RehabCare

The New Web-Based Evaluation Tool for PT Students

I would like to welcome a guest author to our blog, Danille Parker.  Danille is a Physical Therapist with RehabCare and is also the Director of Clinical Education for Marquette University.  Thanks Danille for putting this information together!

As many of you have heard, as of July 15, 2008 the Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument has transitioned to the PT CPI: Version 2006.  This new web-based PT CPI offers enhanced user access, ease of completion, and data entry for students and clinical educators.  The PT CPI: Version 2006 has been updated to more accurately reflect the expectations of graduates from PT programs.  Updates include 18 performance criteria (divided into Professional Practice and Patient Management sections), changing of the visual analogue scale to a more defined rating scale with 6 anchors, and web based access and training. 

To ensure greater consistency in the use of the instrument, online training and assessment programs are being used to teach all individuals involved in student performance assessment.  The free online course provides a standardized training program and assessment designed to educate PT students, CI’s CCCE’s, and ACCE’s/DCE’s about the appropriate, valid, and reliable use of the APTA PT CPI: Version 2006.  Successful completion of this training and assessment program (passing > 70%) is required for all users to access the PT CPI Web.  Access to the online PT CPI: Version 2006 training can be obtained through your affiliating PT program DCE’s/ACCE’s.  Contact your affiliating University for the training web-site and password.   0.2 CEUs or 2 contact hours are awarded for completing this online training module.

Aside from the PT CPI: Version 2006 training, the APTA is holding PT CPI Webinars free of cost, as a brief walk through of the web features and the PT CPI Web site.  Online webinars are available the 3^rd Wednesday and Thursday of every month.  Please see the APTA web site under “PT CPI web launch” for webinar registration information.

For those of you that are clinical instructors and/or CCCE’s of a facility, be prepared to provide some extra information for your affiliating PT programs, including any CI specialty certifications, and personal (or work) e-mail addresses for each individual clinical instructor.  This information is required to complete the online assessment, and required to input all CI’s into the main PT CPI Web data base.  This information will be kept strictly confidential!

As Director of Clinical Education for Marquette University, and a Rehab Care Physical Therapist, I would be happy to assist any facilities with the transition or answer questions as needed.  Feel free to contact me at Danille.parker@marquette.edu or via phone at 414-288-3719.

Facility Spotlight - Jefferson Regional Medical Center

I thought I would take a moment to put the "spotlight" on one of our facilities located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas - Jefferson Regional Medical Center.  The inpatient program director, Karthik Muthu, and outpatient director, Anthony Brown, have been instrumental in helping strengthen relations with therapy programs in Arkansas.

They recently hosted a luncheon presentation on RehabCare to students at South Arkansas Community College and are now hosting a couple of the students they met there for their upcoming fieldwork rotations.  They are also taking students from other therapy programs throughout the state.  Jefferson Regional is a great learning place for students and new graduates alike.  Here's what they had to say about their building:

Meet The Tarrant County College PTA Class Of 2008

During my most recent trip to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area I had the opportunity to visit with the Physical Therapist Assitants students  from the May 2008 Graduating Class at Tarrant County College.  Thanks to everyone at Tarrant County for making us feel so welcome!  We had a great visit and open discussion with the students allowing plenty of questions.  We provided information on RehabCare, the Geriatric population, Long-Term Care and how Skilled Nursing Facilities are evolving from a rehab perspective.  We included one of our Physical Therapist from a local facility to give the students a realistic perspective as to how our facilities function and to "pick her brain" on the clinical world.  The students asked great questions and hopefully they found the presentation both informative and helpful.  I look forward to my next visit and working with these PTA's in the future!   How you can have RehabCare visit your campus?  Contact me at 800.677.1202 ext 2521. 

Striving for Change in Clinical Education

Being a clinical instructor is a big responsibility. Not only do you carry the expectations from your employer but also the expectations from an academic institution and an enthusiastic therapy student. It can be a juggling act but I believe it is very rewarding. You must hold tight on your ethical standards and be aware of the goals and abilities of the student. I have realized in my experience that the demand for CI sis increasing yet the education and training is not always there. Johnny points out some of the hurdles he sees in the current process in his blog post Physical Therapist Clinical Education

A student's clinical education is most important part of professional education, whether it is medicine, nursing, PA, or PT. If the clinical education is the most important, then why are PT students given such intricate didactic structure then thrown to the "clinical wolves" to fend for themselves to literally get the most for their money?

While many of these obstacles may seem to  go unnoticed, RehabCare  is making great efforts to put a solution to the problem. While we encourage all of our therapists to take part in the education of our profession's future, we are trying to promote the special skills of each therapist and provide training internally for CIs.  RehabCare offers a synopsis presentation based on APTA guidelines or a full course on our internal educational web-based program containing a more in depth training. We also have a campus relations department on hand to discuss any concerns or questions throughout the process for our clinicians, students and academic faculty.  In conjunction with one of our core values: excellence, RehabCare has developed a mentorship program to assist the student after their clinical rotations, throughout their first year of employment. This program allows the student a resource as they begin their professional life.   While I agree that their are hurdles to be jumped especially with the didactic curriculum standards increasing, many companies hear the cry and are working in their realm to present a great opportunity and future for therapy students.

