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ADVANCE for Physical Therapists and PT Assistants is thrilled to welcome you to PT Talk: Blog and Forum Community from ADVANCE! Our blog community offers interactive blogs written by PT professionals and our editorial staff. We look forward to hearing more about the rehabilitation field from your point of view. Blogs will discuss issues related to the field, current events and other fun & candid observations. We have provided a comment section so you can voice your opinions and submit feedback. Happy blogging!
LATEST POSTS FROM EACH BLOG
May 14, 2008 9:21 AM by Toni Patt of Toni Talks about PT Today

The old ladies of therapy have been talking again. This time we were discussing a trend we've noticed. We're concerned because what we've seen doesn't bode well for the future of our profession.  None of us are excited with the new graduates we've been coming across. They don't impress us. They don't have the same commitment to the profession as those of our generation.  They lack skills. Each of us old ladies ...

 

Last week my oldest daughter looked at our dining table centerpiece and asked, "Mom, if you went in someone's home and they had this much dust, what would you say?"  I told her if I knew they'd had a month like we just had, I'd give them a pass.  Long story short, our May is devoted to spring cleaning...amazingly my 12-year-old is actually looking forward to it! 

I remember the day spring cleaning ...


 
May 13, 2008 9:06 AM by Jason Marketti of P.T.A. Blog Talk

I received my jury duty notice in the mail a while ago. 

After sitting in a crowded room for what seemed like days several of us potential jurors were sent to a courtroom. After painfully long instructions we were asked several questions about our families, children and whether we could be fair jurors in this case. 

I answered all the questions truthfully and became juror number two.  ...


 

The APTA recently posted a video titled "You Can Be Me" on their Web page at www.beapt.org. PT and PTA ...


 

How can you get the most out of your date? What can you do that will supercharge yourself or your relationship with your spouse, child or friend?

This month is all about atmosphere! In April my husband and I enjoyed a weekend-long date with our two oldest children. Hannah and Lauren participated in the State Bowling Tournament in Charleston. In between the nine games they bowled, we took in the sights, sounds, ...


 
May 7, 2008 8:46 AM by Toni Patt of Toni Talks about PT Today

Last weekend I was reminded of why I hate visiting hours. I went to treat a patient who had family in her room.  Usually I let the patient decide if the family can stay. This time the family decided for the patient. Not only did they decide to stay they interfered with what I was trying to do. The patient was an elderly woman with multiple medical problems. This wasn't her first hospitalization. She was admitted ...

1 comments  
May 5, 2008 10:06 AM by Jason Marketti of P.T.A. Blog Talk

Working in therapy for the last 12 years has allowed me to know what equipment is the most useful as well as equipment that has less value in treating patients in a nursing facility. Although it is not an all inclusive list, this should cover all the equipment one needs to provide care to a variety of patients with the best treatment options. 

  1. Theraband. Red and yellow has served me well ...

2 comments  
May 5, 2008 10:02 AM by carole lewis of GREAT PT Lecturers

I always have felt that continuing to learn is one of the most important things anyone can do, but I find in the area of physical therapy and geriatrics, it is essential. I had just finished in the clinic and went off to George Washington University to give the graduating DPT class my final lecture. One portion of the lecture defined an expert from a novice. It came from an article titled "The expert versus the novice ...

 
April 29, 2008 8:37 AM by Toni Patt of Toni Talks about PT Today

I work as a contract therapist. Using me is expensive. In Houston the rates for contract services keep going up. I think there have been two rate hikes in the last 6 months. Facilities use us to fill vacant positions until someone can be hired.  Many facilities around here have openings but can't fill them. Everywhere I go I hear how difficult it is to fill the positions. At the same time I hear how many facilities ...

 
April 29, 2008 8:27 AM by Jason Marketti of P.T.A. Blog Talk

Last year I worked three jobs. So far this year it has been only two, but I am working on my third and it is only the beginning of the year. Some may ask why I would want that many jobs in one year and why I would want to "job jump."

Let me explain. Last year I quit one job and took another so I could be closer to home with my family. I also worked per diem for another company, hence, three jobs last year. ...


 
April 28, 2008 8:35 AM by Toni Patt of Toni Talks about PT Today

My online class is wrapping up this week. I can't say I'm unhappy about that. The class was a big disappointment to me. This was a graduate level class. I paid regular college tuition to be in it. I spent over one hundred dollars on books.  I don't think I got my money's worth. I think for what I paid, I should have gotten a lot more class. I spent half of the semester trying to figure out what I was supposed to ...

 
April 23, 2008 12:37 PM by Jason Marketti of P.T.A. Blog Talk

My patients often inspire me to continue in my career as a PTA.  Many times I have contemplated quitting, retiring, vanishing from the "therapy scene", only to reappear, rejuvenated by one or more of the patients I have seen.

One patient in particular, Mr. R appeared depressed, he was alone, and debilitated.  He would thank each one of us for our efforts and would often wheel himself to and from ...


1 comments  
April 22, 2008 8:08 AM by JANEY GOUDE of The Busy PTs Guide to Finding Balance

"When you catch yourself becoming irritated or disturbed at circumstances, stop and laugh at the little things that steal your peace." - Debi Pearl

Driving down the road last week, I caught myself being entertained by other drivers.  Granted, I wasn't in a hurry and I wasn't in traffic.  I smiled remembering the times I'd caught people picking their nose or singing.  Then I wondered ...


1 comments  

I recently got a chance to try something that the rehab community has been buzzing about in some circles: therapy according to gaming.

