Toni Talks about PT Today : Education

Return to Manual Therapy... Not

Toni Patt — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:33:00 GMT

This week a patient was referred to therapy because of neck pain. I quickly determined she had a mechanical derangement of her cervical spine. Something was locked in the upper cervical region that prevented her from rotating. Her complaints were inability...(read more)

Old School and New School

Toni Patt — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:19:00 GMT

No matter where I am, I hear the old school/new school discussion. In simplest terms, it's a comparison of how we did something years ago compared with how we do it now. In more unkind terms, it can become a condemnation of those who went to school back...(read more)

Finally Something I Enjoy

Toni Patt — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:31:00 GMT

Anyone who reads my blog with regularity knows the last year has been a struggle for me. I lost my beloved job. I was fired for being ethical. I encountered more than my share of unethical and self-serving people. During all of that, I hung on and kept...(read more)

Continuing Education Should Be Evidence-Based

Toni Patt — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:53:00 GMT

I'm a peer reviewer for the Texas continuing education program. I review submissions for neuro, geriatric, acute and general so I get to see a lot what is being proposed for continuing education. Texas has a specific form that must be completed for each...(read more)

What Do I Include in CEUs?

Toni Patt — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:22:00 GMT

Recently I took on another challenge, writing a CEU module. When I agreed to do it, I thought no problem. This is what I teach. I already have an outline and references. I can just fill in the words. After I started writing, I realized something. When...(read more)

Maybe it's a Question of Time

Toni Patt — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:08:00 GMT

Last week I questioned what the definition of skilled therapy was . I had worked with several patients the previous weekend whose only deficit was the need for supervision. I've realized I wasn't clear in describing those patients. All of them had been...(read more)

What Is the Definition of Skilled Therapy?

Toni Patt — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:28:00 GMT

I've been noticing a disturbing trend lately. More and more facilities are considering the need for supervision as a need for skilled therapy. Back in the day, patients referred to SNFs and outpatient had an obvious need. They had trouble walking. They...(read more)

It's Legal but Is It Ethical?

Toni Patt — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:58:00 GMT

Someone was fired last week. The rumor is going around that she was fired because she didn't smile. I don't know if that's true or not but in Texas it is legal. Here an employer can fire an employee for any reason, even if they make it up. Nor do they...(read more)

Patient Empowerment

Toni Patt — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:46:00 GMT

One of the presentations I attended at CSM discussed ways to increase motor learning by empowering the patient. They gave an example where one group of patients was asked to help decide which picture to hand in the waiting room prior to assessment. The...(read more)

Time and Money

Toni Patt — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:55:00 GMT

Now that I'm home from CSM, I've had an opportunity to process all of the information. Most of the presentations were excellent. Those that weren't purely theoretical had a common theme. We have to maximize what we do because we're spending less and less...(read more)

Ready for CSM

Toni Patt — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:02:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Just like my fellow ADVANCE blogger Lauren , I'll be attending the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in San Diego. CSM happens this week so I'm already in my hotel. I've registered and picked up my materials. I attended my pre-conference workshop...(read more)

Learning from My Mistake

Toni Patt — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:52:00 GMT

Because I ride horses competitively, I spend many hours taking lessons. Just like my patients, I'm trying to learn and master motor skills. Sometimes I get it right, sometimes not. This morning it hit me how similar my learning experiences are to those...(read more)

Physical Therapy and the News

Toni Patt — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:42:00 GMT

I don't know about anyone else but I can't read medical news with an unbiased outlook. A few days ago "Yahoo!" posted an article about a man who'd awakened from a month-long coma. The first thought that entered my mind was concern about why he wasn't...(read more)

I Tried to Volunteer

Toni Patt — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:54:00 GMT

As a member of the neurological section, I receive a monthly electronic newsletter. A few months ago, it included a request for volunteers to work on developing an acute stroke care course. Obviously that caught my attention. I completed the application...(read more)

My "Aha" Moment

Toni Patt — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 13:42:00 GMT

I just celebrated another birthday last week. My coworkers surprised me with a little party that included presents. The "big" present was a gift bag filled with bags of carrots. Yes, I was thrilled. It was exactly what I wanted. I also received horse-themed...(read more)