PTA - Physical Therapist Assistant

Courses

PTA 1010: Basic Patient Care in Physical Therapy

Credits 5
Examines the basic patient care skills for the healthcare practitioner enabling understanding and demonstration of skills that include positioning, body mechanics, transfers, range of motion, palpation, vital signs, aseptic techniques, bandaging, medical terminology, activities of daily living (ADLs), wheelchair management, architectural barriers, and gait training.

PTA 1011: Essential Skills Laboratory I

Credits 1

Provides a laboratory experience developing and assessing the essential skills required by Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). This course ensuring competency in essential psychomotor skills required by CAPTE accreditation.

PTA 1015: Principles and Practices of Physical Therapy

Credits 2
Explores the history of the profession including definition, development, and areas of practice. The role of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the physical therapist assistant (PTA) and the relationship between the physical therapist (PT), PTA and other health care professionals are investigated. This course covers current issues and trends including professionalism, legal aspects, ethics, quality assurance, communications and reimbursement issues such as Medicare, Medicaid, Worker's Compensation and commercial insurance.

PTA 1018: Anatomy and Kinesiology

Credits 5

Covers the study of basic functional anatomy as it relates to the field of physical therapy. This course explains descriptive terminology, osteology, arthrology, and neurology and muscle physiology. This course focuses on origin, insertion, action, and innervation of major muscles along with the movements that occur. Laboratory sessions will involve palpation of bones, muscles, and joints, location of origin and insertion, muscle actions and structures affecting movement.

PTA 1020: Modalities in Physical Therapy

Credits 5
Examines the theory and principles of physical therapy modalities. This course includes therapeutic heat and cold, traction, hydrotherapy, and light therapies.

PTA 1021: Essential Skills Laboratory II

Credits 1

Provides the opportunity to develop and be evaluated on essential skills in therapeutic interventions, modalities, muscle testing, range of motion assessment, gait, and posture \ required by Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), ensuring student competency in the psychomotor skills acquired throughout the semester. These skills include therapeutic modalities and therapeutic interventions and assessment of those interventions in contemporary physical therapy for the physical therapist assistant.

PTA 1024: Rehab Principles of Medical I

Credits 2
Investigates the functioning, disability and health associated with a variety of genetic, developmental and neuromusculoskeletal conditions. The course covers medical management including pharmacology, and its impact on physical therapy rehabilitation principles are discussed. The course investigates evidence-based practice for genetic, developmental, musculoskeletal, and neurological system diagnosis, as well as common medical and surgical conditions, will be reviewed as they relate to physical therapy rehabilitation.

PTA 1031: Professional Communications I

Credits 1
Introduces oral and written professional communication in the physical therapy field. This course develops skills in verbal and non-verbal communication, performance evaluation, literature research, and presentation, use of editorial style and technology, and development of professional behaviors.

PTA 1034: Rehab Principles of Medical II

Credits 2
Investigates the functioning, disabilities and health associated with a variety of pathophysiological processes and conditions. Medical management, including pharmacology, and its impact on physical therapy rehab principles are discussed. Evidence based practice for cardiovascular, endocrine/metabolic, gastrointestinal, genital/reproductive, hematologic, immune, integumentary, hepatic/biliary, lymphatic, and respiratory system diagnoses as well as chronic pain diagnoses and common medical and surgical conditions will be reviewed as they relate to physical therapy rehab.

PTA 1035: Principles of Electrical Stimulation

Credits 2
Explores the principles and application of electrical stimulation (ES) modalities currently used in physical therapy practice. This course enables the understanding of the electrochemical and physiological effects of electrical stimulation and identification of the various forms and applications of electrical stimulation modalities.

PTA 1040: Clinical Kinesiology

Credits 5
Focuses on the science of human motion, theories of biomechanics, and muscle and joint structure and function. This course emphasizes basic principles of therapeutic exercise and their application to specific body regions and includes the application of kinesiology and exercise principles.

PTA 1041: Professional Communications II

Credits 1
Explores medical documentation of patient care as used in the profession of physical therapy throughout multiple practice settings. This course develops physical therapy documentation skills that use standardized formats and meet requirements of various payer sources and settings.

PTA 2005: Psychosocial Issues in Health Care

Credits 2
Explores the psychosocial aspects of the patient and or client and health care practitioner. Investigates recognition of and adjustment for psychological, sociological, educational, cultural, economic, and political concerns on the delivery of health care services. Communication skills and social and advocacy responsibilities of the health care practitioner are discussed enabling the development of skills necessary to meet expectations and needs of members of society receiving health care services.

PTA 2030: Orthopedic Assessment and Management

Credits 5
Examines the theory, principles, and practices of orthopedic conditions. This course includes assessment and management techniques pertaining to orthopedic conditions, goniometry, manual muscle testing, gait analysis, and posture analysis.

PTA 2080: PTA Internship I

Credits 4
Focuses on initial clinical exposure providing hands on patient practicum skills and techniques. Includes application of basic patient care skills including transfers, range of motion, modalities, bandaging, aseptic techniques, and gait training. Students demonstrate professional behavior and communication principles appropriate in the physical therapy setting. A designated clinical instructor in an acute care, geriatric or outpatient setting will provide supervision.

PTA 2081: PTA Internship II

Credits 5
Focuses on an intermediate clinical experience providing hands on patient practicum skills and techniques. Includes continued application of physical therapy procedures of Internship I with the addition of therapeutic exercise, goniometry, manual muscle testing and motor learning techniques. Students demonstrate professional behavior and communication principles appropriate in the physical therapy setting. A designated clinical instructor in an acute care, rehabilitation, outpatient, geriatric or home health setting provides supervision. During the internship the student presents an in-service on a physical therapy related topic.

PTA 2082: PTA Internship III

Credits 5
Incorporates advanced clinical experience providing hands on patient practicum skills and techniques. Students will refine all physical therapy skills in preparation to enter the field as an entry level physical therapist assistant. This final experience includes independent practice with an assigned caseload under the on-site supervision of a clinical instructor. The student will present an in service on a physical therapy related topic.