Core Competencies for Entry Level Practice in Acute Care

Question 1

These competencies are presented in five sections:

Answer 1

Clinical Decision-Making
Communication
Safety
Patient Management
Discharge Planning

Question 2

In acute care, clinical reasoning serves as the foundation for:

Answer 2

competency in all areas – including communication, safety, discharge planning and patient management

Question 3

ENTRY-LEVEL MEDICAL RECORD REVIEW AND DOCUMENTATION

Answer 3

medical record serves as the official record of the patient’s past and current status along with a documentation of all procedures the patient has experienced

one of the primary sources of patient information for the PT to gain information about the patient as well as to share pertinent details of the patient’s therapy session

Question 4

Determine patient’s level of function prior to admission or onset of acute symptoms:

Answer 4

Functioning
Need for assistance
Endurance/activity tolerance
Fall history
Current exercise regime
Airway clearance program

Question 5

Cognition:

Answer 5

arousal; orientation; attention; memory; calculation; language; construction; abstraction; speed of processing; problem-solving; motor planning; command following; delirium; and Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) positive

Question 6

Speech and language ability ➔

Answer 6

aphasia, word finding, apraxia, dysarthria

Question 7

Cardiopulmonary:

Answer 7

edema; respiratory rate; heart rate; heart rhythm; blood pressure; oxygen saturation; jugular venous distension; ECG observations/telemetry; dyspnea; posture/chest shape; cough; sputum/hemoptysis; nail appearance; auscultation; supplemental O2/ respiratory equipment

Question 8

Appearance:

Answer 8

skin color; muscle wasting/temporal atrophy; positioning upon entering room

Question 9

Musculoskeletal ➔

Answer 9

strength/myotomes, ROM, posture

Question 10

Neurologic:

Answer 10

balance; gait quality; cranial nerves; vision; tone; coordination; reflexes; sensation; tremor; vestibular testing

Question 11

Integumentary:

Answer 11

edema; skin integrity; burns/wounds; sensation; capillary refill

Question 12

Pain:

Answer 12

at rest; with activity; with recovery; quality of pain; interventions to address pain

Question 13

Functional mobility:

Answer 13

rolling; supine to/from sit; sit to/from stand; transfers; ambulation; stairs; curb; wheelchair mobility

Question 14

Therapeutic Exercise =

Answer 14

Strength

Aerobic/ endurance /cardiac /pulmonary

Flexibility

ROM

Question 15

Functional mobility training =

Answer 15

Rolling

Scooting

Supine to/from sit

Sit to/from stand

Transfers between surfaces ➔ bed to chair, wheelchair to commode

Pressure relief

Question 16

Locomotor training, as indicated =

Answer 16

Gait training, with or without assistive devices

Stair training

Wheelchair mobility & management

Question 17

Neuromuscular re-education =

Answer 17

Balance

Coordination

Vestibular interventions & exercises

Question 18

Select and perform appropriate education intervention for patient, family or other caregiver:

Answer 18

Role of therapy

Impairments/limitations

Barrier modification

Health/injury risk factor modifications

Adaptive equipment

Energy conservation

Pain management

Relaxation techniques

Safety

Precautions