03/03/2026
Sorry for being late to the party... here are some updates on what the PTA students have been up to this semester....
They visited with a Ferrier to do a postural assessment and consider their use of hammers, anvils, and 1200 lb animals who may or may not want to be shoed! š¬ Percussive forces are real, and while posture is extreme in this profession with flexion and IR, the percussive forces of using a steel hammer on steel shoes on a steel anvil can cause damage to joints and tissues over time. We had some great discussions with Dan and Ayden, and certainly enjoyed the love of the horses they brought. Thanks guys!
Next, we hosted Erik Montville who is an adaptive equipment specialist who discussed seating and mobility with the students. He brought some different wheelchairs for the students to experience to have a better understanding of patient need, stability, manual vs power mobility, and the importance of working with the treatment team in the best interest for your patient... and the team includes mobility and equipment specialists. Thanks Erik!
Next we invited Heather Riggins DPT to discuss the evaluation process and how a PT determine patient goals. We had some fun discussions about patient knowledge, awareness, care, and why honest communication is so extremely important in our field. We also discussed the PT/PTA team and how incredibly important we are together! Thanks for sharing your time with us, Heather!
Next, we worked with the CNA students on Peri Care, bed mobility, and transfers. The CNA students taught us the importance of knowing the correct way to help keep our patients clean if they have an accident, and also the value of teamwork regarding patient care and working with nursing staff. In turn, the PTA students taught the CNA students safe stand pivot and sliding board transfers using gait belts and we also discussed how bed mobility can be Physical Therapy treatment for our patients in bed. We all share patient care responsibility and the PTA students now know how they can start with personal hygiene and end the session with a successful PT outcome. Thanks to Carla and the CNA students for their time and knowledge!
And today we had an oxygen use inservice from Tracy Sherman RT. The students learned that oxygen is a drug and requires a prescription, is not flammable itself but does increase combustion potential, how to safely use tanks, the various O2 masks and why we need different types, and the students practiced with tanks and wall O2. Prepping for effective use of oxygen in our profession!! Thanks for the fun, Tracy!
The PTA students continue to work hard to build there knowledge to be the most effective clinicians they can be!!! Thanks everyone! Great job!!