OTA 131 - Physical Disabilities 2

Credits: 3
Understand the effects of heritable diseases, genetic conditions, disability, trauma, and injury to the physical and mental health and occupational performance of the individual. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the structure and function of the human body to include the biological and physical sciences of specific clinical conditions. Describe and demonstrate basic assessment and treatment approaches utilized in occupational therapy intervention of the physically disabled through practical experiences in a lab setting.

Prerequisite: OTA 102  and OTA 103 ; OTA 122  and OTA 123 ; Concurrent enrollment in OTA 132 ; and instructor’s permission.

Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the structure and function of the human body to include the biological and physical sciences. Course content must include, but is not limited to, anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics. Focus on the following disease processes: Lower Motor Neuron Disorders, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Amputations, Burns, UE Injuries, LE Injuries, and Cardiopulmonary Disorders.
2. Understand the effects of heritable diseases, genetic conditions, disability, trauma, and injury to the physical and mental health and occupational performance of the individual. See list of diseases/disorders under 1 above.
3. Identify interventions consistent with models of occupational performance.

4. Assist with the development of occupation-based intervention plans and strategies (including goals and methods to achieve them) on the basis of the stated needs of the client as well as data gathered during the evaluation process in collaboration with the client and others. Intervention plans and strategies must be culturally relevant, reflective of current occupational therapy practice, and based on available evidence. Interventions address following components:

   • The occupational profile, including participation in activities that are meaningful and necessary for the client to carry out roles in home, work, and community environments.

   • Client factors, including values, beliefs, spirituality, body functions (e.g., neuromuscular, sensory and pain, visual, perceptual, cognitive, mental) and body structures (e.g., cardiovascular, digestive, nervous, genitourinary, integumentary system.

   • Performance patterns (e.g., habits, routines, rituals, roles).

   • Context (e.g., cultural, personal, temporal, virtual) and environment (e.g., physical, social).

   • Performance skills, including motor and praxis skills, sensory-perceptual skills, emotional regulation skills, cognitive skills, and communication and social skills.

5. Provide development, remediation, and compensation for physical, mental, cognitive, perceptual, neuromuscular, behavioral skills, and sensory functions (e.g., vision, tactile, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, pain, temperature, pressure, vestibular, proprioception).

6. Provide training in techniques to enhance functional mobility, including physical transfers, wheelchair management, and mobility devices.
7. Recognize the use of superficial thermal and mechanical modalities as a preparatory measure to improve occupational performance. On the basis of the intervention plan, demonstrate safe and effective administration of superficial thermal and mechanical modalities to achieve established goals while adhering to contraindications and precautions.
8. Recognize and communicate the need to refer to specialists (both internal and external to the profession) for consultation and intervention.
9. Teach compensatory strategies, such as use of technology and adaptations to the environment that support performance, participation, and well-being.
10. Effectively locate and understand information, including the quality of the source of information.

1. Demonstrate mastery of the occupational therapy foundational content requirements.
2. Discuss the basic tenets of occupational therapy.
3. Describe the context of occupational therapy services.
4. Assist in the management of occupational therapy services.
5. Discuss the importance of ethics, values and responsibilities in the field of occupational therapy.

• Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.
• Responsibility - Responsibility encompasses those behaviors and dispositions necessary for students to be effective members of a community. This outcome is designed to help students recognize the value of a commitment to those responsibilities which will enable them to work successfully individually and with others.
• Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning - Quantitative Reasoning encompasses abilities necessary for a student to become literate in today’s technological world. Quantitative reasoning begins with basic skills and extends to problem solving.
• Written Communication - Written Communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas in written form.