necessary for accurate and concise treatment documentation
• Report outcomes of a subjective pain assessment test or measure

7D5. Delivery of Physical Therapy Services: Respond effectively to environmental emergencies that may occur in the clinical setting.

• Identify situations that require an immediate emergency response for patients undergoing treatment with various physical and mechanical agents in physical therapy rehabilitation

7D6. Delivery of Physical Therapy Services: Educate others using teaching methods that are commensurate with the needs of the learner, including participation in the clinical education of students, incorporate cultural humility and social determinants of health when providing patient and/or caregiver education.

• Dramatize patient education in simulated patient scenarios with emphasis on physical and mechanical agents in physical therapy rehabilitation

7D7. Health Care Activities: Participate in efforts to ensure patient and health care provider safety

• Display appropriate awareness of body mechanics during simulated patient treatment session
• Apply safe techniques to improve UE/LE/spine mobility in a simulated patient scenario
• Display appropriate behaviors for therapeutic modality safety checks

7D11. Community Health: Provide physical therapy services that address: JEDI, belonging, and anti-racism, and health care disparities, and social determinants of health.

• Apply therapeutic modalities in a manner appropriate for protecting patient modesty and dignity associated with sociocultural needs when applying physical therapy interventions