OK, it wasn't a situation where I needed rehab, I admit. I was just hanging out with friends-one of whom has his entire living room-big-screen TV, speakers, the whole works-dedicated to what you could call an in-house "studio" solely for the purpose of, well, rocking out.

For ...


 
April 15, 2008 1:59 PM by Toni Patt of Toni Talks about PT Today

My cat died last night. He was old. He lived a full kitty life. He died last night in my lap and I gently petted him. I could have taken him to the vet but all that would have happened is he would have been put to sleep. I couldn't do that to him. He died at home in familiar surroundings, not in a cold, unfamiliar vet clinic. As soon as I picked him up I felt him curl up and relax. It probably took less than 15 minutes.  ...

1 comments  
April 15, 2008 9:13 AM by JANEY GOUDE of The Busy PTs Guide to Finding Balance

I'm not a big news buff, but by now my husband would have clued me in on something this sensational.  Amazingly, he hadn't heard of it either.  I just read an article on the use of microchips in Alzheimer's patients.  Yes, I said IN.  The same technology that has been used in pets since the 1980's is now being used in humans.

I did a quick search to gather a bit more information.  Not surprisingly, ...


 
April 8, 2008 7:33 AM by Toni Patt of Toni Talks about PT Today

I'm back in the ICUs again. These aren't just any ICUs. They are in one of Houston's major hospitals, the place you want to be if anything bad happens to you. This is where I want to be. This is what I think of when I say ICU. These are among my favorite patients. They're critically ill and medically complex. And as soon as I read my first chart I started wondering if I belonged there.

Therapeutically I know what ...


 

Everybody has those days. With four kids, I probably have more than my share! This particular day, it had nothing to do with my kids. I went through a drive-thru for a milkshake. A seemingly simple feat, but I'll admit I'm not your run of the mill milkshake orderer. I'm high maintenance with my food, like Meg Ryan in "When Harry Met Sally." But I try to be reasonable. There are some things I can roll with, like the wrong ...

 
April 7, 2008 9:55 AM by Bianca Bass of GREAT PT Lecturers

Therapists in inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation facilities usually prescribe an assistive device for patients that have some gait and balance disturbances. Assistive devices such as canes, crutches, walkers, and hemi-walkers are definitely useful for some patients.

However, use of these assistive devices during the final aspects of the rehabilitation process can cause some difficulties. The goal of rehabilitation ...


2 comments  

This weekend, I passed a couple talking on the street outside Starbucks. A young man sweeping the street engaged them in conversation:

Sweeper:  Do you like music?

Man at table:  Yes.

S:  What kind?

MaT:  All kinds, but especially classical.

S:  Really?

MaT:  Yes.  I study classical ...


1 comments  
April 1, 2008 7:11 AM by Toni Patt of Toni Talks about PT Today

Last week in the electronic version of ADVANCE Deborah Cox, MSN, CRNP-F tackled the topic of identity loss and the elderly. She explained how entry into a long term care facility such as an SNF causes an individual to lose his or her identity. Instead, the patient becomes the admitting diagnosis. Ms. Cox further shows how the system contributes and promotes this loss that can bring on feelings of depression ...


 
March 31, 2008 9:27 AM by Dana Logan of GREAT PT Lecturers

I have been practicing orthopedic physical therapy for seven years, during which I have worked for a corporate company and a therapist owned private practice. The majority of the time was spent working in the therapist owned clinic. I was always very proud of the fact that I was closely involved with the growth and development of the practice and of the other therapist with whom I worked. I was very willing ...

5 comments  
March 26, 2008 2:55 PM by Toni Patt of Toni Talks about PT Today

Like most therapists, I'm a veteran of interdisciplinary turf battles. Usually the problem is PT and nursing going around over getting a patient out of bed. Sometimes it's about whether out of bed to chair is a PT or a nursing order. This time was a little different. The conflict arose over a VAC. I'm starting to really dislike those things.  Night shift had taken the VAC off over night because ...

1 comments  

I recently read an article on CNN that described how amputees are benefitting from an unusual painkiller: mirrors.

In the story, Army Sgt. Nick Paupore was traveling in a Humvee in Kirkuk City, Iraq, when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle. The blast ripped out part of Papore's leg (including an artery), and left him with less than two pints of blood. Eventually he was taken to Germany where his life was saved, ...


 
March 25, 2008 10:48 AM by JANEY GOUDE of The Busy PTs Guide to Finding Balance

I went for a PAP in October which came back abnormal.  I declined a retest.  I'd had abnormal PAPs before due to infections and knew a retest would be normal.  Besides, Christmas was coming and I had better places to invest $30 than my gynecologist's Christmas fund.  The nurse called back to tell me this abnormal result wasn't indicative of infection.  This finding required a different test, ...


 

ABOUT OUR BLOGS

The ADVANCE for Physical Therapists and PT Assistants editorial staff will discuss issues in the PT profession, current events in health care and offer their opinions and insights.

Toni will be talking about the PT world as she sees it with 20+ years of experience as well as a student new to the world of post-professional education. She welcomes comments and responses. Anything is fair game!

Carole Lewis and the faculty of GREAT Seminars have largely worked together for the past 20 years. They hope to share the latest and most effective techniques for diagnosing and treating in today's changing health care environment. Feedback is encouraged!

With a husband, four children and a dog, Janey Goude finds maintaining balance is as essential as it can be elusive. Join us as we share strategies that make life a better, balanced place.

With 12 years of PTA experience behind him, Jason Marketti is still learning and growing every day. He invites you to join him on his journey through the therapy profession and as a husband and father of three children.