THE WORLD IS CHANGING RAPIDLY, SO ARE HEALTH CARE CAREERS
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Physical Therapist (Rehabilitation Professions)
DID YOU KNOW? (click to hide) Physical Therapist - Did-You-Know:
1. There is now a gender-specific total knee prosthesis for women.
How is technology impacting any of the following areas in the Physical Therapy field?
1. Education: Students are using computers to carry out assignments, and use the internet to research medical topics and literature citations. Instructors are using computer simulations to teach basic science material, such as gross anatomy. Schools are using the internet to teach courses. Distance learning is a reality through web-based instructional programs.
2. Research: Scientists are using computers to carry out the complex computations required in collecting and analyzing data. Gait analysis labs can record patients` walking patterns and analyze many parameters of the walking cycle to better determine abnormal biomechanics of different populations of people.
3. Direct patient care: Patients are receiving advanced technology orthoses (braces) and prostheses (artificial limbs) with computerized controls. Therapists are teaching patients how to use these devices to function better.
Patients are also receiving joint replacements which are designed by computer, some of which are designed based on the patients` own anatomy. This will enable patients to function better with these new devices.
Exercise programs are available on CDs, which can be used to design patient-specific exercises. The therapist can point and click on different exercises and provide a printout of the exercises for the patient to take home, which means no more photocopying.
4. Administrative issues: Many administrative tasks, such as renewing professional licenses, can be carried out over the internet.
Physical Therapist (2 of 3)
Physical Therapist - Did-You-Know:
1. Entry level physical therapists (PT) will all be Doctor’s of Physical Therapy (DPT) by 2020; this requires an undergraduate degree plus the DPT program (three years).
2. PTs are searching for evidence based articles to back up their practice.
3. Many [PTs] are using computerized documentations systems and are linked to the overall medical record in their University Medical Center allowing therapists instantaneous access to test results.
4. Our [PT’s] professional organization, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), has created a Guide to Physical Therapy Practice which insurance companies are referencing for standards (such as the range of PT visits recommended) in coverage of physical therapy services; assures some level of standardization of treatment in the United States.
How is technology impacting any of the following areas in the Physical Therapy field?
1. Education: Much more sophisticated presentations at continuing education courses; courses offered online on computer.
2. Research: The library services can all be accessed online with the ability to use various search engines. Major university medical centers offer online assistance with searches both to staff as well as patients.
3. Administrative issues: Online annual performance reviews decrease paper trails and offer more consistency in assessments.
4. Any other area you deem important: Patient exercise programs on computer allow individualized and customized programs in a minimum of time.
Physical Therapist (3 of 3)
Physical Therapist - Did-You-Know:
1. Approximately fifty-five percent of the physical therapist members of the American Physical Therapy Association work in either a private out-patient setting or a hospital clinic, where electrical modalities and technological diagnostic procedures are a typical part of any given day. (www.apta.org)
2. Many physical therapists in various settings are now using hand-held and/or lap-top computers for documentation and communication to the main office or directly to the physician’s office.
3. There are many new light-weight, portable electrical stimulation units and ultrasound devices for the therapist “on-the-go”, working in home health or traveling to multiple clinical sites.
4. According to the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapists held approximately 155,000 jobs in the year 2004, but the number of jobs is greater than the number of practicing physical therapists, and employment is expected to increase due to growth in the number of individuals with physical disabilities. (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos080.htm)
How is technology impacting any of the following areas in the Physical Therapy field?
1. Education: At Tennessee State University (TSU), we utilize Smart Classrooms for technological teaching strategies when instructing our physical therapist students. We also have a computerized gait lab for ambulation assessment.
2. Research: Students at TSU have the benefit of accessing multiple articles from the large library electronic resource data base. We have a computer lab, available exclusively for the use of our physical therapy students located in our physical therapy instruction building. Interpretation of the results from our research at TSU is made easier with the utilization of computer programs such as SPSS [SPSS Inc. proprietary computer software for predictive analytics, www.spss.com ] that help to provide a statistical analysis of the data.
