Life of a PTA : Education, Ethics & Legal Issues

State Board Anxiety -- Revisited

Allison Young — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 19:20:00 GMT

I recently received quite a few heartfelt responses to a blog I wrote last year on the subject of the dreaded PTA "state board licensure exam." I feel your pain, people. I vividly remember the pre/post anxiety and panic of preparing and actually taking...(read more)

Sensitivity Training

Allison Young — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:48:00 GMT

One day last week as I was preparing to spend my coveted "lunch break" outdoors under the elusive Northwest sun, I came across one of my regular patients sitting alone in the hallway. I have grown to really enjoy working with this particular person because...(read more)

Creating a Fall Risk?

Allison Young — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 11:51:00 GMT

Working in a skilled nursing setting definitely has its benefits and drawbacks, as I am constantly discovering. There is a huge advantage to working with the same patient every day of the week. Watching him make gains and meet goals, sometimes daily,...(read more)

A Difficult Encounter

Allison Young — Fri, 25 May 2012 17:49:00 GMT

As a relatively new physical therapist assistant, I accept that I have a monumental amount of knowledge to learn. Trust me; I'm humbled every day by the vast amount of experience I'm gaining and the gap in what I have yet to master. This week alone, I've...(read more)

Sitting on My Hands

Allison Young — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:37:00 GMT

As I recently blogged , I've been clinical instructor to a first-rotation PTA student. I share the duty with my colleague, who happened to graduate with me from the same PTA program our student is now attending. To say she is in sympathetic company is...(read more)

PTA: A Year in Review

Allison Young — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:57:00 GMT

My "official" one-year anniversary of being a working PTA came and went very quietly a few weeks ago. I was under the impression I would feel suddenly "experienced" and maybe given an "‘Atta girl!" from the rehab director. No on both counts. Yet, I forgot...(read more)

A Working Schedule

Allison Young — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:56:00 GMT

As of the beginning of April, I reduced my work week from ﬁve to four days a week. Initially, I felt guilty that I couldn't "hack" a full-time schedule and then I realized I was being far too hard on myself. My usual work day starts around 8:30 in the...(read more)

Team Player

Allison Young — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:36:00 GMT

I vividly remember writing a blog nearly a year ago about the importance of being a member of the "Skilled Nursing Team" when it comes to patient care in a large facility. If I remember correctly, I was in awe of the seamless interdisciplinary networks,...(read more)

When Injury Strikes

Allison Young — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:43:00 GMT

At some point last week, I decided I should reduce the amount of caffeine I consume. So I prepared to "wean" myself off of my three- (okay, four-) cups-of-coffee-a-day habit by making a single half decaf/half caffeinated cup of coffee on a Monday morning....(read more)

Worst-Case Scenario

Allison Young — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 21:11:00 GMT

The fragility of the patient population in the skilled nursing setting where I work has never been lost on me. Some of the best advice I was given early on was to never forget that the patient I'm working with on any given day, could essentially die at...(read more)

Who's in Control Here?

Allison Young — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 22:42:00 GMT

Much has been discussed regarding motivating patients to participate in therapy. I've wrote more than one blog on this topic alone. However, I'm finding there are always more complex patients who I have to "convince" of the benefits of therapy each day....(read more)

Déjà Vu? Observing the SPTA

Allison Young — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:55:00 GMT

Over the past few weeks, we've had a student PTA join our rehab team for her last clinical affiliation. When I first found out our SNF therapy department was hosting a PTA student for five weeks, I was excited for her. She would be in sympathetic company,...(read more)

A Difference of Opinion

Allison Young — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:17:00 GMT

As I'm discovering, a good therapy team can be the catalyst for a patient's recovery. In a successful group dynamic, therapists will feel comfortable asking different colleagues for advice regarding a patient's plan of care and when appropriate, offer...(read more)

Life Versus a Five-Day Work Week

Allison Young — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:50:00 GMT

It has been 10months since I began my first position as a PTA at a skilled nursing facility. As I've documented through this blog, there has definitely been a learning curve throughout my time there. I've had incredible lows (crying in frustration in...(read more)

The Search for CEUs

Allison Young — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:47:00 GMT

We all have that "Priority List" that includes the daily necessities, from "feed and clothe the kids" (#1) to alphabetize the DVD collection (#289). As I close into completing my first year as a PTA, I've found that the required 40 hours of continuing...(read more)