Exploration of Grit and Emotional Intelligence and Success in a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Background: Higher education programs that admit students to sequential curricula incur a substantial financial loss when an enrolled student fails to continue in the program for whatever reason. In many instances, the seat cannot be filled, and valuable tuition dollars often over $90,000 per student is lost to the institution. In addition to financial loss, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs are required to report and explain rates to the Commission for Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Admission committees at Doctor of Physical Therapy programs seek candidates that will be successful in the program and pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore relationships of non-cognitive characteristics (grit and emotional intelligence) and Grade Point Average (GPA) in the first year of a DPT program with the intent to potentially identify students who might benefit from remediation/intervention to prevent attrition. Methods: Forty-two students in the first year of a Doctor of Physical Therapy program completed the Grit scale and the Mayers-Salovey Emotional Intelligence test early in the fall semester of year one. Results: There were no significant relationships between grit or emotional intelligence and academic success in the first year of a DPT program. Conclusions: The current study provides preliminary information related to non-cognitive factors of grit and emotional intelligence and success in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program

The Validity, Reliability, Measurement Error, and Minimum Detectable Change of the 30‐Second Fast‐Paced Walk Test in Persons with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Novel Test of Short‐Distance Walking Ability

Objective To develop and establish the reliability, validity, measurement error, and minimum detectable change of a novel 30‐second fast‐paced walk test (30SFW) in persons with knee osteoarthritis (OA) that is easy to administer and can quantify walking performance in persons of all abilities. Methods Twenty females with symptomatic knee OA (mean age [SD] 58.30 [8.05] years) and 20 age‐ and sex‐matched asymptomatic controls (57.25 [8.71] years) participated in the study. Participants completed questionnaires of demographic and clinical data, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and the 36‐item Short Form Health Survey (SF‐36) followed by 30SFW performance. Participants returned 2‐7 days later and performed the 30SFW again. Results The knee OA group reported function that was worse than controls (all KOOS subscales; P \u3c 0.0001). The 30SFW intrarater and interrater reliability were excellent [ICC(2,1) = 0.95‐0.99]. Knee OA participants walked a shorter distance in the 30SFW than controls (mean [SD]: OA 44.4 m [9.5 m]; control 58.1 m [7.8 m]; P \u3c 0.0001). Positive strong correlations were found between the 30SFW and the KOOS–Activity of Daily Living, SF‐36‐Physical Functioning, and SF‐36‐Physical Health Composite scores (P \u3c 0.0001). A nonsignificant, weak correlation between 30SFW and SF‐36‐Mental Health scores was present (r = 0.32, P = 0.05). Conclusion The 30SFW has excellent intrarater and interrater reliability. The 30SFW demonstrated excellent known groups, convergent, and discriminant validity as a measure of short‐distance walking ability in persons with knee OA. Clinicians and researchers should consider using the 30SFW to quantify walking ability in persons with knee OA and assess walking ability change

Intimate Partner Violence Screening and Implications for Health Care Providers

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to (1) present research on current IPV screening prevalence within the medical community, (2) emphasize the importance of IPV screening for physical therapists,(3) identify barriers that exist to IPV screening, (4) examine current teaching methods for IPV within healthcare curriculums and (5) identify valid and reliable IPV screening tools for clinical application. Description: A comprehensive literature search on six different databases was completed from September 2012 to March 2014. Search terms included intimate partner violence (IPV), domestic violence, health providers and IPV screening tools. Randomized control trials were included if they evaluated at least one IPV screening tool utilized in the study. Three independent reviewers screened 5664 results and identified 55 relevant research studies. Summary of Use: Five studies were excluded due to poor quality research data or design. Despite the established importance of IPV screening by healthcare professionals, the research has demonstrated that healthcare professionals are not providing universal screening for all patients. Only 8% of physical therapists routinely screen for IPV. Challenges exist in the healthcare field in the screening of patients for IPV: including (1) differing cultural perspectives on IPV, (2) time constraints, (3) language barriers, (4) lack of knowledge and (5) healthcare practitioners negative perceptions.The most frequent provider-related barriers included “lack of provider education regarding IPV, lack of time, and lack of effective interventions. PREMIS (Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey) is a 15 minute survey that Short et al. found to have good internal consistency and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha ≥ 0.65). PREMIS is more current and comprehensive than previous standardized IPV assessment tools and can easily be utilized by physical therapists. Importance to Members: IPV is a major public health concern with a healthcare cost of nearly $4.1 billion and affects nearly 1/3 of women during their lifetime. Three recommendations can be made for physical therapists based on various models for IPV education. 1) Experiential learning, 2) Utilize APTA’s Blueprint for Teaching Cultural Competence applying it to IPV screening, and 3) Utilization of the PREMIS tool by physical therapists to assess IPV. The prevalence of IPV and the lack of physical therapist IPV screening, calls for an evaluation of the requirements and screening tools available for physical therapists in the clinic. By improving education for IPV screening, new clinicians can be better prepared for detecting and reporting IPV once they are practicing physical therapists. Research is limited concerning the methods by which physical therapists are instructed in IPV screening

