Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Course Descriptions

HRS 2301 HUMAN ANATOMY

1-3 cr.

This course is designed to give the entry-level physical therapy student a strong background in the gross musculoskeletal and peripheral nervous system of the human body. The class will also give a basic introduction to other body systems such as the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, arthrology, muscle structure and physiology, connective tissue, and basic embryological development. This material will be presented formally in lecture format, and supplemented by direct laboratory experience, examining human skeletal materials, prosected human cadaver specimens, anatomical models, audiovisual tapes, and films and slides.

HRS 2304 BIOMECHANICS OF GAIT

3 cr.

This course utilizes the principles of biomechanics to quantitatively analyze human gait. The motions and forces that occur on the total body and at individual joints during gait are biomechanical measurement tools. Measurement tools studied include a force platform, motion analysis system, electromyography, and a foot pressure measurement system. This course is designed for students with non-engineering backgrounds, but familiarity with trigonometry and general mathematics, including algebra, are expected.

HRS 2305 ADVANCED NEUROSCIENCE 1

3 cr.

An in-depth study of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. Emphasis is on correlative neurosciences to aid in understanding principles in evaluating the intact and dysfunctioning nervous system, and formulating foundations for therapeutic intervention. Appropriate neuroembryology and neuropharmacology will be included.

HRS 2308 FUNDAMENTALS OF MUSCULOSKELETAL EXAMINATION

3 cr.

This course will cover basic concepts of physical examination of the patient with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction. Fundamental examination skills and knowledge will be covered, including issues related to screening, review of systems, history, physical examination, and clinical decision-making. An introduction to radiology and diagnostic imaging will be provided. Concepts related to pain and the inflammatory process, bony healing and remodeling, and how these concepts impact clinical practice will also be covered.

HRS 2309 ANALYSIS OF NEUROMUSCULAR SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS IN CLINICAL DECISION-MAKING

3 cr.

Analysis of the process and knowledge necessary for identifying the neuromuscular tissue or system representing the origin of disorders in patients. Signs and symptoms from history and physical examination will be the focus, with appropriate ancillary testing necessary to confirm hypotheses regarding neuromusculoskeletal pathology. The intent is for clinicians to be able to differentiate clusters of signs and symptoms and to make appropriate clinical decisions regarding the same.

HRS 2310 ADVANCED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISSECTION ANATOMY

3 cr.

This course will provide the student with an in-depth review of the anatomical structures of the human musculoskeletal system. Clinical faculty will combine their efforts with skilled dissection anatomists to present a clinically pertinent musculoskeletal anatomy course. The course will be organized regionally over three weekend sessions. Weekend One will focus on the upper extremity anatomy, Weekend Two on the lower extremity anatomy, and Weekend Three on the anatomy of the neck and trunk. Admission is limited.

HRS 2311 ADVANCED TOPICS IN NEUROANATOMY

3 cr.

This course will provide the student with an in-depth study of neuroanatomical structures and functions. Brain anatomy, function, and interrelationships, especially as they relate to movement dysfunction, will be reviewed. The clinician will have an opportunity to "revisit" how anatomy and movement are interrelated.

HRS 2356 CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES RELATED TO SENSORIMOTOR CONTROL 1

3 cr.

    Prerequisites: Admission to the Neurologic PT Focus or with special permission of instructor if student is in another PT focus; completion of HRS 2309 and HRS 2311 or equivalent
The brain is the organ of sensorimotor integration and provides the basis for our perceptions and control of our behavior. We will discuss theories of nervous system organization as they pertain to sensorimotor behavior. Topical areas will be presented and discussed. Topics will include: synaptic function and synaptic plasticity as a basis for the development and maturation of the nervous system, neural basis of somatosensation, nervous system control of posture and movement, and proposed mechanisms for sensorimotor integration.

HRS 2357 THEORIES OF MOTOR CONTROL AND MOTOR LEARNING

3 cr.

    Prerequisites: Admission to the Neuromuscular PT focus or with special permission of instructor if student is in another PT focus; completion of HRS 2309 and 2311
Current theories of motor control and motor learning will be reviewed. Emphasis will be on how some of these newer theories can impact on practice. Specific cases will be presented to help students start to integrate newly acquired knowledge in their clinical practice.

