Research Guides: Physical Therapy: Professional Issues

PTA Licensure

Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy FSBPT is the national licensing body for PTA. This resource will provide information about how to get started and what you need to know before, during and after the exam.
Wisconsin Statutes on PTA licensure Link to State statutes governing PTA practice in Wisconisn
Wisconsin Physical Therapy Examining Board This link takes you directly to the Wisconsin PT Examining Board page which guides practice for all PTAs in Wisconsin

Ethical issues

FSBPT ethics articles The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy provides resources to help your gain a better understanding of ethics as it applies to physical therapy
APTA standards of ethical practice for the PTA This link leads to the APTA standards for ethical practice for PTAs
Interpretation of the APTA Code of conduct This guide for Conduct of the Physical Therapist Assistant is intended to assist in interpreting the Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant.
Professionalism in Physical Therapy: An Oath for Physical Therapists article Article published in Winter 2014 Journal of Physical Therapy Education by Denise Wise
WCPT Ethics policy statement World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) Policy statement for ethical responsibilities of physical therapists

Documentation

APTA Documentation guidelines Documentation guidelines approved by the APTA

PT in Action

Psycho-social resources

from http://perspectivesclinic.com/health-psychology/

Achieving Psychosocial Health video Overall well-being requires not only physical health, but psychosocial health as well. What exactly is psychosocial health, and how is it achieved? This program explains the elements that compose psychosocial health, the internal and external factors that influence it, and methods to enhance it. The importance of taking responsibility for one's own psychosocial well-being through self-recognition of problems and identification of barriers to meaningful communication is stressed.
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Knowledge NOW PM&R Knowledge NOW is an evolving, dynamic online resource that highlights the breadth and depth of clinical topics in the specialty of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
American Foundation of Suicide Prevention The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) funds research, creates educational programs, advocates for public policy, and supports survivors of suicide loss.
American Psychological Association American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. whose mission is to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.
Centers of Disease Control The CDC focuses on bringing new knowledge to individual health care and community health by conducting critical science and providing that health information to the public.
Department of Health and Human Services Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Excellent resource promoting the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Collects and disseminates research information related to neurological disorders
National Institutes of Health (NIH) The NIH Web site serves the public by offering ready access to: Clinical studies; Health and wellness information; Research resources and library resources; and news, events, and educational activities related to NIH and its mission.
American Stroke Association The only national nonprofit healthcare organization focusing 100 percent of its resources and attention on stroke

Physical Therapy Organizations

Legal issues

APTAs topics of legal interest This link will provide general information on a variety of topics that might be of interest to physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs).
Wisconsin State statutes for Physical Therapy State of Wisconsin Code book regulating practice of Physical Therapy in Wisconsin

Evidenced Based Practice

How do clinical trials work and who can participate?
Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice tutorial This tutorial is intended for any health care practitioner or student who needs a basic introduction to the principles of Evidence-Based Practice. Upon completion of this self-paced tutorial, you will be able to: -define Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) -identify the parts of a well-built clinical question -identify searching strategies that could improve PubMed searching -identify key critical appraisal issues that help determine the validity of a study
How to tell if an article is worth reading? Medscape has put together a guide on evidence-based practice, critical appraisal skills and clinical guidelines.
Criteria for deciding the quality of an article Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) has published a guide on evidence-based practice, critical appraisal skills and clinical guidelines.
Are the study results good enough to be generalized? Pubmed has a brief overview on evidence-based practice, critical appraisal skills and clinical guidelines.