Physical Therapist Assistant Essay Example for Free

Physical Therapist Assistant Essay In my experience as Physical Therapist Assistant, I have come to learn that physical therapy is a profession in health care division which deals with the restoration and maintenance of the movements and function of individuals who were disabled by aging, injury, diseases, or accidents. This profession involves constant interaction between physical therapist to patients/clients, doctors, families of patients, caregivers, and even communities. Physical Therapists ( PT) and Physical Therapist Assistants ( PTA) are required to study the history of their patients, results of the physical examinations of the patients performed by medical professionals, results of laboratory examinations and imaging studies of the patients, before the therapist can establish a management plan for the patient. We can practice in different settings such as outpatient clinics and offices, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, extended care facilities, private homes, education and research centers, schools, hospices, industrial workplaces, fitness centers and sport training facilities. We can also be assigned to different specialized section of the hospital we are working in, such as: cardiopulmonary where we handle patients with cardiopulmonary disorders or those who have undergone cardiac or pulmonary surgeries; geriatric or adult patients whose movements are affected by arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, Alzheimer diseases, hip and joint replacement, and balance disorders; neurological department where patients are afflicted with Alzheimer’s diseases, ALS, brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s diseases, spinal cord injury and stroke; orthopedic department whose patients have problems with their musculoskeletal system; We are also trained in treatment and management of infants, children and adolescents with congenital diseases, developmental, neuromuscular, skeletal and acquired disorders; while in pediatric department; and patients with wounds and burns in the intergumentary department. The educational requirements of Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistant have not much difference in the subjects we have taken. Both PT s and PTAs are required to take General Biology, Psychology, Pharmacology, Patho-physiology, Medical Technology, and Human Electives. However, Physical Therapists have additional subjects such as Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology. I have also observed that this profession is more suitable to men than women. This is due to the fact that this profession calls for a lot of physical exertions such as carrying and assisting temporary invalid patients. It is also advisable to anyone who wants to enter this profession to be physically, mentally, and emotionally strong. Physically, in the sense that since we will be dealing patients whose movements are not well-coordinated due to their injuries or incapacities, they will be a lot heavier the ordinary people. We also have to be mentally and emotionally strong, as to be able to possess patience and perseverance in understanding the attitudes of the patients for they may prove difficult to handle due to their incapacities. Due to the differences in their curriculum and educational background, there are also differences in the job description between a physical therapist and a physical therapist assistant. Although they have to acquire licensure after graduation, the degree of the PT is in doctorate level while the PTA is that of an associate degree. In work area, they are both tasked with the assessment of patients, implementing the treatment of the patient, keeping and monitoring their patients’ records, communicating with patients as to the condition of their patients, and also communicating with other PT and selected healthcare professionals. However, the PT has more additional duties and obligations than the PTA. This includes the task of determining the plan care of the patient, the analysis of the evaluation and assessment results from physicians of the patients, establishing treatment goals for the patient, and managing various patient problems. The PT can assign the right tasks to the PTA and PT technicians while the PT can assign tasks to PT technicians only. Licensed PT and PTA are required to be a member of an association of physical therapist assistants such as the APTA or the American Physical Therapy Association. This association was first formed in 1921 and was called the American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association. In the later part of 1930, this name was changed to American Physiotherapy Association and begun accepting male members. During World War II, the members of this association rose from 1,000 to 8,000 members due to greater demands for therapists. By 1940’s, it established its main office in New York, hired full-time staff, established a House of Delegates to create policies to be followed by its members, and changed its name to American Physical Therapy Association. From then on, the number of its members has swelled to more than 75,000 all over the United States. The main goal of APTA is to promote development and progress in physical therapy practice, research, and education. And assist its members in their problems regarding their work and profession. The mission of APTA is to improve the position in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the movement dysfunctions of patients. Aside from this, APTA also aimed to develop the functional abilities and health of the public. I have the privilege to interview a licensed physical therapist assistant and here are the excerpts: †¢ Why did you choose PT over other professions? I chose PT over some other profession for personal growth. You see ever since I was a child, I am very much fascinated by human anatomy. And because of this, I cannot afford to just sit back and see people suffer with their limited movements due to diseases and accidents. I then decided to take this course and profession to help people survive and rebuild their lives after their traumatic experience. Also PT has wider scope in theoretical and practical learning in school, and I want to see these principles and concepts being applied in the healthcare settings. †¢ What are the challenges involved in your profession? I find the way the interaction between the patients and me goes a big challenge. People are different. They have different attitudes, needs and wants, outlook, and so on. As such, it is very hard to interact with numerous patients everyday because the way you interact with one is not necessarily the way you would interact with the others. I mean, one patient would want to be pampered and spoiled while another would not want to be treated as if he or she was an invalid. Another challenge for me is how to motivate my patients for them to follow my instructions and the treatment plan I have propose to them. For a lot of people, the loss of functionality of one facility or skill could be very difficult to accept. Most of them would lose hope and sulk. This is, why as PT, I have to make him or her understand that we could still revive it, that we could still bring back that functionality or skill and that life can pretty much go back to normal. †¢ What advise do you give to those who aspire to become a PT like you? Well, for those who want to take up this profession, I advise them to be sure if this is really want they want in life; if they have compassion to other people specially those who are disabled. You see, this profession takes a lot of hard work†¦ physically, mentally and emotionally. One has to be patient enough in dealing with their patients, for cases handled by physical therapists require perseverance, hard work, and a lot of understanding. One must have flexible time in order to be able to attend to the needs and treatments of the patient. One must have the stamina in handling and assisting temporary disabled patients for they sure need a lot of help in their movements. One must also have the compassion to make the patient comfortable as much as possible, for mostly patients in this department are in a lot of pain with each movement they made. †¢ Is there anything you do to improve in your work? Oh yes, I do. As a matter of fact, I always update myself on any development with regards to the new treatment program being discovered by researcher in this department. I also attend seminars and study program abroad about the latest trend in giving therapy. I also keep myself well informed about the latest drug developed for patients in this area. †¢ How do you keep yourself fit and healthy in this kind of profession? As it is taxing and strenuous in this field of work, I take large doses of Vitamin C to strengthen my immune system, and multivitamins to give me this energy needed in assisting patients and treating their dysfunctions. And a lot of sleep, and most of all, clean living – meaning no smoking and drinking excess liquor, to maintain the balance needed. Works Cited â€Å"About APTA. † APTA. 2009. 09 February 2009 http://www. apta. com. â€Å"About the Profession: Physical Therapist Assistant. † Midlands Technical College. 2009. 09 February 2009 http://www. mtc. com â€Å"APTA History. † APTA. 2009. 09 February 2009. http://www. apta. com â€Å"Physical Therapy. † Wikipedia. 2009. 09 February 2009. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Physical therapy.