HRS 2358 CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES RELATED TO SENSORIMOTOR CONTROL 2

3 cr.

    Prerequisites: Admission to the Neuromuscular focus or special permission from instructor if in another PT focus; completion of HRS 2309, 2311, and 2356
The course will emphasize various topics including: the impact of environment on performance, geriatric issues that relate to patients with neuromuscular dysfunction, ergonomic issues, falls and balance, restraint use, electrodiagnosis, gait analysis, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, with emphasis on independence. The course will have both a lecture and lab format.

HRS 2359 FACTORS EXTRINSIC TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM THAT EFFECT FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDERS

3 cr.

    Prerequisites: Admission to the Neuromuscular focus or with special permission from instructor if in another PT focus; completion of HRS 2309, 2311, and 2356
This course will be an overview of how various systems impact performance in patients. Cardiovascular dysfunction, pharmacology, articular neurology, muscle energy techniques, joint mobilization, special seating for patients with disabilities, and various psychiatric and psychological disorders will be reviewed, especially emphasizing the difference between impairments and disability. The course will have both a lecture and lab format.

HRS 2361 EXAMINATION AND TREATMENT OF THE LUMBOPELVIC SPINE

3 cr.

Course content will include evaluation and treatment of the musculoskeletal conditions involving the lumbopelvic complex, including the hip joint, by utilizing advanced orthopedic physical therapy skills. Emphasis will be placed upon enhancing clinical decision-making and integrating manual therapy skills within the overall plan of care for the patient. Classes will include lecture, laboratory, and clinical experiences.

HRS 2362 EXAMINATION AND TREATMENT OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY

3 cr.

Course content will include evaluation and treatment of the musculoskeletal conditions involving the foot, ankle, and knee. Emphasis will be placed on enhancing clinical decision-making and integrating manual therapy skills within the overall plan of care for the patient. Classes will include lecture, laboratory, and clinical experiences.

HRS 2369 READING/SEMINAR

2 cr.

The student will be assigned to choose a topic(s) from the current literature related to practice. Each student will assign readings to his or her classmates from their search of the literature and come prepared to lead the discussion. There will be several topics of interest assigned and discussed each weekend.

HRS 2373 ADVANCED MUSCULOSKELETAL CLINICAL PRACTICE

3 cr.

    Prerequisites: HRS 2361, 2362, 2380, and 2381
This course will integrate advanced clinical applications of therapeutic technique and rationale for the assessment and treatment of the neuromusculoskeletal system. This course will synthesize clinical application of mobilization and manipulation techniques for the spine and the extremities, the assessment and treatment of muscular and soft tissue imbalances, and the application of medical exercise training. Utilizing a team-taught format, this approach will be based upon the expert knowledge of some of the field's foremost clinical instructors.

HRS 2374 CLINICAL ROUNDS AND CASE PRESENTATIONS

2 cr.

    Prerequisites: HRS 2361, 2362, 2380, 2381, 2907
This course will require that the student systematically collects clinical information related to outcome and treatment in a series of patients with a common disorder and presents the information in a written format (case report) and oral format (clinical rounds). Requires that the student be a physical therapist, unless other arrangements are made with the course coordinator. Requires that the student participates in Saturday morning rounds (at least four) throughout the Fall Term.

HRS 2375 CASE PRESENTATION

2 cr.

    Prerequisites: HRS 2907; clinical investigation or permission of course coordinator
This course will require the student to systematically collect clinical information related to outcome and treatment in a series of patients with a common disorder and present the information in a written format (case report) and oral format (clinical rounds). Requires that the student be a physical therapist, unless other arrangements are made with the course coordinator. Requires that the student participates in several weekend presentations throughout the Fall Term.

HRS 2380 EXAMINATION AND TREATMENT OF THE CERVICAL AND THORACIC SPINE

3 cr.

This course will include evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions involving the cervical spine, the temporomandibular joint, the thoracic spine, and the rib cage. Emphasis will be placed upon enhancing clinical decision-making and integrating manual therapy skills into the plan of care for the patient. Classes will consist of lecture, laboratory, and clinical experiences.

HRS 2381 EXAMINATION AND TREATMENT OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY

3 cr.

