Role of Acute Care Physical Therapists
Acute care physical therapists work in hospitals to evaluate patients’ functional mobility and provide techniques to improve mobility, enabling them to be safely discharged from the hospital.
Goals of Acute Physical Therapy
Acute physical therapists focus on three main areas of functional mobility: bed mobility, transfers, and ambulation. They assess patients’ ability to perform these tasks and provide exercises and techniques to improve them.
Bed Mobility
Bed mobility refers to a patient’s ability to move around while in bed. Physical therapists assess patients’ ability to roll from side to side, scoot, and move from a lying to a sitting position.
Transfers
Transfers refer to a patient’s ability to move from one position or surface to another, such as from bed to chair. Physical therapists assess patients’ ability to perform transfers and provide exercises and techniques to improve them.
Ambulation
Ambulation refers to a patient’s ability to walk. Physical therapists assess patients’ ability to walk and provide suggestions to improve their ambulation. They may recommend assistive devices, such as walkers or canes, to help patients improve their walking ability.
Acute Physical Therapy vs. Inpatient Therapy
Acute care physical therapy is similar to inpatient therapy, but there are some differences. Acute care physical therapy usually occurs in a hospital while a patient is being treated for a medical condition and prepares them to go home. Inpatient therapy, on the other hand, is usually more intensive and comprehensive, often involving at least three hours of therapy in five out of seven consecutive days.
Recommendations After You Leave the Hospital
Physical therapists can recommend where patients should go after leaving the hospital. They may recommend going home, admitting to a rehabilitation hospital, or needing nursing home care.
Conclusion
Acute physical therapy is an important part of beginning recovery from injury or illness. Physical therapists help patients find ways to be as mobile as possible within the constraints of their illness or injury. The main areas they focus on include mobility in bed, transfers, and ambulation. It is usually the beginning of a longer rehabilitation journey that may occur in inpatient rehabilitation or at home.
FAQs
- What is acute physical therapy?
- Acute physical therapy is a type of physical therapy that occurs in a hospital to evaluate and improve a patient’s functional mobility while they are being treated for a medical condition.
- What are the goals of acute physical therapy?
- The goals of acute physical therapy include improving bed mobility, transfers, and ambulation.
- How does acute physical therapy differ from inpatient therapy?
- Acute care physical therapy usually occurs in a hospital and prepares patients to go home, while inpatient therapy is more intensive and comprehensive, often involving at least three hours of therapy in five out of seven consecutive days.
- What recommendations can a physical therapist make after I leave the hospital?
- A physical therapist may recommend going home, admitting to a rehabilitation hospital, or needing nursing home care after leaving the hospital.
