Acute Care Handbook for Physical Therapists

Familiarize yourself with the acute care environment and confidently develop patient rehabilitation plans with this essential guide to physical therapy practice in a clinical setting. Acute Care Handbook for Physical Therapists helps you understand and interpret hospital protocol, medical terminology, and the medical–surgical aspects of acute care. Each chapter focuses on a body system and includes a review of basic structure and function, an overview of a medical–surgical workup, a review of pathophysiology, information on pharmacology, and guidelines for physical therapy intervention. This edition features a larger, slimmer design that highlights clinical tips, decision-making aids, and practice patterns throughout the text so that you can easily locate these tools and apply them to your practice. If you are unfamiliar with the complex acute care environment, this comprehensive resource is just what you need to become more comfortable and better able to manage the specific needs of your patients.

Table of Contents:

Part 1: Introduction
1. The Acute Care Setting
2. The Medical Record

Part 2: Systems
3. Cardiac System
4. Respiratory System
5. Musculoskeletal System
          Appendix:Management and Physical Therapy Interventions for Fractures
6. Nervous System
7. Vascular System and Hematology
8. Gastrointestinal System
9. Genitourinary System
10. Endocrine System

Part 3: Diagnoses
11. Oncology
12. Burns and Wounds
13. Infectious Diseases
          Appendix: Disorders of Altered Immunity
14. Organ Transplantation
15. Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalances
16. Amputation
17. Physical Therapy Considerations for Patients who Complain of Chest Pain

Part 4: Interventions
18. Medical-Surgical Equipment in the Acute Care Setting
          Appendix: Mechanical Ventilation
          Appendix: Circulatory Assist Devices
19. Pharmacologic Agents
20. Anesthesia: Perioperative and Postoperative Considerations
21. Pain Management
22. Postural Drainage
23. Functional Tests