Toni Talks about PT Today : Gait Analysis & Balance

The Baby Cam is Not Skilled Therapy

Toni Patt — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:42:00 GMT

There has always been some conflict between therapy and nursing. Each complains about what the other does or doesn't do. Last week I saw something that floored me. I went into the nursing office looking for a chart. I didn't find the chart. I did find...(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)

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)

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)

A Disappointing Outcome

Toni Patt — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:15:00 GMT

When I started my current job, I was given a request. Help Jenny (not her real name) walk again. Jenny had a devastating stroke four months prior to that and was just beginning to wake up. At first they didn't think she'd live. Then they didn't think...(read more)

Secret Santa Drama

Toni Patt — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:20:00 GMT

I don't know about anyone else but I can't wait for Christmas to come and go. Things need to get back to normal, or what passes for normal. I'm not a holiday person. I don't go out of my way to celebrate them. Holidays are actually my favorite days to...(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)

What Is a Physical Therapist Extender?

Toni Patt — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:47:00 GMT

Reading Jason Marketti's blog last week reminded me of a discussion we're having here in Texas. It's called RC-3 and is an amendment to the Texas Physical Therapy Practice Act. It proposes unlicensed individuals such as athletic trainers and massage therapists...(read more)

Biting Off More Than I Can Chew

Toni Patt — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:17:00 GMT

Last week, I wrote about my experiences teaching my first CEU course. I mentioned how much work it was but didn't go into details. It took me nearly four months to finish, including two months of working at least an hour or two every night. Now I'm going...(read more)

My First Attempt at Teaching

Toni Patt — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 21:49:00 GMT

Last week I tried something completely different. I taught CEU courses. Naturally the topic was stroke care. Previously I've done presentations of an hour or two. Once I did a four-hour presentation on gait and hemiparetic gait. In every case, I've had...(read more)