Development and content validity of the Therapy Behavior Scale.

The purpose of this study was to develop an assessment instrument that would allow clinicians to (1) evaluate behaviors of infants and toddlers during therapeutic intervention based on their own observations; (2) be applicable in a home-based or an outpatient therapeutic setting; and (3) be appropriate for use with infants and toddlers from birth to three years of age regardless of their developmental level or level of disability. Six pediatric therapists participated in the development and content evaluation of the instrument, Therapy Behavior Scale (TBS) with its subsequent revision into the TBS Version 1.0. Three raters pilot tested the scale with seven infants and toddlers. The results supported the content validity of the TBS Version 1.0 and led to the development of the TBS Version 1.1. Further research is needed to validate the newest version of the scale and to establish its intra-rater and interrater reliability.

Interprofessional education: a review and analysis of programs from three academic health centers.

The past decade witnessed momentum toward redesigning the U.S. health care system with the intent to improve quality of care. To achieve and sustain this change, health professions education must likewise reform to prepare future practitioners to optimize their ability to participate in the new paradigm of health care delivery. Recognizing that interprofessional education (IPE) is gaining momentum as a crucial aspect of health care professions training, this article provides an introduction to IPE programs from three different academic health centers, which were developed and implemented to train health care practitioners who provide patient-centered, collaborative care. The three participating programs are briefly described, as well as the processes and some lessons learned that were critical in the process of adopting IPE programs in their respective institutions. Critical aspects of each program are described to allow comparison of the critical building blocks for developing an IPE program. Among those building blocks, the authors present information on the planning processes of the different institutions, the competencies that each program aims to instill in the graduates, the snapshot of the three curricular models, and the assessment strategies used by each institution. The authors conclude by providing details that may provide insight for academic institutions considering implementation of IPE programs.

Mobility criteria for upright sitting with patients in the neuro/trauma intensive care unit: an analysis of length of stay and functional outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Few studies have explored optimal advancement and variation in mobility and length of stay (LOS) data with critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The purpose of this study was to analyze the outcomes and LOS of critically ill patients in the neurotrauma ICU involved in rehabilitation. METHODS: A bidirectional case-control study of a total of 30 patients admitted to a level 1 trauma hospital in the metropolitan Chicago area with Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of ≤12 (3-12) were studied. Functional outcomes of a structured mobility group were compared at first upright sitting and at ICU discharge using the functional independence measure (FIM). Retrospective LOS review of a group (n = 15) with unstructured activity advancement was compared. RESULTS: The main outcome measures were FIM scores and LOS in number of days. In the structured mobility group, a significant increase in functional performance between first upright sitting and ICU discharge was found (P < .005). Length of stay was shorter in the structured mobility groups but the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study revealed favorable functional outcomes for patients involved in a structured mobility program with physical therapy in the neuro/trauma ICU.

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, located in North Chicago, Illinois, is a private, health professions university educating health and biomedical professionals in an innovative, student-centered environment. The University is composed of 4 colleges: the Chicago Medical School, the Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, the College of Health Professions, and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. At Rosalind Franklin University, we are committed to Interprofessional Education as stated in our vision and introduced through our first-year Interprofessional experience for all incoming students.

Use of music during physical therapy intervention for an infant with Erb's palsy: a single-subject design.

Evidence supporting the use of music during pediatric physical therapy intervention is limited. The purpose of this single-subject design was to evaluate the effects of music on patient progress, the amount of crying during therapy, and parent satisfaction with physical therapy services. The subject was an infant girl with Erb's palsy who participated in this study from age 8 months to age 20 months. An A-B-A withdrawal single-subject design was used. The patient's progress was assessed by using the T.I.M.E. The amount of crying was documented in the Crying Log. A parent satisfaction questionnaire was administered three times over the course of the study. The subject's progress in the music intervention period increased on three of five primary subtests of the T.I.M.E. The amount of crying decreased and parent satisfaction increased when music was played during therapy. Music may be used by pediatric physical therapists to decrease the patient's crying, increase parent satisfaction, and possibly to increase the child's rate of progress. Further research conducted with a group of infants and toddlers may help generalize these findings to a wider patient population.

Evaluation of the primary subtests of toddler and infant motor evaluation: implications for clinical practice in pediatric physical therapy.

PURPOSE: The Toddler and Infant Motor Evaluation (T.I.M.E., The Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, Tex) is a norm-referenced, comprehensive qualitative assessment of the motor abilities of children between the ages of four months and 3.5 years. The purpose of this article is to describe the strengths and the limitations of the primary subtests of the T.I.M.E. on the basis of the previously published reviews, the authors' clinical experience, and two A-B-A single-subject studies. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: Five primary subtests of the T.I.M.E. and their possible modifications for the future use by pediatric clinicians are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The T.I.M.E. is a family-friendly assessment tool that can be used by pediatric clinicians who work with infants and toddlers. Although it has high test-retest and interrater reliability, our use of the instrument in two case studies has revealed several structural and scoring problems. Physical therapists using the T.I.M.E. for research and in clinical practice should be aware of its strengths and limitations.