I have worked in healthcare for the last 10 years. I have had the privilege to work as a registered nurse, nurse practitioner, and physical therapist. I have seen various styles of leadership in outpatient rehabilitation, primary care, the emergency department, and psychiatric inpatient/outpatient settings. All the environments are different, but all of them still…
The DNP: Misunderstood but Much Needed
In 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) endorsed a position statement on the practice doctorate in nursing. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree was created as a result of stakeholder discussions, consensus building, and research from the Institute of Medicine’s To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System (1999), Crossing…
DNP vs. PhD
A number of people have asked why I chose to pursue another doctorate degree (for as long as I’ve been in school, sometimes I ask myself the same question!). After finishing my master of science in nursing, I strongly considered obtaining a PhD in nursing science or the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. I…
Physical Therapy: a Siloed Profession, but not alone.
I was working in the emergency department (ED) some time ago, and one of my colleagues asked me to examine their shoulder. The ED is known for the chaos that can happen at any given period. Though, at times when it settles down, co-workers will occasionally ask me about orthopedic problems that they are experiencing….
Carve Your Own Path.
Ever since my 2 year old daughter was born, I have taken a long hiatus from writing (she’s a blessing, but quite a handful!). Despite my absence, I have been so encouraged by the emails that I have received from physical therapists (PT), PT students, healthcare colleagues, and students from other professions who have contacted…
A win for PTs & NPs: HB 4643 & HB313
Historically, Illinois has been one of the most conservative states for all non-physician providers. With antiquated policies coming to an end, NPs and PTs will finally be able to practice to their fullest extent. With the political landscape of Illinois changing, physical therapists (PT) will have direct access and nurse practitioners (NP) will be able to…
Finding the right PT for you
I have had an increasing number of colleagues ask me the following questions: (1) “What physical therapy (PT) clinic do you recommend?” and (2) “which PT should I go to?” Considering all the physical therapy clinics that are readily available in the area, it is an important question to ask. Picking the right PT can influence your…
Don’t write a script for physical therapy: refer them to a physical therapist.
You have heard it countless times: “I’m going to refer you to physical therapy (PT)” or “What you need is physical therapy.” While I understand that these statements are said with good intentions, I do have some issues with the phrasing. My physician assistant (PA) colleagues are similarly unsatisfied with the term “physician’s assistant.” It…
Where’s the love?
I recently read an article from JOSPT that revealed that approximately only 7.1% (95% CI, 7.0%-7.1%) of patients who have plantar fasciitis (PF) actually receive a physical therapist (PT) evaluation. A total of 819,963 patients were diagnosed with the condition and seen by providers between 2007 and 2011. Can you believe that? Where’s the love…
Should PT residencies be required before obtaining fellowship status? Should residencies be required to obtain APTA board-certification?
This might ruffle a few feathers, but I firmly believe that residencies should be required before any physical therapist (PT) is allowed to enter fellowship training. In medicine, a physician must complete residency before entering into fellowship. After finishing, they may choose to go into fellowship or “sub-specialty training.” The residency is the stepping stone. For…