This document provides an overview of physical therapy in acute care settings. It notes that acute care involves short-term patient care for those admitted to the hospital for illnesses, surgeries, accidents, or trauma recovery. The goal is medical stability and discharge to a safe location. Patients are most commonly elderly individuals recovering from joint replacements or with cardiac/stroke issues. Physical therapists focus on mobility, safety, and independence through treatments like gait training and assistive device education.

1. Acute Care
Practice
Settings
Kelsy Buttke

2. Introduction
 Physical therapy in this setting is provided to
individuals who are admitted to a hospital for
short-term patient care.
 Examples: illness, surgery, accident, or recovery
from a trauma
 The goal is to discharge the patient as soon as he
or she is medically stable and has a safe place to
go.
 Only 8.6% of practicing PTAs are in the acute care
setting

3. Salary
 The median income is $49,000 per year

4. Types of Patients
 The types of patients can range from
infants to the elderly with all types of
diagnoses.
 Mean percent of time spent with patients in
each age group
 Elderly – 51.8%
 Adults – 38.6%
 Children – 2.2%
 Toddlers – 1.4%
 Infants – 1.9%

6. Diagnoses and Treatments
 Patients who have undergone joint replacement
surgery is the most frequently seen patient group.
Cardiac disorders and stroke victims are other high
frequency patient group.
 Mean percent of patient conditions
 Joint replacement – 13.6%
 Cardiac disorders – 7.7%
 Stroke – 7.4%
 Re-training the patient to walk, assessing the patient
for the need for assistive devices such as walkers or
crutches, teaching joint protection, addressing
balance issues and safety awareness with transfers
are a few areas addressed in this setting.

8. Special Skills
 PTAs have the opportunity to become recognized for
advanced proficiency though APTA.
 This program is voluntary and PTAs are not required to be
recognized in order to work in a specific area.
 There are some areas that would be beneficial to the acute
care setting.
 Example: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Neuromuscular,
Integumentary, Geriatrics, and Musculoskeletal
 Recognition via APTA Acute Care Section awards
 Lecture Award
 Mary Sinnott Award for Clinical Excellence in Acute Care
 James Dunleavy Distinguished Service Award
 Fellowship Award Resource Guides, including Lab Values
Interpretation Resources

9. Testimonial
http://youtu.be/od7GQN64ppw

10. References
 http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Prospective_St
udents&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=74690
 http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Workforce_Sal
aries_and_Stats&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=45
5&ContentID=71470&DirectListComboInd=D
 http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Workforce_Sal
aries_and_Stats&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=45
5&ContentID=71491&DirectListComboInd=D
 http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Surveys_and_S
tats1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&ContentID=47284
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od7GQN64ppw
 http://www.lakesidehospital.com/CustomPage.asp?guidCusto
mContentID={A248A869-F424-4AB3-A6F6-EA113C127711}#Phys