PTA 221 - Physical Therapy Interventions for Special Populations

 (Spring)Three hours lecture each week.Varies by week. Three Credits. Three billable hours.


Pre-requisite(s): PTA 113 .

Course Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Integrate prior knowledge of anatomy and physiology, disease pathology, and aging to optimize client/patient well-being and functional independence. 
2. Comply with national, state, and local laws and ethical standards. 
3. Use the ICF to describe a patient’s impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions.
4. Describe appropriate interventions to address airway clearance, aerobic capacity, endurance testing, balance, strength, proprioception, etc. as applicable to various pathology. 
5. Recognize medications prescribed to control systemic pathology.
6. Perform appropriate objective tests and measures to establish baseline when provided with case scenarios for patients with systemic pathology.
7. Identify changes in a patient’s state of arousal, mentation, or cognition.
8. Identify assistive and augmentative devices used to facilitate patient function, safety, or communication.
9. Integrate evidence-based interventions to support critical clinical judgment.
10. Compare and Contrast etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, interventions, and outcomes of various pathological presentations.
11. Identify safety considerations and environmental factors that may impact patient performance to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
12. Integrate knowledge of diversity, health system disparities, and social determinants of health to promote patient-centered care.
13. Develop self-leadership skills to decrease healthcare provider burnout, self-awareness, and improved job satisfaction.
14. Communicate effectively with team members, patients, family and caregivers recognizing differences in ability, cognition, language, and health literacy.
15. Complete adequate documentation that conveys skilled interventions and medical necessity, including appropriate billing codes with rationale.

After completing patient simulation and case scenario activities related to pain and pathology, the student should be able to:

1. Compare and contrast motor control and motor learning theories.
2. Initiate an appropriate patient hand-off for progression of treatment. 
3. Adhere to legal practice standards, including all federal, state, and institutional regulations related to patient/client care.
4. Communicate effectively with all parties involved in the care of a patient.
5. Act with consideration for patient/client differences, values, and preferences.
6. Effectively educate others using teaching methods appropriate to the individual.
7. Review health records prior to carrying out plan of care.
8. Determine when an intervention should not be performed due to clinical indications.
9. Monitor and adjust interventions in response to patient status and clinical indications.
10. Identify appropriate standardized questionnaires including pain scales during patient simulation activities.
11. Complete documentation that shows critical clinical judgment, skilled intervention, and fiscal management.
12. Integrate evidence-based interventions to support critical clinical judgment.

Service Learning Outcomes:

1. Coordinate volunteerism through service-learning with a chosen community partner.
2. Describe the relationship that healthcare providers develop with community members.
3. Reflect on the professional and personal impact of service learning.