Physical Therapist in Transition : Ethics & Legal Issues

Good Timing

Karen Schiff — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:12:00 GMT

A short break between semesters has proven to come at the best time for me. Today brings with it a major change in my facility, where one department is becoming two. Employees have been preparing for months for this change, with hopes that everything...(read more)

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Karen Schiff — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:21:00 GMT

Registration for the final two courses has taken place. Mental, physical and emotional preparation is next on my agenda. Although I have a pretty good idea about what my case report will be, I often question myself and my ability to develop a doctoral-level...(read more)

Organized Chaos

Karen Schiff — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:39:00 GMT

As we move toward the formation of a major rehabilitation provider in the region, meetings, conference calls and webinars fill my schedule. My new role is quickly becoming a challenge, in that therapists are being designated as working for the adult hospital,...(read more)

Graduation Day

Karen Schiff — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:54:00 GMT

A big year is in the making. I've successfully completed training to become a Guardian Ad Litem. The next step is to wait for a case to be assigned to me. Quite often, friends and family question me about how I'll manage the guardianship of a minor or...(read more)

Adding to my Plate

Karen Schiff — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:58:00 GMT

Literature reviews, reading case reports, contemplating how to approach this case study, gathering sources for a case report. A hectic week has kept me on my toes, as I work in an extremely busy outpatient department and juggle my school responsibilities,...(read more)

Confusion Revisited

Karen Schiff — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:34:00 GMT

The first week at a different rehabilitation center has proven to catch me off guard, by giving me much to think about while I attempt to absorb the complexity of the entire situation. As the first manager of a busy rehabilitation center, I'm attempting...(read more)

A New Beginning

Karen Schiff — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:57:00 GMT

Day in and day out, more than a few patients have taken a life-threatening event and turned it into a life-changing experience. Many have admitted there is some reason that they're still alive and have taken the opportunity to experience what they were...(read more)

Lessons Unexpected

Karen Schiff — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:25:00 GMT

Completing the fall semester early led me to believe that my first week would be relaxed and quiet. Unfortunately, this was not the case. As the senior physical therapist in a busy outpatient department, I'm expected to mentor, counsel and discipline...(read more)

Fall Semester Done

Karen Schiff — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 19:12:00 GMT

After much sweat and tears this past semester, I've finally managed to finish my three online classes for my DPT with a month to spare. It was perhaps the most challenging semester so far, with a class titled "Direct Access." Having worked 20-plus years...(read more)

Staying Profitable and Productive

Karen Schiff — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:28:00 GMT

One thing is true in the field of rehabilitation: Change is constant. This has never been more true than at the present time. Within the past year, there have been staffing shortages followed by staffing surplus; needed equipment, but not enough room;...(read more)

Counting Down with Chaos

Karen Schiff — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:22:00 GMT

As these past few weeks roll by, I manage to organize the rest of my assignments for my third class this semester. Having finished two out of the three classes already, I've become a bit of a procrastinator with my studies and haven't utilized my "down-time"...(read more)

PT Advocacy

Karen Schiff — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 17:19:00 GMT

As a therapist and candidate for a doctorate in physical therapy, I have several opportunities to speak up and make a statement for the patients we treat on a daily basis. Over the past year and a half, I've learned it is in our scope of practice to make...(read more)

Direct Access

Karen Schiff — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 21:32:00 GMT

This third and final class of the semester, "Direct Access," has taken more time than I expected, as I realize there are more than 20 articles I need to read and take quizzes on, as well as listen to the lectures that coincide. This is proving to be one...(read more)

Team Building

Karen Schiff — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 17:43:00 GMT

It has been a very busy week preparing, as best we could, for the changes we're currently experiencing. Working in a hospital-based, outpatient rehabilitation center, there had never been a dollar restriction on the visits allowed through straight Medicare....(read more)

Modified Charges

Karen Schiff — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:35:00 GMT

October 1 is just around the corner from now, and with it will bring changes to the allowances of physical therapy services for our Medicare population (along with occupational and speech therapy). I'd like to think that as a healthcare professional,...(read more)