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Essential
Functions for Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy
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The
following essential functions are the skills and attributes
that the faculty believe are necessary for a student to
successfully complete the fast-paced, rigorous academic
programs at the University of St. Augustine, and to practice
successfully as a physical or occupational therapist.
Applicants
are not required to disclose the nature of any disability.
However, applicants with questions about their ability
to meet either the essential functions listed below are
strongly encouraged to discuss their concerns with the
Chair of the Committee for Disability Awareness during
the interview process.
It
is the policy of the University
of St. Augustine to provide reasonable accommodations
to any student with a documented disability so the student
can meet our essential functions. Whether or not a requested
accommodation is reasonable will be determined on an individual
basis. Contact the Chair of the University Disabilities
Awareness Committee, Karen Howell, at (800) 241, 1027,
ext. 222 or email khowell@usa.edu
for assistance in requesting reasonable accommodations.
Please
note: Requests should be made by six (6) weeks prior to
the start of the semester in which the student is seeking
accommodation(s).
Essential
Functions
Critical
Thinking Ability (Weigh pros and cons and logically make
decisions)
- Use
sound judgment and apply safety precautions as appropriate.
- Analyze
and synthesize data from a variety of sources in a timely
manner.
- Ability
to put research findings into practice.
- Exhibit
a positive, interactive response to feedback.
- Interact
appropriately with individuals, families, and groups
from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual
backgrounds.
- Establish
rapport with clients, patients and colleagues.
- Use
responsive, empathetic listening skills.
- Direct/supervise
support personnel.
- Actively
participate and contribute to group projects.
- Ability
to move physically from room to room and maneuver in
small places around patient/equipment.
- Ability
to administer CPR.
- Ability
to walk up and down stairs/ramps.
- Travel
to clinical education sites locally and nationally as
assigned.
- Communicate
effectively with patients/clients, family members, faculty,
other health care professionals, and community and professional
groups in verbal and written form.
- Elicit
information from patients/clients in a timely manner.
- Complete
written work at a professional level in a timely manner.
- Document
patient/client assessment/evaluation, intervention plan
and progress notation succinctly and in a time frame
similar to clinical constraints.
- Achieve
basic competency in word processing, e-mail, and use
of the internet.
- Ability
to perform an assessment/evaluation and intervention
through the execution of motor movements as defined
below.
- Ability
to stand for thirty (30) minutes.
- Ability
to lift forty (40) pounds.
- Ability
to kneel, crawl, roll, and bend backward and forward.
- Be
able to assume prone, supine and side-lying positions.
- Exhibit
independent control of upper and lower extremity joints.
- Independently
climb on and off a three-foot table.
- Balance
on one leg.
- Grasp
and release items of various sizes in both hands.
- Have
grip strength of twenty (20) pounds.
- Open
and close doors one-handed.
- Demonstrate
sufficient strength and balance to transfer, move, assist
patients/clients in walking, and their daily occupations
without injury to patient/client or self.
- Demonstrate
coordination of gross and fine motor upper extremity
movement patterns to perform therapeutic activities
and daily life occupations.
- Ability
to perform a technique with proper positioning, hand
placement, direction of force, amount of force, etc.,
based on visualization of a picture, video or live demonstration.
Visual
Ability
- Ability
to observe and interpret patient/client movement or
occupational performance.
- Ability
to observe a patient/client at a distance greater than
twenty (20) feet and closeup noting verbal and nonverbal
signals.
- Ability
to visually monitor and assess physical, emotional,
and psychological responses, equipment settings, dials
and instructions.
- Ability
to determine and comprehend dimensional and spatial
relationships of structures, e.g. differentiating right
and left, up and down, etc.
Tactile
Ability
- Ability
to perform a physical assessment through on-hands application
that may include palpation of anatomical structures,
noting surface characteristics, assessment of tone,
temperature, depth, etc.
Hearing
- Auditory
ability sufficient to monitor and interact with patients,
other professionals and families.
- Ability
to hear and react appropriately to alarms, emergency
signals, timers, and cries for help.
- Auditory
ability sufficient to hear verbal instructions, audio
or videotapes and electronic media in the classroom,
lab or clinic.
Coping
Skills
- Ability
to perform in stressful environments or during impending
deadlines.
- Complete
timed written, oral, and laboratory practical examinations.
- Follow
the "Student Code of Conduct" and other policies
as stated in the Student Handbook that include
but are not limited to:
- Maintain
academic honesty at all times.
- Exhibit
dependability by arriving in class on time, attending
all assigned classes, and following through with
commitments and responsibilities.
- Display
professionalism through appropriate presentation
of oneself, follow the University dress code, and
display a positive attitude.
- Obey
University, local, state and federal laws, policies
and procedures, and rules and regulations.
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