Enhancing Your Bench Strength-developing Clinical Competencies for the Pediatric Physical Therapist

Purpose: The purpose of this submission is to present the process of clinical competencies development and implementation in the pediatric section of the Rehabilitation Department of an elective orthopedic hospital. It will define what criteria need to be met for the pediatric physical therapist working with children from birth to 21 years of age to complete the competency requirements successfully. It will describe the didactic, clinical, and manual portions of this institution's pediatric clinical competency. It will review how completing the pediatric clinical competency by all the pediatric physical therapists at this institution has improved the pediatric section's clinical bench strength and knowledge and promotes this institution's culture and mission to strive to be better in delivering patient care research and education.

Description: Each pediatric physical therapist at this institution is eligible to complete the pediatric clinical competency after working in the pediatric section of the rehabilitation department. The therapist is paired with one of the clinical leads as their point person and mentor. A schedule is generated for the therapist, including inpatient and outpatient treatment slots, weekly co-treatment, 1:1 case review, manual labs, and blocked time for completing didactic e-learning modules. The manual labs and the e-learning modules were created and are led by experienced pediatric advanced clinicians and clinical leads at this institution and encompass advanced material related to specific topics relevant to the pediatric population. Some of the topics are an overview of electronic medical recording in EPIC, telehealth use, skeletal dysplasia, torticollis, young athlete, and limb lengthening, to name a few. Clinical competency is determined by the sections clinical leads and a combination of successful completion and demonstration of didactic, practical, and written assessments.

Summary of Use: Pediatric physical therapists can use information from this presentation in inpatient and outpatient pediatric physical therapy settings. The information will specifically outline the learning modules, topics, time allotment, and clinical expertise from successful completion of pediatric clinical competency and relevance for developing competencies in other similar pediatric physical therapy settings.

Importance to Members: This presentation demonstrates the clinical relevance that developing pediatric competencies in pediatric inpatient and outpatient settings to build expertise and a comprehensive knowledge base among the therapists that are in line with the American Physical Therapy Association and International Classification of Function, Disability and Health: Children and Youth (ICF: CY) for patient-centered care. Members practicing in inpatient and outpatient pediatric settings will be presented with the value benefits of developing pediatric clinical competencies and the department's overall bench strength in the therapist's clinical reasoning that is evidence-based, current, and involves collaboration with other health professionals and the patient.