Principles & Techniques of Patient Care

This illustrated resource demonstrates proper techniques and procedures to help you evaluate, treat, and care for patients in the physical therapy setting. In addition to clear, "how-to" information on positioning and draping the patient, patient transfer, ambulation activities, and much more, you'll gain insight into the rationales and physiologic principles explaining why specific techniques are used.

• Defines the terms "assessment" and "evaluation" according to the APTA Guide to Physical Therapist Practice and Normative Model of Physical Therapist Professional Education, clarifying how these terms are used throughout the book.
• Provides an overview of the impairment/disability model found in the APTA Guide to Physical Therapist Practice.
• Discusses interprofessional collaboration, including the roles of the PT and PTA in the health care team (co-treatment).
• Offers suggestions for evaluating the home and workplace of a person with a disability.
• Helps you develop problem-solving strategies needed to address real-world situations.

• Detailed, full-color images demonstrate proper techniques and procedures, calling attention to important visual cues.
• Expanded discussion of patient safety alerts you to potential hazards to patients and informs you of regulations that help prevent errors and injury, including medical errors and Joint Commission Standards and practices.
• Information on new products introduced to the marketplace keeps you apprised of new materials and products available to assist your patients.
• The Approaches to Infection Control chapter includes new terms and expanded discussion of decontamination - specifically, hand hygiene and the use of alcohol-based decontaminants.
• The Assessment of Vital Signs chapter offers expanded discussion of pain, the use of pain measurement as a diagnostic tool, and methods of pain management.
• The chapter on Features and Activities of Wheeled Mobility Aids provides updated discussion of wheelchair seating and positioning, as well as new mobility products on the market.
• The Incidents and Emergencies chapter offers expanded information on emergencies and acute conditions, specifically allergic reactions and falls.
• Accessible housing is explored in a review of the Americans with Disabilities Act.