Components of the Preferred Physical Therapist/Physical Therapist Assistant Relationship
There are diverse elements, which guide the mutual relationship between “Physical Therapists (PTs) and Physical Therapist Assistants (PTA’s)” (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011). The elements include trust, mutual respect, and appreciation for individual and conventional differences among others. The roles played by the PTA’s in this kind of association involve making proposals, providing responses, performing approved responsibilities, and ensuring open communication with the PT (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011).
The free and open communication enables the PTA’s to provide their responses and express their thoughts regarding clinical issues and challenges. The PT and PTA jointly adjust the communication between them to provide appropriate treatment to clients, work together, guarantee suitable care under management settings, and provide education to clients, relatives, caregivers, and other treatment providers (Skinner & McVey, 2011).
In the future, I plan to ensure that this kind of affiliation is applicable while working with PTA’s. The notable things that can be done include inviting the PTA’s to assist during initial examination services (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011). The PTA’s will help in collecting data about the clients. However, caution will be taken to ensure that the participation of the PTA’s does not violate legal, field of practice, and moral principles. It will also be appropriate to delegate some client intervention and management activities to the PTA’s. There will be continuous communication between the PT and PTA (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011).
The PTA will be assigned to gather data about the clients while they provide them with care management services. The PTA will be instructed to share the findings with the PT for – examination. The PT will review the new data on the impact of treatment on the client. The reviewed information will be used to improve the care management strategy. The PTA shall implement the new client intervention strategy (Skinner & McVey, 2011). However, the PT will supervise the implementation process.
Differences in the academic preparation of physical therapists versus that of physical therapist assistants provide the rationale for why these differences exist
The training PTs obtain enables them to undertake “examination, evaluation, diagnosis, injury treatment, mobility difficulties, and disabilities” among others in clients (Skinner & McVey, 2011). Conversely, the training offered to the PTA’s enables them to provide care, support, and physical handling of clients under a management strategy developed by the PT. In other instances, the PTA’s may develop clients’ care management strategies under the direction of the PTs (Skinner & McVey, 2011). This is notable because some physical injuries may not be very serious and experienced PTA’s can handle clients with such wounds. This is more common under direct personal supervision where the PTA’s may develop and implement a client intervention plan of action under the control of the PTs (Skinner & McVey, 2011).
The academic training of PTs is a degree program leading to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). However, some PTs can obtain a bachelor’s degree. The World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT) proposes that the entry-level training for PTs should start at the university for not less than four years (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011). An autonomous body must corroborate and certify whether the training provided to the graduates meets the legal and professional recognition.
Conversely, the PTA’s instructive training results in a two-year certification upon completion of studies (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011). The PTA’s obtain an associate of science. It is notable that some institutions also offer associate of applied science degrees to the PTA’s (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011). The PTA’s training is supervised and certified by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011)
The educational training for PTs also provides trainees with understanding, skills, and characteristics as portrayed in the guidelines. The training provides PTs with skills that enable them to gain independence and abilities to practice in partnership with other healthcare professionals (Skinner & McVey, 2011). On the other hand, PTs can employ the PTA’s. The PTA’s lacks the autonomy to engage in private practice.
The training curriculum utilized in educating PTs offers content and knowledge experiences in other core areas such as clinical sciences. The PT’s curriculum also enables them to gain skills for “screening, examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, plan of care, intervention, provision of culturally sensitive and competent services as well as prevention, well being promotion, and wellness” among others (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011).
The curricula used for training the PTA’s has learning areas such as anatomy and exercise physiology, human biology, clinical pathology, behavioral sciences, and communication among others. This means that PTA’s training is not as advanced as that of the PTs. It is for this reason that the PTA’s lack the skills and knowledge to perform the treatment and intervention tasks accomplished by the PTs.
Rationale for the Educational Preparation between PT’s and PTA’s
The rationale for the differences in the educational preparation of PTs and PTA’s entail the need to create a hierarchy in the profession. The PTs or DPT’s have advanced training so that they can become the best professionals in the field with the capacity to offer interventions competently. Conversely, the PTs receive the training to enable them to assist in the profession (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011). The services provided by the PTs are advanced including “examination, evaluation, diagnosis, and developing intervention plans” (Bandy & Sanders, 2008).
The PTA’s particularly provide support to the PTs within the professional practice. After the PTs diagnose and develop a plan of action to be used in clients’ intervention, the PTA’s shall provide care services but with the supervision of PTs (Bandy & Sanders, 2008). Furthermore, the PTs play a significant role in the expansion of the profession through investigation, teaching, and private practice. The training offered to them enables them to develop skills for research and teaching.
Differentiate between the 3 levels of supervision that have been delineated according to the APTA and indicate which one is required in NJ for physical therapist assistants
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) proposes diverse supervisions levels. Firstly, general supervision entails the anticipation that the physical therapist must not be available at the care facility but should be accessible through telecommunications (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011). Secondly, direct supervision is the expectation that the physical therapist shall be present at the facility and shall be accessible for immediate provision of the way forward and assistance (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011). Therefore, the clients shall interact directly with the professional on a 24-hour basis. Direct supervision does not require that physical therapists utilize telecommunications.
Lastly, direct personal supervision entails the requirement that the physical therapist is present at the therapy facility and instantly accessible to map the direction and supervise activities that are linked to client management (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011). The provision of direction and overseeing client management activities are required to continue without stopping until the process is completed. In some cases, where legally acceptable, the physical therapist assistants may undertake these procedures (Skinner & McVey, 2011).
The New Jersey Act proposes that PTA’s can offer direct personal supervision. However, this should take place with certain restrictions. The physical therapist must be available when the PTA is offering personal supervision and care management. New Jersey provided this directive although Medicare proposes general supervision (Dreeben-Irimia, 2011). The state’s practice act also proposes that direct supervision should apply instead of general supervision. Consequently, both the physical therapist and the assistant must conform to this prerequisite.
References
Bandy, W. D., & Sanders, B. (2008). Therapeutic exercise for physical therapist assistants. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Dreeben-Irimia, O. (2011). Introduction to physical therapy for physical therapist assistants. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Skinner, S. B., & McVey, C. (2011). Clinical decision making for the physical therapist assistant. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.