Course Description:
How would you react if a patient with a bandage on his elbow
came to the clinic reporting he had fallen yesterday? Do you think he should be
allowed in the pool with the wound covered, or should he be seen on land
instead? What if the woman you evaluated had a history of seizures and
incontinence? Would you recommend aquatic therapy as part of her treatment
plan?
It's all about decisions. You make decisions every day about your patients,
including whether to select aquatic physical therapy as their treatment
intervention. It is critical to consider both the benefits and risks of aquatic
physical therapy when making these decisions.
The purpose of this presentation is to provide you with
information that will assist you in formulating clinical judgements. Various
precautions and contraindications will be discussed along with ways to mitigate
the risk of immersion. A variety of case scenarios will be discussed as we talk
through the decision-making process of whether you choose To Pool or Not to
Pool.
Course Objectives &
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the
course, the learner will be able to:
- Recognize potential risks with immersion and
aquatic exercise for a variety of conditions including but not limited to:
- Non-intact skin or bleeding;
- Intravenous lines, central venous lines;
- Stomas – colostomy, ileostomy;
- Tube – G-tube, NG tube, PEG;
- Communicable diseases (Hep B, Hep C, HIV, MRSA, C-diff);
- Incontinence, catheters, diarrhea, urinary tract infections;
- Cardiac disease (MI, Hyper or Hypotension, myocarditis, CHF);
- Pulmonary disease (COPC, Asthma, cystic fibrosis);
- Tracheostomy;
- DVT;
- Seizures;
- Immunocompromised; and
- Weather considerations.
- Recognize ways to mitigate the risk of immersion for patients with precautions;
- Be able to use clinical judgement to compare the risk of precaution/s to the reward of aquatic physical therapy for each individual patient and assess if aquatic physical therapy is an appropriate treatment intervention; and
- Utilize handouts from the webinar as a tool for clinical decision-making in future.
Instructor: Emily Dunlap, PT
Emily's involvement with the Academy of Aquatic Physical Therapy dates back almost to its inception, holding several positions, including Chairperson and Instructor of the APTA-sponsored Certificate in Aquatic Physical Therapy Clinical Competency (CAPTCC) program. She has authored chapters in 3 Aquatic Therapy related textbooks and is a national speaker on various aquatic physical therapy topics. Emily is currently the owner of Aquatic Therapy Pro and manages a variety of roles as a researcher, clinician, and education consultant. She has recently published original research on waterproof dressing usage in aquatic therapy settings and is currently working on more research on the same subject. In addition, she is presently working on a systematic review of Ai Chi's effects on pain, balance, function, and quality of life in adults.
Note: CEU is not pre-approved in the following states, but licensees may seek their own approval in AR, CA, DE, OH, TX
All other states: .3CEU/3 CCU or contact hours