PTAS 1091 - Clinical Medicine for the Physical Therapist Assistant

Credit Hours: 2.00

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Define: homeostasis, etiology, iatrogenic pre‐disposing factor, epidemiology, symptom, manifestation, exacerbation, remission.
2. Describe environmental, occupational, and stress issues related to health and wellness.
3. Describe the impact of cultural/gender health disparities on health and wellness.

Outcome 2: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to discuss the principles and concepts of inflammation and repair as a foundation for clinical decision making in physical therapy.

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. List and describe each stage of the inflammation and repair process.
2. Discuss factors that may delay or compromise healing.
3. Discuss the role of physical therapy in the management of inflammation.
4. Discuss the medical management of inflammation.

Outcome 3: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to identify and describe various pathogens.

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Compare attributes of virus, bacterium, and fungus.
2. Describe the local and systemic signs of infection.
3. Discuss the diagnosis of infection.
4. Recognize select antimicrobial pharmacological agents.

Outcome 4: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to discuss multi‐system pathologies.

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Discuss the pathology of immobilization on various body systems.
2. Discuss the pathologies associated with aging on select body systems.
3. Discuss physical therapy interventions for the critically ill patient.

Outcome 5: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to identify and describe select neoplasms.

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Distinguish between benign and malignant tumors by their characteristics and nomenclature.
2. List the signs and symptoms of malignant disease.
3. Describe common diagnostic tests used in the management of cancer.
4. Discuss the spread of malignant tumors.
5. Discuss the possible treatment methods for various cancers including, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Outcome 6: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to discuss pathologies of the musculoskeketal system.

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Describe etiology, pathology, and medical/surgical management of trauma and fractures.
2. Describe the etiology, pathology, and medical/surgical management of chronic disease of the musculoskeletal system.
3. Describe the etiology, pathology, and medical/surgical management of infections and neoplasms of the musculoskeletal system.
4. Describe common diagnostic procedures for pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

Outcome 7: Upon the completion of this course, the student will be able to discuss pathologies of the neuromuscular system.

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Describe the general effects of neurological dysfunction.
2. Describe the etiology, pathology, and medical/surgical management of acute disorders of the nervous system.
3. Describe common diagnostic procedures for pathologies of the nervous system.
4. Describe the etiology, pathology, and medical/surgical management of chronic disorders of the nervous system.

Outcome 8: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to discuss pathologies of the cardiopulmonary, integumentary, and endocrine systems.

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Discuss the general effects of cardiopulmonary dysfunction.
2. Discuss risk factors for cardiopulmonary disease.
3. Describe the etiology, pathology, clinical course, and medical management of endocrine disorders.
4. Compare and contrast type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
5. Describe the general effects of integumentary disorders.
6. Discuss the etiology, pathology, clinical course, and medical management of integumentary disorders.

Outcome 9: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to discuss mental health disorders.

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Identify disorders of mood and personality.
2. Discuss the impact of psychiatric disorders on physical therapy interventions.
3. Recognize common pharmacologic agents used in the treatment of mental health disorders.

Outcome 10: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to discuss the impact of select medical conditions on the physical therapy plan of care.

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Identify those pathologies that may result in special precautions for physical therapy including positioning for gastric reflux.
2. Recognize when the medical complexity of a patient is beyond the scope of practice for the PTA.

• Communication: The graduate can communicate effectively for the intended purpose and audience.
• Critical Thinking: The graduate can make informed decisions after analyzing information or evidence related to the issue.
• Global Literacy: The graduate can analyze human behavior or experiences through cultural, social, political, or economic perspectives.
• Information Literacy: The graduate can responsibly use information gathered from a variety of formats in order to complete a task.
• Quantitative Reasoning: The graduate can apply quantitative methods or evidence to solve problems or make judgments.
• Scientific Literacy: The graduate can produce or interpret scientific information presented in a variety of formats.

1. The Study of Pathophysiology
   1. Terminology
   2. Cellular changes
   3. New developments in the study of pathology
2. Immunity and Immune Response
   1. Auto immune disorders
   2. Immunodeficiency
3. Stress
   1. Effects of prolonged stress response
4. Environmental Hazards
   1. Chemical agents
   2. Physical agents
5. Inflammation and Healing
   1. Definition of inflammation
   2. Causes of inflammation
   3. Treatment of inflammation
      1. Physical therapy management
      2. Medical management
      3. Chronic inflammation
   4. The healing process
      1. Stages of healing
      2. Factors affecting healing
      3. Delayed healing
6. Infection
   1. Types of pathogens
      1. Virus
      2. Bacteria
      3. Fungus
   2. Transmission of infection
      1. Host resistance
      2. Control of transmission
   3. Diagnosis of infection
   4. Clinical signs and symptoms of infection
   5. Clinical course of infection
   6. Management of infections
   7. Impact of infection of the physical therapy plan of care
7. Multisystem Pathologies
   1. Impact of aging on health and wellness
   2. Impact of immobility on body systems
      1. Cardiopulmonary
      2. Musculoskeletal
      3. Integumentary
   3. Multi‐system pathology and the crucially ill patient
      1. Hospice and palliative care
   4. Impact of physical therapy on patients with multisystem pathology
      1. Physical therapy in the acute care setting and ICU
8. Neoplasm
   1. Benign and malignant tumors
   2. Nomenclature
   3. Diagnosis
      1. Imaging
      2. Biopsy and staging
   4. Clinical signs and symptoms
   5. Treatment of common cancers including: breast, brain, bone, and leukemia
      1. Surgery
      2. Chemotherapy
      3. Radiation
      4. Advanced procedures
9. Musculoskeletal Pathology
   1. Fracture types
   2. Fracture management
   3. Soft tissue pathologies
      1. Tendonitis
      2. Bursitis
   4. Rheumatoid arthritis
   5. Osteoarthritis
   6. Osteoporosis
   7. Ankylosing spondylitis
   8. Osteomyelitis
   9. Osteogenic sarcoma
   10. Diagnosis of musculoskeletal pathologies
   11. Medical management/pharmacology
       1. Anti‐inflammatory
       2. DMARD
       3. Biologies
       4. Analgesic/narcotic
10. Neuromuscular Pathology
    1. Upper motor neuron vs lower motor neuron lesions
    2. Acute neuromuscular pathology
       1. TBI
       2. SCI
    3. Brain tumors
    4. CVA/TIA
    5. Diagnostics: EEG, EMG, NCV
    6. Chronic disorders of the neuromuscular system
       1. Demyelization/MS
       2. Movement disorders/PD
       3. Dementias and Alzheimer’s disease
       4. Rare CNS disorders
          1. Huntington’s Disease
          2. ALS
          3. Myasthenia Gravis
    7. Neuropharmacology
11. Cardiopulmonary Pathology
    1. Risk factors
    2. Impact of cardiopulmonary pathology
12. Endocrine Pathology
    1. Type 1 diabetes
    2. Type 2 diabetes
    3. Medical management of diabetes
       1. Oral medication
       2. Insulin
13. Mental Health
    1. Mood disorders
    2. Personality disorders
14. Integumentary Pathology
    1. Scleroderma
    2. Burns
    3. Wounds
15. The Medically Complex Patient and the PTA