SKILLS – PTA STUDENTS

The following skills are covered within the Lake Superior College Physical Therapist Assistant Program (Traditional On-Campus Program).  An asterisk (*) indicates that student competence with the skill is assessed via skill check and/or practical exam.

Clinical instructors who teach skills not covered in the program are responsible to assess the student’s competence with the skill prior to patient treatment.

1ST YEAR PTA STUDENTS SKILLS LEARNED FALL SEMESTER
PTA 1410 INTRO TO PT ASSISTING	PTA 1411 PROCEDURES for PTAs I	PTA 1431 THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE I	PTA 1460 FUNCTIONAL KINESIOLOGY I
Hand-washing*	Infrared lamp*	PROM*	Activity analysis
Transfers* (standing pivot, squat pivot, sliding board)	Ultraviolet lamp*	AAROM*	Hip palpation*
Bed positioning* (supine, prone, side-lying front, side-lying back)	ICP/bandaging for edema*	AROM*	Knee palpation*
Mechanical lift*	Sensation testing*	UE goniometry*	Ankle and foot palpation*
Bed mobility with draw sheet*	Girth (circumferential measurements)*	UE manual muscle testing*	Shoulder palpation*
Fitting gait device*	Contrast Bath	LE goniometry*	Elbow palpation*
Vital signs*	Paraffin bath*	LE manual muscle testing*	Wrist and hand palpation*
Tilt table*	Cryotherapy*	Neck and trunk ROM assessment (goniometry, tape measure, CROM device)	Neck palpation*
Standing frame*	Moist heat*	Neck and trunk MMT	Lumbar and thoracic spine palpation*
Gait training on level surfaces* (2, 3, & 4-point; cane, crutches, walker)		Hand-held dynamometry
Gait training on stairs*		Passive stretching, UE and LE*
Transporting a patient in a wheelchair*		Passive stretching, neck and trunk
Body mechanics*		Note: Neck/trunk ROM assessment, MMT and passive stretching assessed via skill check in PTA 1562 as part of spine unit
An asterisk (*) indicates that student competence with the skill is assessed via skill check and/or practical exam.

 

1st YEAR PTA STUDENTS SKILLS LEARNED SPRING SEMESTER		1st YEAR PTA STUDENTS SKILLS LEARNED SPRING SEMESTER
PTA 1532 THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE II	PTA 1562 FUNCTIONAL KINESIOLOGY II	PTA 1512 PROCEDURES for PTAs II	PTA 1564 Manual Therapy Techniques
Manual resistance exercise*	Data collection – normal gait*	*Aseptic technique*	Nerve Gliding
Mechanical resistance exercise*	Data collection – abnormal gait*	Ultrasound – direct contact*	Joint Mobilization – Peripheral Joint
muscle stretching, active* (reciprocal inhibition, contract relax, contract relax contract)	Hip palpation*	Phonophoresis*	Massage*
Balance and coordination exercises*	Knee palpation*	Ultrasound – immersion*	STM – Spine*
Posture education*	Ankle and foot palpation*	CPM application* (peer check)	STM – Extremities*
Circulation exercises	Shoulder palpation*	Mechanical cervical traction*
Aerobic exercise	Elbow palpation*	Mechanical lumbar traction*
Designing and teaching home exercise programs	Wrist and hand palpation*	Home traction units* (peer)
Spine exercise protocols	Neck palpation*	Biofeedback*
Post-surgical exercise programs and protocols	Lumbar and thoracic spine palpation*	Supportive taping*
PNF diagonals*	Measuring TMJ ROM	Hydrotherapy, including cleaning whirlpool*
	Reflex testing (knee, ankle, elbow)
	Objective flexibility assessment	Dynamic splints (will move to PTA 2651 in Fall 2014)
	Activity analysis	Short-wave diathermy* (athermal)
	Activities to improve UE and LE proprioception
An asterisk (*) indicates that student competence with the skill is assessed via skill check and/or practical exam.
2nd YEAR PTA STUDENTS SKILLS LEARNED FALL SEMESTER
PTA 2651 ADVANCED PT TECHNIQUES	PTA 2650 REHABILITATION AND FUNCTIONAL THERAPY	PTA 2613 PROCEDURES for PTAS III
Residual limb wrapping*	Functional movement data collection	Electrode placement*
Pool therapy	Facilitation techniques*	TENS*
Body mechanics for work tasks	Inhibition techniques*	D/C & iontophoresis*
Job simulation	Motor learning techniques	Microcurrent*
Cardiac rehab	Wheelchair mobility	Interferential current*
Postural drainage*	Balance assessments (i.e., Berg)	High-voltage pulsatile current*
Chest percussion*	Balance exercises	NMES/FES*
Breathing exercises*	Coma stimulation
Coughing*	Transfers for rehab diagnoses
Relaxation techniques	Gait training for rehab diagnoses
Therapy ball exercises (will be incorporated into PTA 1532 in 2014-15)	Adult positioning and handling*
Dynamic splints	Pediatric positioning and handling*
An asterisk (*) indicates that student competence with the skill is assessed via skill check and/or practical exam.