Community Outreach to a Long-Term Care Facility in a Professional (Entry-Level) Physical Therapist Curriculum

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Current models for physical therapist education do not always give faculty members the opportunity to assess each student's ability to integrate academic knowledge and clinical skills into an effective intervention program. This project was designed to provide this opportunity within the context of a geriatrics course. Project Description. Faculty designed a program in which physical therapist students working in small groups evaluated and treated selected residents of a long-term care facility over three successive visits. Student responsibilities included examination, evaluation, and education of the assigned resident followed by implementation of an intervention program based on the resident's identified needs. Each session ended with an hour-long session consisting of peer feedback and faculty-led discussions. Observations. Physical therapist students worked closely with the facility's nursing, physical therapy, and recreation staff as part of an interdisciplinary team and gained a deeper awareness of the interdisciplinary model's advantages and limitations. The project also provided opportunities for faculty members to closely observe the performance of small numbers of students over the course of 3 consecutive weeks. Overall, the project garnered positive feedback from students as well as from the residents and staff of the nursing facility.