RehabCare Campus Relations

Employee Spotlight… Katie Lodge

2013-06-18T18:36:41Z

RehabCare is the leading provider of rehabilitation services, including physical, occupational and speech-language therapies, to over 2,000 hospitals and long-term care facilities in 46 states.

The SPOT On Newsletter is our way of informing, recognizing and celebrating the students who form the future Rehab Therapist Community.

Click here to check out the article on Katie Lodge (pg. 5).

Benefits of Weight Training in Older Adults

2013-06-03T14:35:59Z

Walking isn’t enough. The attached article published as a Patient Handout in Advance for Occupational Therapy Practitioners peaked my interest. It is directed towards people over 65 and asks the question, “Why do many people scale back their physical activity after retirement?” A healthier, more active lifestyle is the closest thing to a “fountain of youth” and weight and strength training can be an integral part of a senior fitness program. Click here for the link .

Student Educational Training In-Service

2013-05-28T19:00:38Z

SPTA student completes Joint Mobility Educational presentation at Kindred Hospital – Indianapolis. Check out the article!

5 People To [re]Connect With Before Graduation

2013-05-15T20:17:31Z

Now is the time to create your career network! It’s all who you know….right? This blog offers suggestions on a how to get started now. Plus, I would love to have coffee with you! My treat!

Check out USA Today’s College article!

Thought you’d find this interesting…

2013-05-06T16:55:04Z

I came across this blog today and thought it would be great to share with all our students and upcoming graduates.

People-First Language

In the Words of a Student… Nora

2013-05-06T13:30:03Z

I am now down to my final 2 months of PT school. I have 2 weeks left on this clinical, a 1 week Spring Break, and then a final 5 week wrap-up on campus.

It’s been another busy month. I have been working on my licensure application. Everything that I am supposed to send has been submitted, so now it’s just a matter of waiting for graduation and the release of my final transcripts. I’ve also had job interviews with 3 different potential employers this past month. I decided to accept the position with RehabCare at Tahlequah City Hospital. I am already employed there, PRN, as a physical therapist assistant, so the transition should be an easy one.

I hope you have all had an enjoyable and productive month. Until next time, stay safe and stay happy! Nora

In the Words of a Student… Nora

2013-04-29T13:37:36Z

This month, I thought I’d take some time to address a couple of questions that I’ve been asked repeatedly throughout my DPT education. The first: “What is the difference between a PTA and a PT and how do the educations differ?” Secondly, “I bet it made it a lot easier for you, since you were already a PTA, right?”

When asked this question, my typical response is: “As a PTA we learn HOW to do the treatments and interventions, but as a PT we learn WHY we should choose one intervention over another.” In other words, in my PTA training, we were not taught the theory behind various treatments. We were not taught how to critically appraise the literature to determine if it is applicable to a particular client we were working with. We were not taught how to determine when or how to alter a treatment plan. I’m not saying that in a negative way. Those pieces of the treatment puzzle are outside the scope of the PTA and so time did not need to be spent addressing those areas. We were taught how to safely and effectively perform various treatments and how to communicate the patient’s responses to our supervising therapist so that he or she could adjust the treatments when needed.

In PT school, we have gone much further in depth with anatomy and neurology than we did in my PTA program. We have also spent a lot more time developing our critical reasoning and evaluation/assessment skills. We are taught much more than the physical skills needed to perform an evaluation or treatment. We are taught to incorporate the person’s entire lifestyle (comorbidities, medications, living arrangements, financial resources, family support, etc.) into our plan and to tailor it to each individual.
Having been a PTA was of no assistance in the areas of evaluation and assessment. As mentioned previously, those areas are beyond the scope of practice for the PTA. With that said, I am thankful for my background as a PTA. I think it has been tremendously beneficial in providing me more confidence in my ability to perform treatments and to interact with a variety of patients in a variety of settings.

Until next month – stay safe! Nora

In the Words of a Student… Holly

2013-04-22T13:26:01Z

Happy April Everyone! I cannot believe graduation is just four and half short weeks away. Life has been pretty crazy this last month. Upon graduation I have decided to move to Colorado to see what life holds for me there. It is a really exciting time, as well as nervous and stressful. I recently returned from a trip to Denver, where I found a place to live and scouted out some potential jobs. It is also somewhat stressful because Colorado has different licensing restrictions for new graduates. However, I know that everything will fall into place and it will be worth all of the stress.

I have started studying for the boards, which is a whole new type of studying. I have about 6-7 weeks to review and relearn everything we have covered in the last three years. It is exciting to see the light at the end of the tunnel but a little scary with the final national exam standing in the way.

Between now and graduation I also have the opportunity to attend the national OT conference in San Diego, CA (yes, rough location). I am really excited to hear from OTs around the country and build on my current knowledge. I encourage everyone OT to attend one of these amazing conferences. I will also have the chance to meet with fellow bloggers from RehabCare, which is exciting to put a face with a name. I hope everyone has a great week! Holly

In the Words of a Student… Holly

2013-04-17T14:43:30Z

I cannot believe the next time I walk into a clinic to treat a patient I will no longer be a student. After three years (and a summer) it seems surreal to be done with all of my fieldwork experiences. I can say I have learned so much from each setting and clinical instructor. I am excited to take everything I have learned and fine-tune it all into my own style. Through all the stress and sleepless nights, I can truly say it is worth it to enter a profession I am passionate about. I love learning life lessons from each patient, and watching them progress during therapy sessions. I feel truly blessed that I was led to this profession.

Along with that still holds a lot of unknowns. I know a lot of my classmates have already committed to jobs, while I am still out looking for the right setting for myself. I am currently planning to move to another state, which adds additional stresses to the mix. I am excited to see what the future holds. For now I am finishing up two classes until graduation, followed by graduation in May, studying for, and taking the OT boards. Three years ago I didn’t think this time would ever come, but I just focused on each passing semester and here I am! I hope everyone has a great March, as for myself I am going to enjoy my last spring break! Holly

In the Words of a Student… Heather

2013-04-09T21:07:22Z

Hello Friends! Well, the end is near…the end of PT school, that is. I have now talked with three potential employers and many decisions need to be made. It’s all very exciting/scary! My ultimate goal is to settle down in Arkansas, but I’ll go just about anywhere for the time being. I have learned a lot of important things about what I should be looking for and the questions I should be asking. When the last job you sought out involved serving all-you-can-eat fried catfish, you really need to do your homework on what employers are looking for in the professional world!

If any of you are wondering what factors you might need to think about aside from the salary and benefits that you need to pay the rent and live, here is a general list of things I am keeping in mind with each interview:

Number of therapists and therapist assistants at the facility
How many PTAs would a new grad be responsible for? (While the maximum in OK is 3 PTAs, I have heard of new grads getting into less-than-ethical situations in this category)
What is a typical day like? Typical patient load and time with each patient?
Documentation format and orientation?
For-profit or non-profit facility? (This is here for considering loan repayment options)
Productivity standards/minimums?
Loan repayment options through the specific facility?
Mentorship available (whether formal or informal)?
Evidence-based practices? Learning/teaching/supportive environment?

I’m sure there are other questions and not all of these get asked at every interview, but these are some of the factors I have taken into consideration during this process. While I haven’t accepted any job offers, I do intend to prior to graduating so, I will definitely keep you all posted! Have a wonderful Spring Break and I’ll see you in April!

Cheers, Heather