3. Direct Patient Care: The field of physical therapy is continually demonstrating advances in electrical therapeutic modalities. Technological advances have been made in the field of pain management including the use of photonic laser therapy and electrical current for pain management, wound healing, and edema management, as well as functional electrical stimulation. It is imperative that diagnostic testing is state-of-the-art, with researchers in the field of rehabilitation working on ways to improve the assessment of our patients, especially in the electrodiagnostic arena, improving the accuracy of tests such as nerve conduction velocity, and electromyography. Biofeedback helps to teach patients to effectively utilize specific muscle groups for improved function. There are newer ways to fit patients with prosthetic limbs or orthotic devices with three-dimensional laser scanning, and new advancements have been recently made in the fitting and fabrication of positioning equipment for wheelchairs.
4. Administrative Issues: With the use of the Internet, administrators can now access relevant information for governance, insurance guidelines, and professional organization correspondence. Administrators can call their therapists in the home health field using cell-phones, or access them via their lap-top computers. |
DESCRIPTION OF WORK:
Physical therapists (PTs) provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. They restore, maintain, and promote overall fitness and health. Their patients include accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as low back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, and cerebral palsy.
Therapists examine patients` medical histories, then test and measure their strength, range of motion, balance and coordination, posture, muscle performance, respiration, and motor function. They also determine patients` ability to be independent and reintegrate into the community or workplace after injury or illness. Next, they develop treatment plans describing a treatment strategy, its purpose, and anticipated outcome.
Treatment often includes exercise for patients who have been immobilized and lack flexibility, strength, or endurance. They encourage patients to use their own muscles to further increase flexibility and range of motion before finally advancing to other exercises improving strength, balance, coordination, and endurance. Their goal is to improve how an individual functions at work and home. Physical therapists also use electrical stimulation, hot packs or cold compresses, and ultrasound to relieve pain and reduce swelling. They may use traction or deep-tissue massage to relieve pain. Therapists also teach patients to use assistive and adaptive devices such as crutches, prostheses, and wheelchairs. They also may show patients exercises to do at home to expedite their recovery.
As treatment continues, physical therapists document progress, conduct periodic examinations, and modify treatments when necessary. Such documentation is used to track the patient`s progress, and identify areas requiring more or less attention. Physical therapists often consult and practice with a variety of other professionals, such as physicians, dentists, nurses, educators, social workers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists.
Some physical therapists treat a wide range of ailments; others specialize in areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, orthopedics, sports medicine, neurology, and cardiopulmonary physical therapy.
Mean annual salary for this position is $65,240.
WHERE EMPLOYED:
Physical therapists practice in hospitals, clinics, and private offices that have specially equipped facilities, or they treat patients in hospital rooms, homes, or schools.
PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS:
Physical therapists should have strong interpersonal skills to successfully educate patients about their physical therapy treatments. They should also be compassionate and possess a desire to help patients. Similar traits also are needed to interact with the patient`s family. Most full-time physical therapists work a 40-hour week, which may include some evenings and weekends. The job can be physically demanding because therapists often have to stoop, kneel, crouch, lift, and stand for long periods. In addition, physical therapists move heavy equipment and lift patients or help them turn, stand, or walk.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
All states require physical therapists to pass a licensure exam before they can practice, after graduating from an accredited physical therapist educational program. Physical therapists are expected to continue professional development by participating in continuing education courses and workshops. A number of states require continuing education to maintain licensure.
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Physical therapist programs start with basic science courses such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and then introduce specialized courses such as biomechanics, neuro-anatomy, human growth and development, manifestations of disease, examination techniques, and therapeutic procedures. Besides classroom and laboratory instruction, students receive supervised clinical experience. Courses useful when applying to physical therapist educational programs include anatomy, biology, chemistry, social science, mathematics, and physics. Before granting admission, many professional education programs require experience as a volunteer in a physical therapy department of a hospital or clinic. For high school students, volunteering with a school athletic trainer is a good way to gain experience.
Educational program types for this career.
EMPLOYERS:
Potential employers for this career.
LAST UPDATED:
9/9/2007 - Update
Current status - Active
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