PTA program courses may only be attempted twice and the minimum passing grade is a C+.

Grading:

Texts:

Required:         

Please refer to the PTA Program Textbook Listing and Check with your instructor prior to the purchase of any textbooks to make sure you have the most recent information.

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Course Description:        PTA Seminar I

              Review and discussion of clinical experiences and issues using a case study approach.  Topics include scheduling, psychosocial aspects of disability; patient documentation; professional growth and development; quality assurance concepts; and negotiation  skills for employment opportunities.  Restricted to approved PTA majors.

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Course Goals:

 The student/learner will:

1. Describe effective, therapeutic communication with patients and members of the health care team, and techniques for conflict resolution within the clinical setting.
2. Compare the stages of patient psychosocial adjustment to disability
3. Use the SOAP note format to document  physical therapy intervention within the physical therapist’s plan of care
4. Define the components involved in provision of physical therapy services within a clinical setting including HIPPA, reimbursement, quality assurance, and regulatory issues
5. Identify the common medications, medical tests, hospital equipment, and radiographic studies utilized with patients within the clinical setting

Course Objectives:

Following the successful completion of this course with a grade of "C+" or higher, the student/learner will possess skills in the following domains:

Cognitive/Knowledge

The student/learner will be able to successfully:

1. describe the health care team, principles of time management and quality assurance, and issues  relating to reimbursement
2. outline career ladders in physical therapy
3. describe the necessary components for patient documentation
4. recognize major groups of medications prescribed for musculoskeletal conditions
5. describe the roles of the State Board of Physical Therapy and the American  Physical Therapy Association
6. discuss the differences between verbal and nonverbal communication
7. describe situations when the direction to perform an intervention is beyond the scope of practice for a PTA
8. describe communication strategies to open discussion with the PT regarding patient status or changes in treatment progression

Psychomotor

The student/learner will be able to successfully:

1. manipulate mobile apparatus that may be attached to a patient in the physical therapy department
2. Write patient treatment notes in SOAP note format
3. Demonstrate through improvisation and role-play the contrast between effective and non-effective communication, both verbal and non-verbal
4. Communicate with guest speakers in a professional, respectful manner

Affective

The student/learner will be able to successfully:

1. discuss patient information in a professional manner with colleagues
2. recognize what information should not be discussed in public places
3. recognize the stages of psychosocial adjustment to disability
4. display communication styles utilized in the clinical setting
5. respond with compassion to individuals with a disability

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Course Outline:

I.               Patient Confidentiality: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

II.              Cultural Competence

III.            Medicare and Medicaid

IV.            Reimbursement in Healthcare

V.              Insurance and Billing

VI.            Clinical Concepts

                  A.              Healthcare Team

                  B.              Practice Settings

                  C.              Time Management

                  D.              Professional Designators

VII.           Regulatory Issues and Quality Assurance

VIII.         Documentation

IX.            Communication

                  A.              Types of communication

                  B.              Effective Communication

                  C.              Conflict, Active Listening Skills, and Assertiveness

X.              Psychosocial Aspects of Disability

                  A.              Adjustment to Disability

XI.            Guest Speaker

XII.           Medical Tests

Radiography

Pharmacology

                 A.              Laboratory Tests

IX.            Medical Equipment

XII.           XIII.         Introduction to concepts of research

                  A.              Evidence Based Practice

                  B.              Writing a Case Study

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