TDPT 7201 - Patient Care Skills – Primary Care and Physical Examination for Physical Therapists

This didactic and practical course is designed to provide physical therapists with a framework for patient examination with respect to clinical reasoning , differential diagnosis and decision making. Models of health care systems, physical therapy patient care management, ethics and cultural competence, as essential elements for health care providers are examined in depth. Ethical, legal and regulatory aspects of physical therapy practice for delegation (team work and interprofessional collaboration), supervision of PTA and other clincal support staff are discussed. Theory and techniques for measurement used in the practice of physical therapy will include: obtaining medical history, palpation techniques, screening for dysfunction in human systems (integumentary, cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, and cognitive); vital signs tests, neurological screening testing of upper and lower quarter including reflex assessment, cranial nerve assessment, sensory examination, manual muscle tests, , joint range of motion and muscle length tests, anthropometric measurements (BMI, skin fold test, waist-to-hip ratio, and waist-to-height ratio) and special tests. Students will learn to discuss and document their examination findings. Reliability and validity of the measurements will be explored, with emphasis placed on precision of measurement, elimination of errors in testing, and accuracy of documentation. The focus of the course is on: 1) screening examination for assessing normal and abnormal vital signs; and 2) performing patient interview and review of systems for identifying potential health risk factors. Activities will include a range of experiences, progressing from normal to pathological conditions, across the spectra of age, sex, culture, and race.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: Admission to the Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy program

Hours:
3