This course will include evaluation and treatment of the musculoskeletal conditions involving the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand. Emphasis will be placed upon enhancing clinical decision-making and integrating manual therapy skills within the overall plan of care for the patient. Classes will include lecture, laboratory, and clinical experiences.

HRS 2405 ORGANIZATION STUDIES FOR THE HEALTH AND REHABILITATION PROFESSIONS

3 cr.

An in-depth study of the organizational theory, management techniques, and supervisory responsibilities related to health professions. Students are given the opportunity to develop skill and ability in communication, supervision, motivation, and evaluation.

HRS 2407 HUMAN COMMUNICATIONS

3 cr.

Focuses on the development of increased self-awareness, communication skills, enhanced leadership skills, and understanding of group process for both personal and professional needs. Because of the laboratory and experiential nature of the course, each participant has a chance to be a learner as well as a resource to others.

HRS 2420 INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS

3 cr.

Introduction to the basic concepts of the analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation of health information systems. The student has an opportunity to develop skills and ability in defining information needs, interpreting the capabilities of health information systems, setting forth the feasible alternatives, and guiding the appropriate diffusion of information science technology into the health care system.

HRS 2422 OBJECT-ORIENTED AND WEB PROGRAMMING

3 cr.

This course is designed as an introduction to object-oriented design and modeling in the Internet (web) environment. The course will give students an understanding of the basic object-oriented and web technologies. The Java programming language will be used extensively throughout the course.

HRS 2423 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTH SYSTEMS

3 cr.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the basic building blocks of information technology related to the health care information systems. The course is aimed at providing students with skills and a working knowledge of computer organization (CPU, memory, secondary storage, input/output devices), networking and telecommunications, the Internet, basic operating systems (especially the UNIX Systems), and information resources related to the health professions. The course covers basic principles underlying the technologies, current issues, and trends related to the technologies and their applications to health care.

HRS 2424 DATABASE MANAGEMENT IN HEALTH CARE

3 cr.

The objectives of this course are to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of database design and to provide skills on how to use available database management systems (DBMS). In the first part of the course, the emphasis is on how to analyze a health care problem and model its data effectively using the Entity-Relationships (E-R) model. Subsequently, students learn how to implement the model using relational DBMS. Commercial systems such as Access, RDB, Sybase, and Dbase IV are studied. Students gain practical experience by designing and implementing database projects in a health care setting.

HRS 2428 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT

3 cr.

This course will examine how health care organizations implement both clinical and financial information systems. The course will study the implementation process and how to integrate systems to create the Computerized Patient Record (CPR). The student will also have the opportunity to learn about the industry-wide implementation data standards and how to manage them.

HRS 2430 CREATIVE THINKING

2 cr.

This course explores theoretically and practically the world of creative thinking. It is believed that people can be trained to be more creative. The intent of this course is to do just that--train students to think more creatively.

HRS 2435 FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING CONCEPTS IN THE HEALTH AND REHABILITATION PROFESSIONS

3 cr.

This course is designed as an introduction to selected finance and accounting topics of relevance to the health care professional, supervisor, and department head. No previous knowledge of accounting or financial management is required or presumed. Emphases in the first half of the course will be placed on basic financial accounting concepts to provide an organizational level understanding of the language, concepts, processes, and functions of financial management. The second half of the course will emphasize managerial accounting principles and techniques, including cost accounting and budgeting. The focus will shift from organizational-level to departmental-level financial management and the role of the supervisor in this process, including budget development and control.

HRS 2437 IMPLEMENTING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTH CARE ENVIRONMENTS

2 cr.

This course is designed for students to apply classroom theory to various health care and business practices. Working projects will be constructed utilizing current industry standard hardware and software technology. This is a hands-on course with a primary focus on implementation. There will be lab projects that involve the installation of memory, disk drives, network cards, modems, and other peripherals, along with parallel installation of the software to make these devices function. Once adequate hardware and networks with telecommunications are functional, focus will shift to installation of operating systems as well as commercial application tools and software. The software will be geared to information storage with database construction and reporting, coupled with presentation of information. Construction and implementation of Internet technology will also be addressed. Topics in this area will be the construction of a web site, creating web pages that interact with data, and the choice of software for both Internet and Internet applications. The course will be a practical guide to applying information technology at all levels to health care settings.