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Investigating the effect of caffeine concentration on the heart rate of Daphnia Introduction Daphnia, commonly known as water fleas, are tiny crustaceans which live in water. The diameter of adult female bodies is approximately 3-5 mm. The upper skeleton is transparent, making the internal organs visible. This allows the heart rate of the Daphnia to be calculated by observing them under a microscope. Background Caffeine occurs naturally in some plants such as coffee beans and tea leaves. Caffeine is also added to other beverages. Beverage containing caffeine (100ml) Amount of caffeine (mg) Caffeine per 1ml of beverage Coffee 55 0.55mg Tea 35 0.35mg Coca Cola 15 0.15mg Caffeine is medically known as trimethylzanthine. Caffeine acts as a cardiac stimulant which means that it increases heart rate. Adenosine is a natural chemical found in the body which binds to respective adenosine receptors in the sinoatrial node and slows down the activity of the nerve cells. Caffeine also binds to these receptors which results in the activity of these nerve cells to increase. Caffeine consumption also causes the adrenaline hormone to be released into the body, further increasing the speed of bodily functions. Caffeine also constricts blood vessels which is why some headache medicine and painkillers contain sources of caffeine. 2 cups of strong coffee has been shown to increase heart rate in humans by about 15 beats per minute. Hypothesis As the caffeine concentration increases, so does the heart rate of the daphnia. Prediction The prediction for this experiment is that the higher the concentration of the caffeine, the higher the heart rate in beats per minute. This is because caffeine acts as a stimulant, causing the adrenaline hormone b... ...d by the lamp being on cannot be easily controlled and could be a factor for the increasing heart rate. The heart rate may also increase as a result of the efforts of the Daphnia in escaping from the cavity slide due to limited water supply. Conclusion The results of the experiment indicate that the initial hypothesis was acceptable as the higher the caffeine concentration, the higher the heart rate of the Daphnia. The results do not show this link in all cases; this could be down to temperature rise because of the heat produced by the microscope lamp, leading to the heart rate of the Daphnia increasing. This could explain the results for the 0.2% caffeine concentration. To improve the accuracy of the results, the same person should conduct all of the experiments as different people may count the heart rate at different speeds, leading to variation in the results.

