ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Middletown, New York 10940
(845) 341-4280; http://www.sunyorange.edu/pta/
PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT DEPARTMENT

2019-2020 STATEMENT OF GOALS & ACTIVITIES FOR SITE COORDINATORS OF CLINICAL EDUCATION (SCCEs) & CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS (CIs)

The following goals and activities have been formulated based on formal feedback (Clinical Educators’ Meetings, Advisory Board Meetings, results of questionnaires) and informal feedback (faculty visits to clinical affiliations, emails, telephone calls, observations):

GOAL 1:  Newly designated clinical instructors and experienced clinical instructors will understand the role of a PTA, as well as their own role I providing an appropriate learning experience to the student.  They will thoroughly understand the clinical performance instrument (CPI) used to document student performance and newly designated CIs will understand the behavioral objectives for being an effective clinical instructor.

Related Activities:  Newly designated clinical instructors will attend orientation session, prior to Clinical Educators’ meetings, as well as become knowledgeable of the contents of the Physical Therapist Assistant Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI) which serve as a guideline for participating as a CI; if CI unable to attend the Orientation, PTA Department Clinical Liaison and/or Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education will review contents of the CPI with CI prior to student’s mid-term evaluation.  ACCE will provide PTA CPI Web link to allow new CIs as well as experienced CIs access to take the instruction with quiz in order to fill out the CPI appropriately and accurately. CPI Web tutorial (PT/PTA) at Liaison Help Center is where you can find instruction on how to perform the CPI.  The link is https://help.liaisonedu.com/ .

GOAL 2:  Be aware of professional supervision requirements of a PTA student in the specific setting in which student is placed to comply with state regulations (NYS Practice Act), PT and PTA Guide to Practice, and College and APTA policy/position statements.

**Workers’ Compensation (WC) legislation allowing PTAs to treat WC patients was not signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo; therefore, PTAs are not legally allowed to work with WC patients.  
** Physical Therapy Receives Significant Payment Increase from NYS Worker Compensation Board:  on December 26th, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board adopted regulations which substantially increase payment for physical therapist services provided to injured workers effective April 1, 2019.   The last time the Board revised payment for physical therapist services was back in 1996.

Related Activities:  Review handouts/minutes addressing this topic from Clinical Educators’ Meetings.  Contact SUNY Orange department office and/or APTA (national/local chapter) for latest information. SUNY Orange PTA office will continue to include reminder paragraph on memos to SCCE prior to student attending a clinical affiliation regarding the necessity for on-site PT supervision of a student PTA.

GOAL 3:  	To abide by CAPTE standards, the PTA Department at SUNY Orange will continue the 
following grading system in clinical education.  The Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education 
(ACCE) will confer final grade (Pass/Fail) based on Clinical Instructors’ conveyance of their 
observations via the Clinical Performance Instrument as well as submittal of the Medical Diagnoses Log & Weekly Journals (using the Self-SOAP format) by each PTA student throughout their clinical education experience(s).  
  	  	 
Related Activities:  Clinical Instructors will initiate and continue to complete the “Physical Therapist Assistant 
Clinical Performance Instrument,” “Medical Diagnoses Log,” and “Weekly Journals (via the learning management system)” for all three clinical experiences (Fall 2019, Spring 2020, & Summer 2020).

GOAL 4:  The Physical Therapist Assistant National Physical Therapy Examination has a fixed date schedule (4x/year):  2019 - January 9, April 4, July 9, October 3; 2020 - January 9, April 7, July 8, October 6; 2021 - January 6, April 6, July 6, and October 6 (https://www.fsbpt.org/ForCandidatesAndLicensees/
FixedDateTesting/).  The rationale for this decision was to preserve the integrity of the PTA Exam; be aware of responsibilities required to supervise a PTA working on a limited permit; be aware that graduate should not become employed as a PTA until limited permit number is obtained; be aware that PTAs who have a limited permit must indicate this when signing medical documentation.  
  	 
Related Activities:  Distribute information to staff (sent from the College) regarding workshops (Board Preppers: https://boardpreppers.com/pta-review-course/) offered pertaining to National Physical Therapy exam for the PTA preparation (NPTAE); if hiring a recent PTA graduate who has APPLIED for a limited permit, wait for PTA graduate to OBTAIN limited permit number before employment may begin.  View PTA Department website for details regarding a new graduate working under a limited permit including signing documentation “Name, PTA-limited permittee” until passing the National Physical Therapy Licensing Exam for PTAs and receiving his/her certification number.  

GOAL 5:  Clinical coordinators/Clinical instructors will continue to participate in faculty development programs.  
  	 
Related Activities:  An attempt will be made for at least one representative from the clinical affiliation to attend annual Clinical Educators' meetings; attend faculty education workshops at SUNY Orange as they are offered; attend continuing education opportunities offered at SUNY Orange:  

Nov. 2 – 3, 2019:  Improving Function: Tools to Enhance Motor Learning, Motor Control, and Strength by Paula Cox, PT, DSc, PCS (16.8 contacts) (www.educationresourcesinc.com)

May 15 – 16, 2020:  Vestibular Therapy for the School-Aged Child and Adolescent by Inger Brueckner, PT, MS (contacts tbd) (www.educationresourcesinc.com)

Aug. 13 – 16, 2020:  Integrated Pediatric Assessment and Evidence-Based Treatment: 4 Day Intensive focusing on children with Sensory and Motor Challenges by Debra Dickson, PT (contacts tbd) (www.educationresourcesinc.com)

GOAL 6:  Enhance student's knowledge of fiscal considerations regarding physical therapy delivery system.  
  
