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Toni Talks about PT Today

Discharge Planning is a Responsibility
by Toni Patt
For the better part of last week I was the bad guy. I made several decisions that weren't popular with both patients and physicians. That sounds strange on the surface. The decisions were made in the best interest of the patients. In one case I recommended Read More...
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Some Thoughts on Aging and PT
by Toni Patt
I started a new class this week about geriatrics and the process of aging. The opening chapter addresses the definition of aging and theories of why it occurs. It wasn't very exciting. I've read most of it before. The section on increasing life expectancy, Read More...
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We Must Be Professionals
by Toni Patt
I learned something interesting today. Only APTA members are bound by its Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics. No disciplinary action can be taken against a non-member for violation of either code. That made me sit back and think. Just about every conversation Read More...
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Questionable Discharge Decisions
by Toni Patt
During rounds today we ran into a problem. There is a patient with a right CVA, left hemiparesis and impaired cognition who is insisting on returning home at discharge. While that is an ideal discharge plan for most patients, it isn't realistic for her Read More...
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Informed Consent
by Toni Patt
While I was researching an assignment for my latest class, I ran across an article about informed consent and physical therapy. The article stated that in a patient centered environment, consent must be granted for any procedure or activity that is outside Read More...
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This Was a Learning Experience
by Toni Patt
Recently I had the opportunity to work with a different PTA on the rehab unit. She'd worked there off and on over the years and more recently has been filling in as needed. For some reason I hadn't met her previously. I'm sorry to say I wish I would have Read More...
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It’s Time to Read the Literature
by Toni Patt
Last week I had a unique assignment. I was to read an article, present it where I work and report back on the response. Specifically, I was to address whether anyone could follow my presentation and knew the statistics. It didn't surprise me when no one Read More...
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A CEU Course Got Me Thinking
by Toni Patt
Saturday I went to a CEU course on neuroanatomy. That isn't something that lends itself to a full day of lecture but I made it through. The last hour or so is a blur. My brain stopped processing before the class finished. The instructor included treatment Read More...
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The "Ah" Moment
by Toni Patt
This morning I had an "ah" moment. I was working with a dense hemiparectic patient. For the first half of therapy my tech and I were struggling to get him to sit without pushing. All of a sudden it was like a light bulb went off for him. He figured out Read More...
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Patients are Getting Sicker
by Toni Patt
I've noticed something over the last several months. The patients I've been treating are sicker and more involved than they were even two years ago. I'm not sure when this started or why. But it's been happening and gradually getting worse. The patients Read More...
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Computers Are a Part of PT
by Toni Patt
My computer was down for a few days. Three calls to the manufacturer later and I'm back up and running. Being computer-less was an eye-opening experience. It made me realize how much I've come to depend on mine. I had to stop and think about how to do Read More...
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What Are We Trying to Accomplish?
by Toni Patt
I've started working in an inpatient rehab unit this week. The case load is primarily neurologic or polytrauma patients. The unit is based in a large teaching hospital so the admitting diagnoses are always interesting and varied. I've been there a week Read More...
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My Horse Sprained His Ankle…
by Toni Patt
Last week one of my horses sprained his ankle. Even though most Arabians are graceful creatures, this one is a klutz. Like any good physical therapist, as soon as I heard sprained ankle my first question was whether or not it had been iced. The next question Read More...
478 views     2 comments »     
Caregiver Stress
by Toni Patt
Now that I've finished up this round of classes, I have time to catch up on everything else. I finally got to look at the most recent "Geri-Notes." It's the journal of the Geriatric Section of the APTA. In it was an article by William Staples, PT, DPT, Read More...
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Home Programs
by Toni Patt
Home exercise programs are a part of physical therapy. We give them out regularly in just about every setting. A lot of thought and effort goes into developing the best program for each patient. Now that frequency and duration of therapy is decreasing, Read More...
331 views     1 comments »     
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