Measuring the Energy Value in Food Essay

Aim : To measure the energy value in different types of food, which are macaroni, bread, spaghetti, rice and French fries Hypothesis : The energy levels in different food will vary, because of the different components such as carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, etc. However, for this experiment, I will use foods that contain one common ingredient, which is carbohydrate. Usually, food with the most carbohydrate will give the most amount of energy, since that is undetermined in this experiment; I assume that the food with the highest energy level is the one with the most types of ingredient. Variables : – Independent Variable o Types of food – Dependent Variable o Temperature change of the water above the burning food – Controlled Variable o Mass of food o Angle of incident o Distance from burning food to the test tube o Mass of water Apparatus : – Test Tube – Bunsen Burner – 5 Types of food (French fries, macaroni, spaghetti, rice, bread) – Wooden Clamp – Metal Spoon – Retort Stand – Thermometer – Measuring Cylinder – Distilled Water – Digital Balance Methods : 1. Measure 10ml of water using a measuring cylinder and put it in a test tube. 2. Clamp the test tube on the retort stand for 45o and measure the temperature of the water in the test tube, note it down. 3. Weigh the food sample for 1 gram and record it down. 4. Place the food on a metal spoon and light it on fire using a Bunsen burner. 5. When the food starts burning, place it 1 cm below the test tube, if it goes off, light it as soon as possible. 6. When the food stops burning, measure the temperature of the water in the test tube and note it down. 7. Repeat the experiment for 2 more times for each food sample. Recording Raw Data : Table of Initial and Final Temperature of Water for Each Food Sample Food Sample Initial Temperature (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1oC Final Temperature (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ oC Spaghetti 24 – Macaroni 25 – Rice 24 – Bread 24 – Processing Raw Data and Presenting Processed Data : Table of Temperature Change of Water for Each Food Sample Food Sample Initial Temperature (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1oC Final Temperature (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1oC Temperature Change (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1oC Spaghetti 24 – – Macaroni 25 – – Rice 24 – – Bread 24 – – Table of Energy Values in Food Food Sample Temperature Change (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1oC Mass (g) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.01g Spaghetti – 1 No solution Macaroni – 1 No solution Rice – 1 No solution Bread – 1 No solution Conclusion : For this experiment, it turned out that the food sample was not able to catch on fire, causing flame available to increase the water temperature in the test tube. For one or two samples, the food was caught on fire, but it did not last long. All in all, this experiment could be claimed as a failure. Evaluating Procedure(s) : When doing this experiment, there seems to be no problem with the procedures. However, when trying to get the food on fire, the food was not able to burn without being above the Bunsen. Therefore, there might be a few things causing this problem. For instance, the indirect contact between the flames from the Bunsen burner with the food might be one of the causes why the food did not burn. Moreover, the amount of food sample might also affect the experiment, maybe the amount, which is 1 gram, is too much. Improving the Investigation : To improve this experiment, some things can be done. For example, rather than burning the food on a spoon, a needle can be used instead, allowing direct contact between the food and the flame. Another thing that can be fixed is the amount of food. For this experiment, I set a standard weight, which is 1 gram; maybe if the mass was smaller, like 1/4 grams, the food can be completely combusted.

Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights Essay - 1221 Words

Throughout the novel Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontà « effectively utilizes weather and setting as methods of conveying insight to the reader of the personal feeling of the characters. While staying at Thrushcross Grange, Mr. Lockwood made a visit to meet Mr. Heathcliff for a second time, and the horrible snow storm that he encounters is the first piece of evidence that he should have perceived about Heathcliffs personality. The setting of the moors is one that makes them a very special place for Catherine and Heathcliff, and they are thus very symbolic of their friendship and spirts. The weather and setting are very effective tools used throughout the end of the novel as well, for when the weather becomes nice it is not only symbolic of†¦show more content†¦He stated that he quot;could make no error therequot;(28), for the path is transformed into one that is straight and easy for Lockwood to follow. These preliminary descriptions of the path between the two houses, and th e weather upon first being introduced to the characters, help in conveying the personalities of the characters in a more subtle manner. The area surrounding both the Heights and the Grange are referred to as the moors, and they are an important setting for many characters throughout the course of the novel. The two characters that the moors are most symbolic of, however, are Heathcliff and Catherine Linton. The two would play on the moors as children, and this area of land was very expressive of their wild personalities, and of their friendship. The moors are thought of by them as a place where they could be free and unrestricted to be themselves. Brontà « once again utilizes a setting to represent the personalities of her characters, for here she uses the wildness of the moors to express the wildness of Heathcliff and Catherine. One evening Catherine makes the decision to marry Edgar Linton, and not her true love Heathcliff. Heathcliff hears her declaration and runs off into the m oors. Not long after Heathcliff leaves the vicinity of the Grange, a quot;storm came rattling over the Heights in full furyquot;(78), and Catherine refuses to sleep without her love present in the Heights. quot;Catherine would not be persuaded into tranquility.Show MoreRelated Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights1668 Words   |  7 Pages Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights Emily Jane Bronte, the author of Wuthering heights, was born on July 30, 1818. She was the fifth of six children of Patrick and Maria Bronte and the family moved to their house in Haworth(where Emily would remain for most of her life), with her family having a great influence on her life and work. 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