Related Activities:  Clinical instructors should provide opportunities for student to become aware of billing procedures (i.e. Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) within the SNF setting; receive 85% of outpatient fee schedule for PTA services under Medicare Part B starting in 2022; no longer a therapy cap in outpatient setting), managed care/insurance, and documentation regarding reimbursement.  The APTA stresses the importance of students recognizing the roles and responsibilities of physical therapist assistants in the physical therapy delivery system which includes an understanding of fiscal considerations for physical therapy providers and consumers.  

GOAL 7:  Enhance student's problem solving skills pertaining to basic patient needs and safety in Clinical Education I progressing to more complex problem solving skills as student progresses through Clinical Education II and Clinical Education III (appropriate for level of clinical education).  
  	 
Related Activities:  Include in the Orientation of student to your facility how the student could problem solve 
(appropriate for his/her clinical level at your specific facility) by providing examples.  Provide opportunities and encourage students to problem-solve to reinforce that problem-solving is encompassed in the role of a PTA.  

GOAL 8:  Enhance student’s abilities to retrieve, organize and orally present medical information to staff. 
 
Related Activities:  Assign your student either one case study or one in-service to present before a group (mandatory   during all three Clinical affiliations).  Explain available time and type of presentation (i.e. 
PowerPoint) expected.  All in-services are handed in by PTA students at final conferencing with 
ACCE for each clinical education experience.  

GOAL 9:  Become familiar with the “Learning Contract” to utilize with a physical therapist assistant student as deemed appropriate for documenting student problems and documenting student and clinical affiliation activities to remediate the problems, including expected outcomes.  In the event that a Clinical Instructor indicates areas of "Significant Concerns" on the midterm CPI, a conference with the student, the CI, and the ACCE will be scheduled to discuss implementing a Learning Contract.    
  
Related Activities:  All SCCE’s and CI’s are encouraged to contact the department’s Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education to alert him of student issues and/or concerns and, if desired, to request assistance in writing a Learning Contract for student remediation.  A learning contract must be used when significant concerns exist at the midterm, but may be used at other times as well, i.e., if significant concerns with performance occurs subsequent to the midterm.  

GOAL 10:  Become familiar with APTA’s “Physical Therapist Assistant Student Evaluation of Clinical Experience and Clinical Instruction.”  

Related Activities:  SCCE’s will be sent a copy of the blank form prior to each semester that they will be accepting one or more of our students for a clinical experience to remind the SCCE of its contents (contained within the “Clinical Education Policies & Procedures” manual).  CI’s should allow time to discuss the completed forms with the students at both midterm & final and possibly implement student suggestions. CI’s are also required to add statistical data and to sign the face sheet (page 3).  

GOAL 11:  Become familiar with APTA’s “Guidelines: Clinical Instructor” for increased awareness of the role of the CI, see following link:  http://www.apta.org/uploadedFiles/APTAorg/AboutUs/Policies/BOD/Education/ClinicalInstructors.pdf
**Complete the Online course “PTA CPI-Documenting Student Performance with the Physical Therapist Assistant CPI” (3.0 contact hours of continuing education) - www.learningcenter.apta.org  

Related Activities:  Receive/read copy of “Guidelines: Clinical Instructor” distributed from College through minutes of Clinical Educators’ meeting enclosures and/or distribution by Clinical Liaison during faculty visit.  

GOAL 12:  Physical Therapist Assistant students will be provided opportunity in the clinical setting to interact with the supervising PT if Clinical Instructor is a PTA.  

Related Activities:  All PTAs who serve in the capacity of Clinical Instructors will assure that PTA students have appropriate interaction with the supervising PT in the clinical setting.  

GOAL 13:  PTA students will observe physical therapists and physical therapist assistants while at their clinical environment to appreciate how the PT/PTA team enhances the care provided to patients/clients.

Related Activities:  The Clinical Instructor, whether a PT or a PTA, will provide role modeling example of the PT/PTA relationship working as a team contributing to the enhancement of the overall delivery of physical therapy services.

GOAL 14:  Continue the use of the PTA CPI Web and CSIF Web, voluntary standardized valid instruments that assess student performance during clinical education experiences (CPI) and data collection repositories that provide vital site specific information (CSIF).   

Related Activities:  To ensure greater consistency in the use of these instruments, online training and an assessment program through the APTA Learning Center are used to teach all individuals involved in student performance assessment how to correctly use these instruments.  See the following link on further details, http://www.apta.org/PTACPI/TrainingAssessment/;  http://www.academicsoftwareplus.com/files/Docs/CPI%20Training%20Center/CSIF/APTA%20 CSIF%20Instruct ions%20for%20CCCE.pdf