Mind Mapping: A Strategy to Promote Interprofessional Collaboration among Health Science Students

Purpose/Background: This presentation will provide participants with an understanding of what mind mapping is and engage participants in a discussion and hands on experience of how mind mapping can be used to prepare students for interprofessional collaborative practice and integrate patient centered models of care. Managing a patient’s plan of care requires health care practitioners to share and integrate data in order to formulate a plan of care. How to engage with other disciplines is often developed during student’s clinical educational experiences. Assisting and engaging students during the academic portion are essential to prepare them for interprofessional collaborative practice. Mind Mapping is an innovative instructional strategy which focuses on integrating information using a 360 non-linear approach. Mind maps require learners to think not only in a curvilinear manner but also use visuospatial relationships which flow from a central concept. For students, using this 360 approach to explore and connect concepts and themes a rich environment for content integration emerges. Mind mapping is emerging as a positive teaching and learning strategy for health science students however there has been limited evidence supporting its efficacy in interprofessional education. Descriptions of Program Mind mapping can be infused at several points within an interprofessional curriculum. Faculty can model for students their own integration of knowledge by creating and sharing their mind maps. Alternately, IPE student groups can create mind maps and thereby engage in self-directed active learning. These options provide rich experiences for students to work on integrating content knowledge across disciplines for the development of robust interprofessional patient-centered care. Preliminary Result on Mind Mapping used in an interprofessional curriculum as well as students’ perceptions will be shared. Conclusion /Relevance to interprofessional education or practice Using a mind maps non-linear approach to learning provides may further aid student’s ability to critically reflect upon and analyze the necessary information, to develop and modify a patient’s interprofessional plan of care. This model of infusion of mind maps can be utilized in interprofessional curricular to prepare students for collaborative practice. Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to: describe the tenets associated with the development of a mind map for IPE discuss a model of infusion of mind maps for interprofessional education and collaborations recognize how to integrate mind maps into their interprofessional curricular model

Pediatric Liver Transplantation: Then and Now

This paper reviews the past 50 years of liver transplantation in children from the perspective of patient demographics, perioperative patient management, surgical techniques, immunosuppression and patient outcomes

Ethics Analysis of the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Debate

Controversy regarding Human embryonic Stem Cell (hESC) research is evident in the medical and scientific community, legislative, judicial, and executive branches of the government, private companies, religious affiliations, special interest groups, and among the general American public. Stem cells are derived from adult stem cell resources, which are termed non-embryonic or from the cells of immature blastocysts termed embryonic stem cells. Non-embryonic cells do not have the ability to differentiate into other specialized tissues, whereas embryonic cells are capable of differentiating into almost any type of tissue. hESC research, which is the focus of this paper, includes the direct creation and therapeutic cloning of human embryos, known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) during the blastocyst-stage of development, the use of surplus embryos from in vitro fertilization, and from tissue derived from extracted embryos through abortion. The purpose of hESC research is threefold: (1) to advance science and medicine, (2) prevent disease, and (3) cure certain diseases. hESC research is an ethical dilemma facing the United States of America. Opponents of hESC often cite the rights of the embryo and define the embryo at conception. Supporters of hESC research include the scientific and medical community, and private hESC research companies. The unique political system of the United States has allowed for a dichotomous policy to arise, where federal funding of hESC is prohibited, but private companies and individual states are able to legally forge a path in hESC research. The prohibition of federal funds has created an abyss between states who choose to fund hESC research and those who prohibit it. It has also set the stage for yet another private corporation to advance in hESC and place profit above the American public. The embryo is the only silent member of this debate