PHTA 1133 PTA Fundamentals II Syllabus 010 Spring 2026

Credit Hours 3.00 Lecture Hours 1 Clinical/Lab Hours 4
Type of Credit
CIP Code
51.0806
Course Meeting Time

Monday 8:00-8:50 am (Lecture), Tuesday 8:00-11:45 am (Lab)

* Students are required to participate in additional lab time outside of class for the purposes of demonstrating Entry-Level Skills

Course Description
Students will study and apply scientific concepts and skills related to safe and effective application of physical therapy interventions and patient interactions while following the established plan of care developed by the physical therapist. The concepts and skills studied include electrotherapeutic modalities; physical agents and mechanical modalities, and other adjunctive modalities commonly utilized in physical therapy. Students will further develop clinical documentation skills.
Prerequisites
Admission to the Physical Therapist Assistant program and BIOL 2644, PHTA 1103 and PHTA 1115 with grade C or better

Course Alignment

IAI Number
PHTA-1133
IAI Title
PTA Fundamaentals II

Faculty Contact Information

Faculty Name
Regina VanDeVelde
Faculty Email
Faculty Phone
1-815-802-8817
Faculty Office Number
M132
Faculty Student Support Hours

Weeks 1-2 & 9-10

Monday 10:30-12:30 pm

Wednesday 11:30-12:30 pm

Weeks 3-8 & 11-16

Monday 10:30-11:30 pm

Tuesday 12:00-1:00 pm

Thursday 9:00-10:00 am

Faculty are also available by appointment.

Faculty Information

Regina VanDeVelde, PT, DPT, ATC

T: 815-802-8817/ F: 815-839-5200

E: rvandevelde@kcc.edu

 

Jill Hills, PTA

E: jhills@kcc.edu

Course Information

Textbook/s and Course Materials

Textbook(s)/Resources

Author

Title

Edition

Year

ISBN

Publisher

  1. Cameron MH
Physical Agents in Rehabilitation: An Evidence-Based Approach to Practice

6th

2023

9780323761949

Elsevier: Saunders

  1. PhysioU
Program will purchase this

 

 

 

 

  1. EHRgo
Program will purchase this

 

 

 

 

Various handouts, articles, and materials will be made available to students throughout the course as appropriate, either in hard copy or online.

 

Required Equipment/Tools/Materials

  1. Computer/internet access
Methods of Evaluation

Evaluation

Methods of Assessment

Attendance/ Class ParticipationXIndividual Projects and Presentations 
Case Study/ScenariosXPractical DemonstrationX
Exams/TestsXWritten AssignmentsX
Group Projects and PresentationsXQuizzesX
PapersXOtherX

 

Grading Standard

Please refer to the PTA Student Guidebook for PTA program grading standards.

A final grade of 75% or higher is mandatory for continuation in the Physical Therapist Assistant program.

  • The following standardized grading scale will apply to all PTA core (suffix PHTA) courses:

93 – 100% A 

84 – 92% B

75 – 83% C_____passing_______

66 - 74% D

Below 66% F

  • As pertains to grades, the following are expectations of all PTA students to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress:
  • Students who earn less than 80% on written exams are required to complete the remediation process. See exam remediation policy in your student guidebook
    • Earn at least 80% of the total points on each practical exam (in courses with a patient skills component) with demonstrated proficiency on all required skills for each core course.
    • Earn a minimum grade of “C” for each PTA core course after exams/tests, practical exams, and all other graded activities are averaged together.
Course Policies

Entry-Level Skills Checklist: In courses with a patient skills component, an Entry-Level Skills Checklist is used to evaluate each student’s knowledge, skill and safety in basic procedures and overall competency in that skill; successful completion is required prior to participating in the laboratory practical, and absolutely before participating in clinical education experiences. Entry-level Skills Checklists are not graded, thus allowing for critical feedback from peers and the faculty on the student’s current skill level. It is the student’s responsibility to see that the skill is assessed/evaluated and completed by the designated date (typically the end of the unit) and turned in completed by the respective laboratory practical exam. If the Entry-Level Skills Checklist is not turned in, the student will receive a grade of “F” for the course and not progress within the program. The Entry-Level Skills Checklists are retained in the student’s file in the PTA program.

  • Hot Packs
  • Cold Packs
  • Ice Massage
  • Paraffin
  • Therapeutic Ultrasound
  • Mechanical Traction
  • Cold Bath/Contrast Bath
  • Electrical Stimulation: Ionto, IFC, NMES, Russian, TENS, HVPC
  • Biofeedback

 

Evidence Based Practice Assignments: You will be required to find articles from a peer reviewed journal throughout this course. You will then cite the article in AMA format and give a summary of the article/fill out the journal article review. Please refer to instructions on canvas for specific assignment details. Each entry is worth 5 points on Canvas and then each week 2-3 people will be randomly drawn to give a 3-5 minute oral presentation, as time allows.