Boston U Gets A Lesson In Reimbursement

During my recent trip to the Boston area, I also attended a presentation at Boston University with one of our Directors of Operation, Melissa Tilton.  Melissa is also a licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant and presented on Reimbursement Models to the 90 PT and OT students in attendance.  Please enjoy the clips below of her presentation and a few student comments I received afterward.  We'd like to thank Karen Jacobs for her gracious invitation to present as well as the students whom we met!  And if you grabbed one of my flyers, take a moment to complete our short student survey.  To learn more about Melissa's presentation or to inquire about having her present at your school, please email me.

From Intern To Employee - The Employee's View

Recently we heard from one of our Program Directors on how they feel about the clinical education program and how those student interns make fantastic candidates for employment.  After speaking with our Program Director, I also asked the same questions of one such person

Mitch is a recent graduate from Ohio State University.  He also completed a final clinical rotation at CaroMont Rehab in Gastonia, NC.  He had this to say on his clinical experience with RehabCare:

"What stands out most in my mind was the very positive atmosphere throughout the clinical experience, and the very nice facility.  I received good guidance from my CI(clinical instructor).  She did a great job of allowing me to work on my own, but was still there whenever I had questions or needed help with a patient.  What I liked most was her allowing me to act independently and not needing to watch all of my interaction with patients, which I feel gave me more confidence in dealing with them(patients)."

From Intern To Employee - The Employer's View

Clinical fieldwork is, in my opinion, one of the most important aspects of a student therapists education.  This is where you get to see all your textbook knowledge and labs come to life.  This is where you begin to see the difference you are making in peoples' lives.  This is also where you begin to ponder, "I think I could work for this company."

The Campus Relations department recently had the pleasure of sitting in on a presentation by a senior DPT student from the University of Kansas who informed us that 94% of internships turn into full-time employees.  Mind you, this is referring to the workforce in general and not just the rehab industry.  CaroMont Rehab and Sports Medicine in Gastonia, North Carolina is no stranger to students coming in and out of their building.  In fact, they hosted a total of 13 students throughout 2007 and converted several of those over to employees.  I asked the Program DIrector, Jeff Hill, what his opinion is on taking students for clinical fieldwork and why we have had such positive feedback from those students:

"I always feel I learn just as much from a student as they do from me.  Students keep you on your toes in terms of creativity and explaining why you are doing certain treatments.  I never feel having a student is a nuisance, but more of a partner and that we learn from each other.  We treat our students just like employees.  They get to attend all the in-services, staff meetings, parties, etc. and also accept some of the responsibilities of patient care.  It truly makes them feel part of the team."

Student Rates RehabCare Site Most Educational Affiliation

RehabCare's Rehabilitation Hospital-Permian Basin in Midland, Texas receives an outstanding affiliation survey from a PT student at Angelo State University. Congratulations to Brian Kwiatkowski (Director of Clinical Services), Cecilia Ochoa (Clinical Instructor) and the Rehab Team for providing this PT Student with an outstanding Clinical Education experience.  When asking the student about her clinical site, she provided the following comments:

"This Clinical Affiliation has been my most educational affiliation I have worked in.  Everyone was super helpful and easy to approach, especially my CI."

Also asking the student if she would recommend this facility to future therapy students she stated:

"Definitely.... This clinical experience had a variety of patients. Everyone is positive and nice which makes for a great work environment."

Congratulations to the Permian Basin team for providing another great experience.  Our RehabCare Facilities and the Campus Relations Team strive to provide a positive and educational experience to each and every student that comes to one of our facilities.  Surveys such as these enable us to see areas our facilities excel in and the areas for opportunity.  We continue to work to improve our programs to provide the best clinical education possible. Are you thinking about a RehabCare facility for your next Affiliation?  Contact your Campus Relations Manager for available sites in your area. 

Student Gives RehabCare An Excellent Review

Our most recent Clinical Affiliation Survey from a Houston Community College PTA Student rates RehabCare's Seven Acres Facility in Houston Texas an Excellent.  Congratulations to Pat Stauffer (Program Director), Michele Dyogi (Clinical Instructor) and the Seven Acres Rehab Team for providing this PTA Student with an outstanding Clinical Education experience.  When asking the student about her clinical site, she provided the following comments:

"Well organized, professional staff.  The team at Seven Acres provided an opportunity for me to continue to grow and learn in a demanding field.  Everyone worked together to adhere the number one goal of patient care and rehab."

Also asking the student if she would recommend this facility to future therapy students she stated:

"Yes.... The atmosphere was pleasant due to the fact of proficiency of the clinic. Well organized, the Perfect Staff."

RehabCare and the Campus Relations Team strive to provide a positive and educational experience to each and every student that comes to one of our facilities.  Through surveys such as this one we can see the areas our facilities excel in and the areas for opportunity.  We continue to work to improve our programs to provide the best clinical education possible.  Congratulations to the Seven Acres team for providing another great experience.