HRS 2438 RESEARCH METHODS AND CLINICAL DATA ANALYSIS

2 cr.

This course will focus on the principles of and approaches to conducting research in a health care setting. Formulating and testing a hypothesis, conducting an appropriate literature review, and developing specific aims, methodology, and statistical analysis related to specific research topics will be presented and discussed in detail. Requirement of IRB and research integrity will also be discussed in detail. A major focus of this course will be the practical application of collecting and maintaining data in appropriate databases and the ability to analyze the data using statistical software packages such as SPSS, BMDP, EPISTAT, etc. Students will be required to develop a research proposal that would potentially have a real-world application. A major portion of the research proposal will include how the data will be collected, stored, statistically analyzed, and used by the health care facility.

HRS 2439 HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS INTERNSHIP

3 cr.

Supervised practical experience providing an opportunity for students to learn new skills and to apply previously learned skills and theories in the analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation of health information systems.

HRS 2445 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT/LABOR RELATIONS IN HEALTH CARE

3 cr.

This course encompasses both personnel administration and labor relations concepts, processes, and issues presented with a broad human resource management perspective. Topics include manpower planning, employee selection, performance appraisal, compensation management, collective bargaining, and contract administration.

HRS 2450 PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION IN HEALTH CARE

3 cr.

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with an understanding of both theoretical and applied issues and problems associated with the evaluation of performance at all levels in the organization. Both conceptual models and useful methodologies and techniques are presented and critiqued. Though the models and methods are generally applicable to most formal organizations, specific health care issues are highlighted. Focus is on assessment of individual performance, the work group (team), the department, and the organization as a whole.

HRS 2455 ETHICS AND DECISION-MAKING IN HEALTH AND REHABILITATION

2 cr.

The purpose of this course is to analyze decision-making as a process fundamental to organizational behavior, management, and policy-making and implementation. The nature of, and constraints upon, decision-making at the individual, group, and organization-wide levels will be discussed. Various decision support and decision analysis models and methods will be presented as tools for more effective system management and policy-making in health care. Some emphasis will be given to the ethical dimension of decision-making and ethical issues and problems confronting the health care professional, manager, and policy-maker.

HRS 2460 PLANNING AND STRATEGIC ANALYSIS IN HEALTH CARE

3 cr.

The purpose of this course is to explore the theory and practice of strategic planning, a process by which members of an organization envision the future of the organization and develop a set of procedures and operations necessary to achieve that future. The course investigates strategic planning as a process by which an organization, through its employees, can not only anticipate the future, but also create (in an ongoing and dynamic way) the future.

HRS 2465 HUMAN FACTORS IN LEADERSHIP SKILL DEVELOPMENT

3 cr.

Various areas related to a leader's personal development in the health care environment are explored. The course includes didactic and experiential work in the following topics: stress management, self-assessment, caring concepts, mentoring, creative problem-solving, personal styles of learning or teaching, and leadership.

HRS 2480 DIMENSIONS IN AGING: CULTURE AND HEALTH

2 cr.

This course provides an overview of the aging experience from a cross-cultural and public health perspective. An understanding of the aging process and the different strategies that people use in Western and non-Western societies to cope with this universal phenomenon is the theme of the course. Within this framework, multiple facets of aging, including the demographic, biological, environmental, and sociocultural aspects are identified and discussed. This course provides core knowledge for professionals who will work with and on behalf of the aged.

HRS 2484 ISSUES OF LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY

3 cr.

The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the patterns and modes of health care delivery in the long-term care setting. Services and delivery systems in nursing homes, home health care, hospices, ambulatory long-term care, rehabilitation, and mental health are introduced and examined. The work of the accrediting, licensing, and certifying agencies is examined in relation to financial reimbursement, legal and ethical issues, personnel administration, medical record policies, and quality of care.

HRS 2488 RESEARCH METHODS ON AGING

2 cr.

The course illustrates multidisciplinary methods for the conduct of research on aging populations. Students are taught to formulate a research problem, assess which research method is appropriate, conduct the research, analyze the data, and report the results in class.

Course descriptions continued in next section