Lab, Lab assignments, Other Projects/Assignments: During lab, everyone will be required to have appropriate lab attire. If you are not dressed appropriately, you will not be allowed to participate in the lab and you will lose the points for that lab class. Please review the lab dress code in the Student Guidebook. Every lab is designed to increase your skills in palpation and modality application. Assignments give opportunities to practice and apply what is learned in class/lab and are for the benefit of the student. Detailed instructions regarding assignments will be presented on Canvas in sufficient time to complete by due dates. Lab assignments will cover major topics or units and may span several lecture/lab sessions. Collaboration and group work is encouraged; however, each student must demonstrate individual knowledge and understanding of the material as well as his/her/their ability for critical thinking. Labs submitted with incomplete work will be returned to the student for completion, given a lower grade or be marked as incomplete in the gradebook, at the discretion of the professor. Any assignment not turned in by the subsequent exam on that content area will be assigned a grade of zero points, and students should aim to turn in all assignments by their given due date.

Course Policies

The policies and procedures of this course will follow policies and standards outlined in the College Catalog as well as the PTA Student Guidebook. All work should reflect the student’s efforts. Group collaboration is encouraged; however, each student must demonstrate personal competence and individual expression in all work submitted to be graded.

 

Expectations for Classroom and Online Behavior

Classroom/Online Behavior: Please refer to the Student Guidebook for Professional Behavior Expectations

Course Calendar

Topical Outline

  • Evidence-Based Practice
  • Tissue Response to Injury
  • Patient Response to Therapeutic Interventions
  • Biophysical Agents
  • Thermomodalities
  • Ultrasound
  • Mechanical Traction
  • Compression
  • Paraffin
  • Fluidotherapy
  • Cold Bath/Contrast Bath
  • Iontophoresis
  • Diathermy, UV, laser
  • Biofeedback
  • Electrical stimulation
  • Rehabilitative Taping

Tentative Course Calendar

DATE

TOPIC

To Do

Week 1

Jan 12

 

Lecture: Physical Agents in Rehab,

Evidence-Based Practice

 

-Prior to lecture: Review Chapters 1 and 2 (Physical Agents Text)

-Prior to Lab: Find 3 research articles published in peer-reviewed journals that discuss: 1) the pain/pain scales and physical therapy- one article must be on a pain scale, and 2) Two articles on any of the modalities that we will discuss throughout this course (US (therapeutic not imaging), electrical stimulation, diathermy, contrast baths, iontophoresis, compression, UV, biofeedback, traction, therapeutic taping) and relate to Physical Therapy

Jan 13

Lab: EBP

Guest Speaker: KCC

Reference and Instructional Librarian

-After Lab: Complete and submit the journal article review for all 3 journal articles, make sure your article is cited in AMA format.

Week 2

Jan 19

 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, college closed

-Review Chapters 3 and 4 (Physical Agents Text)

-Listen to online lectures on Patient Assessment and Response: Pain and Pain management, Tone abnormalities; Motion restrictions (separated into three videos)

 

Jan 20

Lab: Patient Response/Tissue Response Labs, including:

-Lab 2: Tissue Response

-Girth Measurement Worksheet

-Tissue Response Pain Questions

-After lab: Complete and turn in Lab 2-Tissue response lab, girth measurement worksheet, and tissue response pain questions

Week 3

Jan 26

Exam 1 in W110

After exam: Review Chapters 7 and 8 (Physical Agents Text)

-Listen to online lecture: Introduction to Thermal Agents

 

Jan 27

Lab: Thermomodality Application Lab

ELSC: Ice Massage (in lab)

-After Lab: Complete and turn in Thermomodality Application Lab

-After ELSC: complete and turn in ELSC Documentation for Ice massage

Week 4

Feb 2

Lecture: Therapeutic Heat and Cold Application, Paraffin and Contrast Bath Lecture and Videos

 

 

 

 

Feb 3

Lab: Thermal Agents Scenarios Lab,

Lab 4: Paraffin, Fluido and Contrast Bath Lab

ELSC: Paraffin and Contrast Bath (in lab)

ELSC Hot pack and Cold Pack

-After Lab: Complete and turn in Thermal Agents Scenarios Lab, Paraffin, Fluido, Contrast Bath Lab

-After ELSC: complete and turn in ELSC Documentation for hot pack, cold pack, paraffin, and contrast bath

Additional assignment:

-EBP Assignment: Thermomodality (Heat or Cold Application)

Week 5

Feb 9

Lecture: Compression

Pre-Lecture Assignment: Compression, come prepared to present as assigned in Canvas.

-Prior to lecture Review Chapter 21 (Physical Agents Text)

Feb 10

Lab: Compression Lab-After lab: Complete and turn in Compression Lab

Week 6

Feb 16

Lecture: Therapeutic Ultrasound

Pre-Lecture Assignment: Ultrasound, come prepared to present vocabulary and clinical applications as assigned in Canvas.

