Course Description:

This continuing education course instructs in the specific skills that physical therapists and occupational therapists must consider in the skilled nursing facility when working with a patient who has had a hip fracture. Evaluation and intervention techniques will be demonstrated or discussed with emphasis on determination of the patient’s prior level of function, reason for experiencing hip fracture (dizziness, weakness, pain, etc.), and knowledge of patient’s environment upon discharge. The progression from post-surgical early mobility and ADL task instruction to acute care IADL instruction is demonstrated and discussed with suggestions for appropriate levels of intervention. The therapist will learn how to instruct the patient in use of common assistive devices such as sock aids, reachers, and leg lifters. This is the fourth course in a five course series on hip fractures.