AHPT 814: Patient Management I
Prerequisite: Admission to the doctor of physical therapy program or permission of
the Department
Credit Hours: (4)
The course provides a foundation for examination skills relevant to orthopedic, neurological,
cardiopulmonary and integumentary pathologies.
Detailed Description of Course
Content: This course provides a foundation for examination skills relevant to orthopedics,
neurological, cardiopulumary, and integumentary pathologies. The course introduces
students to the Nagi model of disablement and to the five elements of patient/client
management as described in the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice. Primary areas
of emphasis are examination procedures including history taking, systems review, and
basic tests and measures such as assessment of vital signs, reflexes, joint range
of motion, and strength. Students will also learn documentation using SOAP note format.
Successful completion of this course requires students to utilize and integrate topics
such as medical terminology and muscle origins and insertions from relate content
areas. This course prepares students to participate in their first clinical internship
experience.
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Didactic and laboratory learning will occur in both laboratory and classroom environments.
Students must demonstrate clinical skill- based competencies. Students will participate
in small group and cooperative learning experiences. Students will participate in
hands-on methods and techniques related to patient examination and screening and patient
case studies.
Goals and Objectives of this Course
Will require students to:
1) Describe the Nagi model of disablement, common terminology, and the elements of
the patient management cycle as described in the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice;
2) Identify information that should be gathered through a patient chart review based
on medical diagnosis; 3) Select appropriate information relevant to physical therapy
intervention ;4) Identify the components and proper sequence of a patient interview;
5) Document the results of a patient interview; 6) Describe the normal Korotkoff
sounds heard during the 5 phases of blood pressure measurement and describe causative
factors that would result in abnormal sounds; 7) Accurately assess blood pressure,
heart rate and respiratory rate of patients in multiple positions, body compositions
and of both genders; 8) Describe how age, gender, occupation, and other factors influence
normal values for normal ROM on the spine and extremities; 9) Perform a goniometric
evaluation of any motion of the upper, lower extremity, or spine palpating the correct
bony landmarks, accurately aligning the goniometer and correctly reading and recording
results; 10) Define muscle strength and various ways to measure muscle strength; 11)
Describe the advantages and disadvantages as well as the issues surrounding validity
and reliability of manual muscle testing; 12) Demonstrate the ability to grade muscle
strength by manual muscle testing all major muscle groups; 13) Observe hair growth
distribution, nail conditions, skin quality, and edema, and describe alterations from
normal; 14) Based on the results of a hypothetical screening, determine the need for
physical therapy or other medical intervention; 15) Define ADLs and IADLs; 16) Define
levels of functional performance used in assessment of ADL; 17) Describe the components
necessary for successful ADL function; 18) Plan a physical therapy examination of
patient with same diagnosis in various settings (e.g. acute, inpatient rehabilitation,
nursing facility, home) listing key components based on patient's age, lack of/access
to continued care, and lack of/support; 19) List the purpose, considerations, and
requirements of the American's with Disability Act; 20) Describe equipment available
to improve function for an individual with a disability; 21) Plan an examination for
a patient in the homecare setting and list key components of the evaluation; 22) Conduct
a home/ building assessment for hypothetical patient with a disability and provide
reasonable accommodation suggestions to make the home/ building accessible; 24) Present
and discuss the findings of a building assessment, describe any architectural barriers
to accessibility and recommend cost-effective solutions; 25) Perform a peer assessment
of a classmate who has participated in a group project on accessibility; 26) Describe
the components of the assessment portion of the physical therapy note; 27) Discuss
the components of long and short term goals for a hypothetical patient; 28) Differentiate
between the subjective and objective components of a physical therapy evaluation;
29) Discuss the components of long and short-term goals and differentiate between
the two; 30) Describe barriers to patient progress and discuss the proper sequence
to follow in the event that patient goals are not met; 31) Document results of a physical
therapy examination and/or patient-client follow up visit; 32) Write a complete SOAP
note utilizing the guidelines for documentation as outlined by the APTA, and critique
the note of a peer's SOAP note; 33) Differentiate between a PT diagnosis and a Medical
diagnosis; 34) Given the examination findings of a hypothetical patient, develop a
physical therapy diagnosis; 35) Given the hypothetical results of a patient history
and examination determine a diagnosis, prognosis, including a plan of care appropriate
with the patient age; 36) Determine when patient goals and plan of care should be
revised during the course of treatment; 37) Give a series of hypothetical patient
scenarios develop reasonable short and long-term goals for each patient; 38) Given
a list of evaluation findings place each in its appropriate category in a SOAP note;
39) Describe signs and symptoms commonly preceding syncope and demonstrate the proper
action for treating a patient with such symptoms; 40) Demonstrate safe and appropriate
patient handling techniques when conducting special tests/ measurements; 41) Examine
a patient's cognitive status utilizing appropriate tests and measurements; 42) Perform
selected components of motor and sensory integrity testing such as monosynaptic reflexes,
proprioception, stereognosis, and topognosis; 43) Describe the format for a patient
examination in the acute care setting; 44) List the types of and special considerations
for equipment commonly used in the acute care setting; 45) Establish a discharge plan
for a hypothetical patient in collaboration with and with regard to the patient, family
and health care team; 46) Determine a diagnosis and prognosis, including plan of care
for that individual based on the patient’s status, age, emotional, motivational, social,
cultural, and economic factors; 47) Accurately perform assessments of reflexes and
vital signs and apply the findings to patient care situations; 48) Define a capsular
pattern, identify the structures that limit ROM, and state the expected end feel for
each joint; 49) State the age related values for normal ROM of the spine and extremities;
50) Demonstrate pressure relief techniques in sitting, supine, side-lying, and prone
positions; 51) Given the results of a hypothetical patient history and examination,
determine a diagnosis and prognosis, including plan of care for that individual based
on the patient’s status, age, emotional, motivational, social, cultural, and economic
factors; 53) Describe the proper procedures that should be followed in a patient
emergency event. Terminal Objectives: 1) Select patient/ client history components
based on patient/client needs; 2) Perform a systems review based on patient/ client
needs; 3) Perform goniometry and manual muscle testing; 4) Apply knowledge regarding
natural history of disease and effectiveness of treatment to predict improvement;
5) Apply principles of safe practice to patient care.
Assessment Measures
Written examination, lab. practical examinations, and poster presentations
Other Course Information
None
Review and Approval
February 10, 2014