Lake Land College PTA Program Philosophy and Mission Statement

The following statements reflect the philosophy and the mission of the Lake Land College (LLC) Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program.

The PTA Program will provide quality academic and clinical education to prepare the student to acquire an AAS degree and to perform selected physical therapy procedures and related tasks under the direction and supervision of the Physical Therapist. The Physical Therapist Assistant will have good interpersonal communication skills, problem solving skills, a workable knowledge base, and the desire to continue to learn through life. The Physical Therapist Assistant will be ethical and professional.

We believe a Physical Therapist Assistant:

• Supports PTs in the provision of evidence based practice by implementing directed interventions based on evidence from literature, clinical judgment, and knowledge.
• Functions in an active health-team role, cooperating with members of various health care professions to deliver optimal care, including prevention and maintenance of wellness.
• Administers complex and comprehensive care under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist in a structured setting.
• Uses learned anatomical, physiological, physical, and psychosocial principles in rendering care to patients throughout the life span.
• Provides a technical practice-oriented human service to the individual, the family, and the community.
• Delivers care within the scope of the APTA Code of Ethics, the APTA Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant, and the Guide for Conduct of the Physical Therapist Assistant and within state and federal laws.
• Displays certain inherent elements of character, such as honesty, loyalty, understanding, and the ability to respect the rights and dignity of others, enabling them to rise above prejudice in regard to race, creed, disability, marital status, or socioeconomic status in the interest of better professional service.

We believe the education of a Physical Therapist Assistant:

• Should provide contemporary professional expectations.
• Takes place within the general system of higher education.
• Is an integral part of Lake Land College accepting each student as an individual.
• Is to develop each student’s potential as an individual and a contributing member of the Physical Therapy profession.
• Includes elements of general education for the purpose of developing independent and critical thinking, value clarification, communication skills, and an understanding of fundamental theory.
• Presents the most up-to-date course material and educational techniques, which allows the student to work in any type of structured Physical Therapy setting and is enhanced by periodic evaluation by self, academic, and clinical instructors.
• Involves academic and clinical instructors (CIs) in curriculum development, implementation, evaluation, and revision of the PTA Program.

We believe the teaching/learning process:

• Should implement evidence-based practice.
• Is an interdependent, continuous process between teacher and student and is based on the learner’s needs, interests, goals, and program objectives.
• Should be organized in its approach from simple to diverse.
• Fosters attitudes and abilities which encourage students to have a commitment to continuing personal and professional growth.
• Is based on learner’s needs, interests, goals, and program objectives.
• Integrates the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor approaches to learning.

Program Goals

The Lake Land College PTA Program agrees with the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education’s (CAPTE) performance of program graduates’ evaluation criteria. We have established the Lake Land College PTA Program goals and objectives reflecting these criteria of CAPTE’s.

The goal of the Lake Land College PTA Program is to:

1. Provide students with a curriculum and resources that are current and in compliance with standards set forth by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
   • Outcome #1: Ninety percent of the core faculty and the Program Advisory Council will agree the curriculum represents contemporary practice and reflects APTA Minimum Required Skills of PTA Graduates at Entry Level.
   • Outcome #2: The Program will maintain CAPTE accreditation 100% of the time.

The goals of the Lake Land College PTA students/graduates are to:

1. Successfully complete and pass all courses of the Program and to provide evidence-based practice as a member of the health care team.
   • Outcome #1: Eighty percent of students will score at Entry Level on the red flag items except Clinical Problem Solving (one click below Entry Level) and at or one click away from Entry Level on the other objectives in the PTA CPI for Clinical Practicum V.
   • Outcome #2: Ninety percent of employers on the Employer Survey will rate the graduate at Strongly Agree or Agree that the graduate will demonstrate evidence-based practice.
2. Pass the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE).
   • Outcome #1: Ninety percent of graduates will pass the NPTE.
3. Graduate who is seeking employment will be employed within one year and work under the supervision of a PT in an ethical, legal, and safe manner.
   • Outcome #1: Ninety percent of graduates who seek employment will be employed in the field within one year after passing the licensure examination.
   • Outcome #2: One hundred percent of employers will indicate on the Employer Survey that the graduate is working under the supervision of a licensed PT in an ethical, legal, and safe manner.
4. Understand the importance of lifelong learning.
   • Outcome #1: Ninety percent of employers on the Employer Survey will rate the graduate at Strongly Agree or Agree that the graduate reflects the concept of lifelong learning.

The goal of the Lake Land College Faculty is to:

1. Provide quality didactic and clinical instruction and guidance to meet the needs of the students and the Program.
   • Outcome #1: One hundred percent of core faculty will demonstrate effective teaching through scoring an average of 3.5 or higher on a scale of 5.0 on the course evaluations.
   • Outcome #2: Ninety percent of Clinical Instructors will demonstrate effective clinical instruction through scoring an average of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 5.0 on Section 2 question number 22: Assessment of Clinical Instruction on the APTA’s PTA Student Evaluation: Clinical Experience and Clinical Instruction.
   • Outcome #3: One hundred percent of core faculty will score an average of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 on the Review of the Tenured Instructional Faculty Member.

Clinical Education Goals

• Administer and provide complex and evidence-based practice under the direction of a PT.
• Establish and maintain culturally competent and age-appropriate relationships with patients and families.
• Participate in teaching and support of patients, families, and other health care providers.
• Communicate effectively with patients, families, colleagues, and the public via verbal, written, and electronic means.
• Utilize accepted professional standards to document patient care.
• Establish collegial relationships with peers and other health care professionals.
• Use critical thinking as a basis for decision-making in professional practice.
• Demonstrate responsibility for professional self-development and continued life-long learning.
• Practice within the profession’s ethical and legal framework.