-Prior to lecture Review Chapter 9 (Physical Agents Text)

Feb 17

Lab: Therapeutic Ultrasound

Lab: Lab Safety: MSDS US gel

-After Lab: Complete and turn in Lab: Therapeutic Ultrasound, Lab Safety: MSDS, US gel

Additional assignment:

-EBP Assignment: Ultrasound due by Feb 18th at 8 am

Week 7

Feb 23

Lecture: Traction-Prior to lecture Review Chapter 20 (Physical Agents Text)

Feb 24

Lab: Traction

ELSC: Ultrasound

-Review for Midterm Lab Practical

-After Lab: Complete and turn in Traction Lab

-After ELSC: complete and turn in ELSC Documentation for Ultrasound

Additional assignment:

-EBP Assignment: Mechanical Traction or Compression Therapy

Week 8

Mar 2

 

Exam 2 in W110

 

 

 

March 3

 

Mid-Term Lab Practical

 

-ELSC Traction

 

 

After ELSC: complete and turn in ELSC Documentation for Traction

Spring Break

Spring Break March 9-13

 

Week 9

March 16

Lecture: Electrotherapeutics/Introduction to electrical stimulation and Biofeedback

Pre-Lecture Assignment: Introduction to E-stim Lecture Class Presentation, come prepared to present as assigned in Canvas.

- Review Chapter 11 (Physical Agents Text)

March 17

Biofeedback Lecture/Demo

Lab: Intro to E-stim machines and

Biofeedback Case Study

-After lab: Complete and turn in Introduction to electrical stimulation and machines and Biofeedback Case Study

 

Week 10

March 23

Lecture: Electrical Stimulation for Muscle Contraction (Neuromuscular E-stim)- Prior to lecture Review Chapter 12 (Physical Agents Text)

March 24

Lab: Neuromuscular Re-education Lab

-After Lab: Complete and turn in Neuromuscular Re-education lab

Additional assignment:

-EBP Assignment: Neuromuscular Re-education using electrical stimulation (articles are assigned on Canvas for this EBP)

Week 11

March 30

Lecture: Electrical Stimulation for Wound (E-stim for tissue repair)- Prior to lecture Review Chapter 14 (Physical Agents Text)

April 31

Lab: E-stim for Tissue Repair (HiVolt), Iontophoresis

-ELSC: Iontophoresis

-ELSC: NMES/Russian (date subject to change)

-After lab: Complete and turn in E-stim for Tissue Repair (HiVolt), Iontophoresis Lab

- After ELSC: complete and turn in ELSC Documentation for Iontophoresis, and NMES/Russian once completed

Week 12

April 6

Lecture: E-stim for Pain management

Pre-Lecture Assignment: Electrical Stimulation for Pain Control

- Review Chapter 13 (Physical Agents Text)

 

Additional assignment:

-Start on Clinical I Exxat Profile Update and Clinical Instructor Email

April 7

Lab: Pain management, IFC, TENs Lab

-After Lab: Complete and turn in Pain management, IFC and TENs Lab

Additional assignment:

-EBP Assignment: TENs/electrical stimulation for pain relief

Week 13

April 13

Lecture: Electromagnetic Radiation: Diathermy, UV and Laser Lab

-Breakdown of each modality to assist with

studying these topics is on Canvas.

-Prior to Lecture: Review breakdowns of each modality provided on Canvas prior to lecture

April 14

Lab: Diathermy and Laser Lab

Scenarios, and BFR

Lab: Documentation Practice for Electrical Stimulation Scenarios

Lab: E-stim, Ionto, Diathermy, and

Biofeedback Review

BFR PhysioU review

-ELSC: HVPC E-stim

-After Lab: Complete and turn in Diathermy and

Laser Lab, BFR and Documentation Practice for Electrical Stimulation Scenarios

 

- After ELSC: complete and turn in ELSC Documentation for HiVolt Estim/Ionto

-Watch EXXAT training video and review Clinical I Introductory Documents assignment

Week 14

April 20

Lecture: Rehabilitative Taping Lecture 

April 21

Lab: Taping Lab

Lab: E-stim, Ionto, Diathermy, and Biofeedback Review Sheet (continued as time allows)

Lab: E-stim Case Scenario Practice (TENs and IFC)

Continue BFR PhysioU Review

-ELSC: TENs and IFC

-After Lab: Complete and turn in Taping Lab and E-stim, Ionto, Diathermy and Biofeedback

Review Sheet

- After ELSC: complete and turn in ELSC Documentation for TENs and IFC

Week 15

April 27

Exam 3 in W110

 

April 28

-E-stim case scenario practice

-Final Exam Review

-ELSC: TENs and IFC continued

- After ELSC: complete and turn in ELSC Documentation for TENs and IFC

 

Additional assignment:

Clinical I Introductory Emails need to be sent by May 1st

Week 16

May 4

Final Comprehensive Exam in W110

 

 

May 5

 

Final Lab Practical

 

Finals Week

May 11

Final Lab Practical Remediation/Retake (as needed)

 

 

College Policies, Resources and Supports

College Policies

For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide. 

Resources

KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:

  • Clubs and organizations
  • Counseling and referral services
  • Office of disability services
  • Student complaint policy
  • Transfer services
  • Tutoring services, etc.